Beyoncé's "Blue Ivy Carter" Trademark Case Heats Up As She's Accused Of Fraud

BYErika Marie49.9K Views
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This battle has been going on for years.

The Blue Ivy wedding planning business, run by a woman named Veronica Morales, has reportedly been in operation since 2009. Three years later, Jay-Z and Beyoncé welcomed their first born, Blue Ivy Carter, into the world, and in an effort to protect her name from being used for profit, Bey filed to procure the trademark rights to her moniker.

It didn't take long for Morales to bite back with claims that her business was around long before Blue Ivy was birthed, so she wants to stop the singer from obtaining any rights. In her court documents, she mentions an interview that Jay did with Vanity Fair where he spoke on the trademark petition.

"People wanted to make products based on our child’s name, and you don’t want anybody trying to benefit off your baby’s name," Jay told the publication back in 2013. "It wasn’t for us to do anything; as you see, we haven’t done anything. First of all, it’s a child, and it bothers me when there’s no [boundaries]. I come from the streets, and even in the most atrocious shit we were doing, we had lines: no kids, no mothers—there was respect there. But [now] there’s no boundaries. For somebody to say, This person had a kid—I’m gonna make a fuckin’ stroller with that kid’s name. It’s, like, where’s the humanity?"

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The Blast reports that Morales has filed a lawsuit against Beyoncé, accusing the singer of fraud. According to Morales, when Bey filed for the Blue Ivy Carter trademark, she wrote that the name would be used for business. However, Morales notes that in Jay's interview, he suggested they wanted it only to protect their daughter's name. Morales believes that this indicates fraud as she also accuses Beyoncé of ignoring her court documents.

"When considered together, the admission to Vanity Fair and the refusal to respond to any discovery responses is sufficient evidence to conclude that the Applicant’s intent all along is exactly what Jay Z said: to use trademark applications to prevent others from using the name of their daughter. This is fraud on the USPTO," Morales states.

Earlier this year, Morales reportedly requested that text messages between Beyoncé, Jay Z, and Tina Knowles be turned over for examination. Morales wanted to know if the family members communicated about having any prior knowledge regarding the name Blue Ivy being used in any other businesses. However, correspondences weren't shared as Beyoncé's team reportedly believed confidential information could possibly be leaked to the public. Morales and Beyoncé's legal teams are set to face off in court.


About The Author
Erika Marie is a seasoned journalist, editor, and ghostwriter who works predominantly in the fields of music, spirituality, mental health advocacy, and social activism. The Los Angeles editor, storyteller, and activist has been involved in the behind-the-scenes workings of the entertainment industry for nearly two decades. E.M. attempts to write stories that are compelling while remaining informative and respectful. She's an advocate of lyrical witticism & the power of the pen. Favorites: Motown, New Jack Swing, '90s R&B, Hip Hop, Indie Rock, & Punk; Funk, Soul, Harlem Renaissance Jazz greats, and artists who innovate, not simply replicate.