Did Beyonce Really Sample Robin S “Show Me Love” on New Song “Break My Soul”?

Last week, Beyonce released her new single, “Break My Soul,” a dance-inflected track that harkens back to the early 90s, complete with a propulsive “four on the floor” rhythm and house piano accompaniment.

“Now, I just fell in love, and I just quit my job,” she sings in the opening verse. “I’m gonna find new drive, damn, they work me so damn hard…”

An obvious hot take was that it’s a commentary on our current moment — people are overworked, underpaid and need the release that music (when it is good) can provide.

I assume most people were content to let the song be what it is, an apt anthem for our times, perfect for partying to or cleaning your apartment.

But no sooner was the song released than a requisite narrative began forming around it; namely, that it owed a debt of gratitude, that it in fact “sampled” a classic tune by singer Robin S that might as well be the national anthem at this point — “Show Me Love.”