Music publisher BMG Rights Management is suing toymaker MGA Entertainment Inc over their song “My Poops, ” over similarities to the Black Eyed Peas’ song “My Humps.” The song in question is “My Poops,” part of a marketing campaign for their Poopsie Slime Surprise toyline.
Documents filed with the Manhattan federal court allege the song rips off the Black Eyed Peas 2005 mega-hit. They also claim the MGA has earned tens of millions of dollars partially because of “My Poops.” As a result, BMG is asking the court for at least $10 million in damages.
One of MGA’s popular unicorn dolls dances and sings “My Poops” when its heart-shaped belly button is pressed. There is also a music video created to promote the line using the song “My Poops”. The video features animated versions of the toys dancing around to lyrics about how they “excrete sparkling slime.”
BMG’s lawsuit cites multiple similarities between “My Poops” and “My Humps” including melodies, lyrics, chords, and other elements. Adding in that the singer sounds “very similar” to Black Eyed Peas frontwoman, Fergie. In a side-by-side comparison of the two songs, the similarities are pretty apparent.
The repetitive chorus of “My humps, my humps, my humps, my humps,” is replaced by “My poops, my poops my poops my poops.” The opening lyric “Whatcha gon’ do with all that junk, All that junk inside your trunk?” becomes “Whatcha gonna do with all that poop, all that poop” followed by a whooo sound. And Fergie’s famous line “I drive these brothers crazy I do it on the daily” becomes a very Kidz Bop-esque “I drive my parents crazy, I do it every day.”
BMG issued a cease-and-desist notice to MGA prior to the lawsuit but it was ignored. BMG currently holds 75% of the composition copyright in “My Humps.” Upon its release, the song went double platinum in the USA. It also hit number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and became somewhat of a cultural phenomenon. MGA is also responsible for the popular Bratz line of dolls.
