Yahoo News Beyoncé to rework Renaissance lyric after ableism accusations
Beyoncé is making an alteration to her new track "Heated" after the song was criticized for its "ableist" lyrics.
Following the release of Renaissance last Friday, some listeners took issue with the song's use of the word "spaz," which they argued is offensive to those grappling with a "spastic" condition. "Spazzin' on that ass, spaz on that ass," Beyoncé sings on the track. The disability limits control over one's muscles, particularly their arms and legs.
Now, representatives for Beyoncé have confirmed that the song will be reworked to remove the controversial lines.
"The word, not used intentionally in a harmful way, will be replaced," a statement from her team reads.
Kevin Mazur/WireImage Beyoncé
Hannah Diviney took issue with the lyric in a piece published in The Guardian. "Beyoncé's commitment to storytelling musically and visually is unparalleled, as is her power to have the world paying attention to the narratives, struggles and nuanced lived experience of being a Black woman," it reads. "But that doesn't excuse her use of ableist language."
The news comes after Lizzo reworked her song "Grrrls" last month after being called out for her use of the same word.
In the song, which is featured on this year's Special, she sings: "Hold my bag, bitch, hold my bag/ Do you see this s–t? I'm a spaz." The altered version features the lines, "Hold my bag, bitch, Hold my bag/ Do you see this s–t? Hold me back."
Renaissance, Beyoncé's seventh studio album, was hit with unflattering press last week when singer Kelis expressed her outrage that the star had used a sample from her 2003 hit "Milkshake" allegedly without seeking her permission, calling it "theft."
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