Scope calls for Beyonce to re-record song to remove ableist slur

Disability charity Scope has called for Beyonce to re-record the song 'Heated' from her album Renaissance after the singer was criticised for using an ableist slur,

The term, which in the UK is often used to demean people with cerebral palsy, is heard twice in the song which was co-written with Drake.

Fellow American pop star Lizzo was recently criticised for using the same word in the lyrics to her song 'GRRRLS'.

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In response to criticism, Lizzo apologised and re-recorded the song with different lyrics.

Scope are calling on Beyonce to do the same. They said in a statement: "Words matter because they reinforce the negative attitudes disabled people face every day. Beyoncé has long been a champion of inclusivity and equality, so we'd urge her to remove this offensive lyric."

The BBC's disability correspondent Nikki Fox also said: "It's so annoying because it's so catchy. But it's a horrible word. It's a word we would never, ever use in the UK — although we recognise it's sometimes used differently in the US."

She added: "If you think of how many people that song will go through and not one of them thought, 'Hang on a minute', and not one person was not aware of the hoo-hah when Lizzo used the same word. It's very disappointing."

The song in question has 11 credited songwriters and 10 different producers.

The word in question can have different connotations in the US where it can mean to go wild when partying or it can be used as a synonym for 'going crazy'.

Beyonce has also been criticised by RnB singer Kelis who accused the 'Drunk in Love' star of "theft" over interpolating one of her hits without asking permission.

'Energy' uses a refrain from Kelis' 'Milkshake' but the singer does not own the rights to the song and has been engaged in a dispute with the track's producers — Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo — who were also her previous label bosses.

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