The 40-year-old singer received rave reviews when she debuted her dance-inspired seventh studio record on Friday, yet she came under fire over the weekend when enthusiasts noticed the inclusion of a derogatory expression in the song “Heated. ”
On the track, co-written by Drake, Beyoncé sings the line: “Spazzin’ on that ass, spazz on that will ass. ”
Although the word “spaz” is usually used colloquially to explain “freaking out” or even “going crazy, ” it is derived from the term “spastic, ” that is considered demeaning to people with spastic cerebral palsy. According to the Facilities for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, ) the condition affects a person’s ability to control their muscle tissues, especially in their legs and arms.
“So @Beyonce used the phrase ‘sp**’ in her new song ‘Heated’. Feels like a punch in the face to me, the disabled community as well as the progress we tried to make with Lizzo, ” disability ally Hannah Diviney wrote on Twitter.
“Guess I’ll just keep telling the whole market to ‘do better’ until ableist slurs disappear from songs. ”
Another commentator messaged: “Screw you @Beyonce. You should be a role model, not making money in the lazy use of derogatory language. Shame on you. ”
Representatives for Beyoncé confirmed on Mon that the lyric will be removed, telling CNN in a statement that will “the word, not really used intentionally within a harmful way, is going to be replaced. ”
Fans had waited with bated breath for “Renaissance” after the singer dropped the first single, “Break My Soul, ” in June. It was her first full-length album since 2016’s “Lemonade. ”
Opening up about her creative procedure on Instagram , Beyoncé told fans: “Creating this album allowed me a place to dream and to find escape during a scary time for the world. ”
The girl said her “intention was to create a secure place, a place with out judgment. A place to be free of perfectionism plus overthinking. A place in order to scream, release, feel freedom. It was an attractive journey of pursuit. ”
The singer’s decision to edit “Heated” comes weeks right after fellow entertainer Lizzo announced a new version of her song “GRRRLS” following issues with her use of the same term from the impaired community.