Beyoncé to change 'Heated' lyrics after ableist slur backlash

[Kristina 13,996]

Beyoncé’s seventh studio album “Renaissance” debuted July 29 to universal acclaim, but one lyric in the song “Heated” left many listeners  outraged on social media. The song includes the word “spaz” during a verse in which Beyonce sings: “Spazzin’ on that ass, spazz on that ass.” In the medical field, “spastic” refers to a disability that makes it difficult for people to control their muscles, especially in their arms and legs. The singer’s team confirmed to Variety that the lyric will be removed.

“The word, not used intentionally in a harmful way, will be replaced,” a statement from Beyoncé’s team reads.

The lyric was criticized as ableist and offensive on social media, and it even inspired an essay published on The Guardian in which writer Hannah Diviney wrote, “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… But that doesn’t excuse her use of ableist language.”

Beyoncé’s decision to remove the ableist lyric follows Lizzo’s decision to do the same. Lizzo used the same term in her song “Grrrls” off her latest album, “Special.” In the original track, Lizzo sang: “Hold my bag, bitch, hold my bag/ Do you see this shit? I’m a spaz.” The new version of the song finds Lizzo singing: “Hold my bag, bitch, Hold my bag/ Do you see this shit? Hold me back.”

“Let’s make one thing clear: I never want to promote derogatory language,” Lizzo wrote on social media while announcing the lyric change. The singer added that she was “proud” to have taken the steps to “listen and take action.”

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[Kylie 113,466]

What I found weird is they decided to keep the lyric in, while Lizzo was literally called out weeks ago

[Princess Aurora 30,381]

Mess 

[Kyoteki 10,110]

Part of me understands, but another part of me is like “it’s AAVE…” which obviously shows a disconnect between black snd white disabled folks  

I didn’t even know it was an ablelist slur until Lizzo 

[Kristina 13,996]

5 hours ago, Kylie said:

What I found weird is they decided to keep the lyric in, while Lizzo was literally called out weeks ago

Same! How did not a single person on Bey’s team hear about this..

[Kaeya 1,881]

1 hour ago, Kyoteki said:

Part of me understands, but another part of me is like “it’s AAVE…” which obviously shows a disconnect between black snd white disabled folks  

I didn’t even know it was an ablelist slur until Lizzo 

I completely agree with this.

[Kylie 113,466]

2 hours ago, Kyoteki said:

Part of me understands, but another part of me is like “it’s AAVE…” which obviously shows a disconnect between black snd white disabled folks  

I didn’t even know it was an ablelist slur until Lizzo 

That you didn’t know doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be called out though…it especially weird since the whole world was calling Lizzo out for using the same word like 2/3 weeks ago

[Kyoteki 10,110]

58 minutes ago, Kylie said:

That you didn’t know doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be called out though…it especially weird since the whole world was calling Lizzo out for using the same word like 2/3 weeks ago

I mean I fully agree. Just insight from me as a black person

[Chris 56,828]

14 hours ago, Kyoteki said:

Part of me understands, but another part of me is like “it’s AAVE…” which obviously shows a disconnect between black snd white disabled folks  

I didn’t even know it was an ablelist slur until Lizzo 

I've said this in the Lizzo thread about it but there was a Zoey 101 episode about this in the early 2000s with a message of anti-ableist slurs  

Specifically the word in question

[StrippedX 5,810]

In like 10 years we can't have lyrics because every word will be offensive 

Anyway I didn't know this word was offensive but if it is - good on her for changing it.

[Gilly 12,318]

i detest when artists change music thats already out, like wtf? let them be mad!