Beyoncé to remove 'ableist' lyric from 'Renaissance' album after online backlash: Reports
Beyoncé's "Renaissance" has received praise from critics and fans since the album's release Friday, but one lyric has generated outraged.
Disability advocates are criticizing the eleventh track, "Heated," calling a portion of the lyrics ableist and offensive. On the song, Beyoncé sings, “Spazzin’ on that a--, spazz on that a--.”
Spasticity is defined as an "abnormal muscle tightness due to prolonged muscle contraction," according to John Hopkins Medicine. The symptom associated with damage to the brain most commonly affects leg muscles but can affect any, which can cause pain, disfigurement and disability.
Important: Beyoncé was accused of using an ableist slur. Other terms we should stop saying too.
The lyric will be removed from the song, according to reports from Variety and Rolling Stone.
USA TODAY has reached out to Beyoncé's rep for comment.
Beyoncé's 'Renaissance' album review: Unapologetic and raunchy as she beckons us to the dance floor
"The word, not used intentionally in a harmful way, will be replaced," Beyoncé’s rep Yvette Noel-Schure said in a statement to Variety and Rolling Stone.
The 16-track album marked the "Break My Soul" singer's seventh solo album.
In June, Lizzo received backlash over a lyric from her single “Grrrls” that also stirred up controversy over the same term.
The “Truth Hurts” singer said in a tweet at the time an updated version of the single was released after it was brought to her attention that one of its lyrics carried ableist meaning.
— FOLLOW @YITTY (@lizzo) June 13, 2022
“Let me make one thing clear: I never want to promote derogatory language,” Lizzo wrote about the track from her album "Special." “As a Black fat woman in America, I’ve had many hurtful words used against me so I overstand the power words can have (whether intentionally or in my case, unintentionally). This is the result of me listening and taking action.
"As an influential artist I’m dedicated to being part of the change I’ve been wanting to see in the world."
Writer Hannah Diviney wrote an essay criticizing the "Renaissance" lyric published in the Guardian on Monday, saying "my heart sank" when she found out about the offensive lyric after she had already called out Lizzo's use of an ablest term. She wrote that Beyoncé's status as a cultural icon and "blueprint for the music industry" does not excuse her use of the term.
"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," Diviney wrote.
The lyric has been scrutinized by people on social media, with some saying it's disappointing to see another singer repeat the situation.
Beyoncé using a slur generally directed at disabled people in her music is very disappointing. Especially when it’s the same slur that another big artist was called out for recently using in one of their songs.
— Charlotte Ansell 🌻 (@Charl0tteAnsell) July 30, 2022
"Beyoncé using a slur generally directed at disabled people in her music is very disappointing. Especially when it’s the same slur that another big artist was called out for recently using in one of their songs," Twitter user @Charl0tteAnsell wrote
so Beyoncé using the sp*z slur too in her new song?? do we learn nothing???
— daneka 🪐 #ClimateJustice (@danekaetchells) July 30, 2022
"So Beyoncé using the sp*z slur too in her new song?? do we learn nothing," wrote Twitter user @danekaetchells.
Twitter user @adamfare1996 expressed frustration with the harmful word being used.
Urgh has Beyoncé used that slur in a song even though it's been highlighted how harmful the word is?
Ableism runs deep. I hope she removes the lyric quickly, but this time ignorance is a tricky defence seen as it's been done before.— Adam Fare 🖤🤍💜 (@adamfare1996) August 1, 2022
"Ableism runs deep. I hope she removes the lyric quickly, but this time ignorance is a tricky defence seen as it's been done before," @adamfare1996 wrote.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Beyoncé to remove 'ableist' lyric from 'Renaissance' after backlash