Beyonce the backtracker
Superstar singer pledges to change her offensive song lyric after outcry by disability charity
BEYONCE has promised to change a lyric on her new album after being criticised by fans and a British disability charity.
The global superstar sings ‘Spazzin’ on that ass, spaz on that ass’ on Heated, a collaboration with rapper Drake.
In June, American singer-songwriter Lizzo faced a backlash for using ‘spaz’ in her song Grrrls and re-recorded it. The charity Scope said it was ‘appalling’ that Beyonce, 40, had now used the same ‘deeply-offensive’ term.
Media manager Warren Kirwan said: ‘Words matter because they reinforce the negative attitudes disabled people face every day.’
Beyonce’s representatives said the lyrics will be replaced but the Grammy award-winner has not apologised.
The word ‘spaz’ was ostensibly used in a colloquial way to mean going crazy or wild. But it is derived from spastic and has a history of being used as a slur against those with disabilities, especially cerebral palsy.
The star’s album Renaissance was released on Friday, hours after it had leaked online. It is outselling the rest of the top five combined and set to be her fourth UK number 1.