In response to online criticism, Beyoncé has agreed to remove an ableist slur from her new album. The 40-year-old singer received rave reviews when she debuted her dance-inspired seventh studio album on Friday, but she came under fire over the weekend when fans noticed the inclusion of a derogatory term in the song “Heated.” On the track, co-written by Drake, Beyoncé sings the line: “Spazzin’ on that ass, spazz on that ass.”
Demeaning to people with spastic cerebral palsy, the word “spaz” is a colloquialism for freaking out or going crazy. However, it is derived from the word “spastic,” which is considered offensive by many disability advocates and people with spastic cerebral palsy. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines spastic cerebral palsy as a disorder that affects a person’s ability to control their muscles, especially those in their arms and legs. Thus, many people with this disorder find the word “spaz” offensive.
Fans of the singer waited with bated breath for her new album “Renaissance,” after the release of her first single “Break My Soul” in June. It was Beyoncé’s first full-length album since 2016’s “Lemonade.” Opening up about her creative process on Instagram, Beyoncé said: “Creating this album allowed me a place to dream and to find escape during a scary time for the world.” She said that her “intention was to create a safe place, a place without judgment. A place to be free of perfectionism and overthinking. A place to scream, release, feel freedom. It was a beautiful journey of exploration.” In response to claims that she had used the word ‘grrls’ in an offensive manner in one of the songs on the album (“Heated”), Lizzo announced that there would be an edited version released soon.