One month on from Lizzo’s apology, Beyoncé is being called out for using an ableist slur

Just when we thought artists had moved on from including ableist language in their lyrics, Beyoncé has been caught out for using the “s” slur.

The star dropped her seventh album, Renaissance, after a six-year wait on Friday (29th July). People largely celebrated the brand new songs, but some were disappointed Beyoncé chose to use the word in track 11, Heated.

During Heated’s outro, Beyoncé raps: “Sp*zzin’ on that ass/sp*z on that ass”. Fans noted the singer had no excuse for using the word, given the controversy surrounding Lizzo back in June.

“So @Beyonce used the word ‘sp*z’ in her new song Heated”, one disability activist tweeted. “Feels like a slap in the face to me, the disabled community and the progress we tried to make with Lizzo. Guess I’ll just keep telling the whole industry to ‘do better’ until ableist slurs disappear from music.”

“I’ve lived all my life with small uncontrollable body movements & nervous energy,” said another. “I’m often a bit weird, jittery & have tendency to freak out.

“When I was a kid I was told I was a sp*z & somehow I was less accepted because of it. @Beyonce lyrics suck. Sp*z needs to be dropped from rap.”

Despite the criticism, die-hard fans insist Beyoncé shouldn’t have to change a thing. “Sp*z is a slur in the UK. Last time I checked, Beyoncé isn’t from the UK so how would she know,” one person tweeted.

“Your first mistake was thinking we give a fuck about a word being a slur in another country,” one stan said. “When the hive SP*Z y’all gonna be so mad.”

The Tab has reached out to Beyoncé’s representatives for comment.

Related stories recommended by this writer:

• ‘I’ve never seen anything like it’: Beyoncé responds to the Renaissance leak
• Bey is BACK and here are 16 reactions to her seventh album, Renaissance
• Someone leaked Beyoncé’s new album 36 hours before its release – here’s what we know

Featured image via Tinseltown on Shutterstock before edits.