Since Beyoncé released her new album, Renaissance, the entire work has been embroiled in controversy.
From being leaked in full just 36 hours before its release, to causing outrage at the use of an ableist slur in the track ‘Heated’, the album’s launch has been no easy road for the singer.
Now R&B and hip-hop artist Kelis has accused Queen Bey of thievery, claiming Bey never asked her if she could sample two of her songs on Renaissance.
Monica Lewinsky has also weighed in on the controversy, demanding the singer wipe her name from a much older track, ‘Partition’, which was released back in 2013.
Below, we discuss every drama, feud and rapid change Beyoncé has made since the release of the incredibly contentious 2022 album.
READ MORE: Singer Kelis slams Beyoncé for allegedly sampling her song without permission on the Renaissance album
READ MORE: Monica Lewinsky calls out Beyoncé for crude Bill Clinton lyrics from 2013 as singer comes under fire for new song
Why did Beyoncé remove the Kelis sample?
After Kelis called out Beyoncé for sampling her songs ‘Milkshake’ and ‘Get Along With You’ on Renaissance track ‘Energy’ – allegedly without permission – the singer decided to wipe the sample completely from the track on Spotify.
It can still be heard on Apple Music, however.
Kelis claims she found out about the sample of the songs on social media, after the album had been leaked to the entire world.
Despite getting a writing credit in the Renaissance tracklist, Kelis continues to allege the singer did not consult her about the samples.
What has Kelis said about Beyoncé?
‘What hasn’t Kelis said?’ might be the better question.
In a comment on an Instagram fan page, Kelis shamed the singer.
“My mind is blown too because the level of disrespect and utter ignorance of all 3 parties involved is astounding,” Kelis wrote from her cooking Instagram account @BountyAndFull.
She continued: “I heard about this the same way everyone else did. Nothing is ever as it seems, some of the people in this business have no soul or integrity and they have everyone fooled.”
The singer went one step further, alleging that Beyoncé stole the ‘Get Along With You’ sample.
“It’s not a collab it’s theft,” Kelis alleged in the hours before the album was officially released.
How is Pharrell Williams involved in the Beyoncé drama?
Kelis’ criticism isn’t for Beyoncé and Beyoncé only.
The R&B star has also sent heated words to ‘The Neptunes’ producer duo Chad Hugo and Pharrell Williams, who co-wrote ‘Energy’ and also wrote and produced Kelis’ songs ‘Milkshake’ and ‘Get Along With You’.
In a video on Instagram, Kelis said: “Chad really is like an amoeba, he’s spineless.
“It’s a miracle he can keep his neck up, but Pharrell knows better,” she said. “This is a direct hit at me, he does this stuff all the time. It’s very petty – very, very, very – and the reality is that it’s frustrating.”
Kelis had a famous falling out with the producer duo, who were once her close friends. When Hugo and Pharrell made a plan to produce Kelis’ first two albums at the beginning of her career, she was all in. She claims they planned to split the profits equally three ways.
But years later, the singer claims she never saw any of that money, after being “blatantly lied to and tricked” by the duo, according to her 2020 interview with The Guardian.
What Beyoncé song lyrics were removed from Renaissance?
On the other side of things, Beyoncé has made some rapid changes to her track ‘Heated’ after disability advocates expressed their outrage at her use of an “ableist” slur.
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 would be removed.
“The word, not used intentionally in a harmful way, will be replaced,” a statement from Beyoncé’s team read.
The singer has since removed the slur from the song and re-released a new version of ‘Heated’.
How is Lizzo involved in the Beyoncé drama?
Upon hearing the original version of ‘Heated’, disability advocates were disappointed, given Lizzo had come under fire just two months ago for her use of the exact same slur.
The body-positive singer dropped her single ‘GRRRLS’ on June 10 which featured the slur in the third line of lyrics.
Disability activists immediately called the use of the word “disappointing” and “harmful”.
The singer responded swiftly to the outrage, and created a new version of the song which does not use the slur.
It now listens as: “Hold my bag, b—h, hold my bag / Do you see this sh-t? Hold me back”, as per lyrics found on Genius.
What is the Diane Warren and Beyoncé drama?
Oscar-nominated songwriter Diane Warren just about picked the wrong fight when she decided to question why one of Beyoncé’s new songs off Renaissance has over 20 credited writers.
Taking to Twitter, Warren wrote: “How can there be 24 writers on a song? This isn’t meant as shade, I’m just curious.”
She did not mention Beyoncé in her tweets but fans were quick to link two-and-two together, and assumed Warren was referring to the singer’s new track ‘Alien Superstar’.
Fans were quick to point out that the reason why this track boasts over 20 credited songwriters is simply due to the number of samples it features.
But some didn’t take Warren’s comments so lightly.
Singer The-Dream, who has worked with Beyoncé in the past and collaborated with her on Renaissance, called out Warren for her comment.
“You mean how does our culture have so many writers?” he tweeted.
“Well it started because we couldn’t afford certain things starting out, so we started sampling and it became an art form, a major part of the Black Culture in America. Had that era not happened who knows. U good?”
Other fans took issue with Warren, assuming she was trying to say Beyonce was not able to write her songs “on her own”.
“Now you want to play victim and say it wasn’t meant as an attack when you were literally just bragging about writing your songs “on your own” and “having 23 less writers” ??? cmon Diane. you not about to white woman your way outta this one,” one fan tweeted.
Warren instantly replied, taking the defensive.
“I didn’t mean that as an attack or as disrespect. I didn’t know this, thank U for making me aware of it. No need to be mean about it,” she replied.
What is the Monica Lewinsky and Beyoncé lyrics drama?
To add to the list of controversies, Monica Lewinsky has also thrown her two cents onto the pile, calling for Beyonce to erase her name from her 2013 song ‘Partition’.
Lewinsky took to Twitter to voice her thoughts, reacting to the news that the singer would be removing the ableist slur from ‘Heated’.
“Uhmm, while we’re at it… #Partition,” 49-year-old Lewinsky tweeted alongside a link to an article about the news.
The track in question references the dress the former White House intern wore during her scandalous affair with then-US President, Bill Clinton.
“He popped all my buttons, and he ripped my blouse/He Monica-Lewinksy’d all on my gown,” Beyoncé sings on the single, which featured in her self-titled album almost one decade ago.
Fans were quick to criticise Lewinsky, pointing out that she has registered herself as a “rap song muse” in her own Twitter bio – as if recognising it as a claim to fame.
They also noted that Lewinsky is featured in about 128 rap songs in total, thanks to research done by The Cut.
One follower shared a screenshot of her Twitter profile with a red circle around her bio, writing: “Are you not proud of it?”.
What has Beyoncé said about the Renaissance drama?
So far the most the singer has commented on is the leak of Renaissance.
On July 29, Beyonce shared a text post on Twitter.
“So, the album leaked and you all actually waited until the proper release time so you all can enjoy it together,” she said.
“I’ve never seen anything like it. I can’t thank yall enough for your love and protection. I appreciate you for calling out anyone that was trying to sneak into the club early. It means the world to me.
“Thank you for your unwavering support. Thank you for being patient. We are going to take out time and Enjoy the music. I will continue to give my all and do my best to bring you joy.”
She then signed off: “I Love You Deep.”
Beyoncé Renaissance album full tracklist
The complete 16-song tracklist for Renaissance is below:
- ‘I’m That Girl’
- ‘Cozy’
- ‘Alien Superstar’
- ‘Cuff It’
- ‘Energy’
- ‘Break My Soul’
- ‘Church Girl’
- ‘Plastic Off the Sofa’
- ‘Virgo’s Groove’
- ‘Move’
- ‘Heated’
- ‘Thique’
- ‘All Up in Your Mind’
- ‘America Has a Problem’
- ‘Pure/Honey’
- ‘Summer Renaissance’
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