By Zuko Komisa
Beyoncé will remove a derogatory phrase for disabled persons from her new song Heated, a representative announced on Monday, following campaigners’ criticism of the term’s use as inappropriate.
Representatives for Beyonce told CNN on Monday that “the word, not used intentionally in a harmful way, will be replaced.”
The song from her latest album Renaissance, on which she first sang the lyrics “Spazzin’ on that ass, spazz on that ass,” will be redone by the US pop megastar.
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The dance track, which was co-written with Canadian rapper Drake, seems to use the word “spaz” in the slang sense of momentarily losing control or acting erratically.
But advocates for people with disabilities pointed out that the word comes from “spastic.”
This is not the first time the word has been a subject of controversy.
Following concerns that the phrase in her song Grrrls was offensive, US artist Lizzo re-recorded the song in June without it.
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