Los Angeles (AFP) – American superstar Beyonce has to re-record a song from her new album that has been criticized on social networks for using a slang word that disabled people consider derogatory.

The phrase “spas” in the song “Heat” from the “Renaissance” album, released Friday, angered people with mobility impairments.

Derived from the adjective “spastic”, the English word “spas” is sometimes used to deride people with cerebral palsy, and can mean “moron” or “troubled” or “clumsy”. .

The word “spas” is rarely used in America and means that a person is “uncontrollable” or behaving in a “strange” manner.

Beyoncé will re-record the hit song with the word “spaz” “replaced” in the new version, a spokesperson for the artist confirmed in an email to AFP in an attempt to calm the wave of anger raging through social networks. It is a controversial term not used with the intention of intimidation.

The song “Heat” was co-written with Canadian rapper Drake.

A similar problem occurred last June when American singer Lisso had to re-record the song “Grrrls” to remove the same slang word “spaz”.

Australian activist Hannah Devney took to Twitter to say that Beyoncé’s use of the term was “a blow to the disability community and the progress made with Lizzo”. He insisted that he will continue to demand that the entire music industry ‘do better’ until any ‘shame’ disappears from this type of music.

The release of Beyoncé’s seventh solo album on Friday marks a summer music event. Six years after “Lemonade”, “Queen B” returned to her fans with the album “Renaissance” (“The Renaissance”), which includes 16 songs that will restore the joy and celebration of the world after the pandemic.

“This album made me dream and run at a terrible time for the world,” Beyoncé, now 41, wrote to her 270 million Instagram followers. “It allowed me to feel a sense of freedom and adventure at a time when few things were moving.”