Beyoncé has reportedly removed the sample of ‘Milkshake’ from ‘Energy’, a song that appears on her just-released album RENAISSANCE, on some streaming services. Upon the album’s release, Kelis said she did not grant permission for her music to be used on the album and that she heard about it the “same way everyone else did.”
She also called the use of the song “theft,” adding: “My mind is blown too because the level of disrespect and utter ignorance of all 3 parties involved is astounding. Nothing is ever as it seems, some of the people in this business have no soul or integrity, and they have everyone fooled.”
Kelis’ former producers Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo are credited as composers on ‘Energy’. “Chad really is like an amoeba, he’s spineless,” Kelis later said in a video. “It’s a miracle he can keep his neck up, but Pharrell knows better. 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, who worked with Williams and Hugo on her first two albums, previously claimed they “blatantly lied and tricked” her over writing credits.
This isn’t the only change RENAISSANCE has gone through since its release on July 29. Beyoncé also updated a line in ‘Heater’ after facing criticism over lyrics that are considered ableist. “The word, not used intentionally in a harmful way, will be replaced,” a representative for Beyoncé said.
In light of the backlash, Monica Lewinsky tweeted, “uhmm, while we’re at it… #Partition,” calling out the 2013 that includes the lyrics: “He popped all my buttons, and he ripped my blouse/ He Monica Lewinsky-ed all on my gown.” When asked by a Twitter user if she had reached out to Beyoncé’s team “before you saw all the heat,” Lewinsky replied, “No, I haven’t. I did mention it in the first vanity fair article I wrote in 2014… which was the first public thing I’d done in 10 years. but you make an interesting/fair point…”
Beyoncé has officially removed Kelis’ sample from her #RENAISSANCE song “ENERGY”.
The sampled beat is no longer heard on streaming services, and her credits have been removed. pic.twitter.com/aMwSQzfwgI
— Pop Tingz (@ThePopTingz) August 2, 2022
uhmm, while we’re at it… #Partition
Beyoncé to Remove Renaissance Lyric After Outrage: Ableist, Offensive – Variety https://t.co/DzN80FdzPB
— Monica Lewinsky (she/her) (@MonicaLewinsky) August 1, 2022
no, i haven’t. i did mention it in the first vanity fair article i wrote in 2014… which was the first public thing i’d done in 10 years. but you make an interesting/fair point…
— Monica Lewinsky (she/her) (@MonicaLewinsky) August 2, 2022
