BeyHive Defends Beyoncé After She Removes Kelis Sample

BYAron A.2.4K Views
Link Copied to Clipboard!
Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images
Beyonce Knowles-Carter attends the European Premiere of Disney's "The Lion King" at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square on July 14, 2019 in London, England.
Beyoncé quietly removed Kelis's sample from "Energy" after complaints about "disrespect."

There's been no shortage of backlash following the release of Beyoncé's Renaissance. Whether it's the right-wing pundits who've found Beyoncé's music to be "vile" or the controversy surrounding the long list of songwriters and samples across the project, it seems like there are plenty of people coming for Bey's neck right now. However, no one has been louder than Kelis. Before the album dropped, Kelis expressed her disappointment that Beyoncé used a sample of her song without permission.

Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images

Yesterday, it was reported that Beyoncé quietly resolved the issue following Kelis' complaint. Fans reported that the sample of Kelis' single "Milkshake" was removed from Beyoncé's "Energy," as well as the songwriting credit belonging to Kelis.


The issue is deeper than just Beyoncé, though, since there's been friction between Pharrell and Kelis over royalties in the past. Bey technically didn't need Kelis's approval to use the song since she didn't own the copyright, which is a larger discussion that doesn't involve the "Alien Superstar" singer. 

As expected, the Bey Hive had plenty to say about it. Many applauded how Beyoncé addressed the situation without causing a commotion while others felt it was unnecessary for Kelis to lash out against the Houston singer over the sample.

Check out a few of the best reactions below and let us know your thoughts in the comment section. 









About The Author
Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.
...