I just picked up _____ on vinyl!

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  • mookieblalock
    mookieblalock Posts: 3,564
    DC29940 said:
    Yeah, there is a glow-in-the-dark version of Frances out there, but I've heard it was a bit noisy. The VMP version is red with black smoke. Looks killer and hopefully sounds good.
    I have the VMP version and it looks and sounds amazing. You’re gonna love it.
  • Loujoe
    Loujoe Posts: 11,698
    mickeyrat said:


    blues set is missing a record.... the piano group

    Like the Smithsonian collection. Has that great book and shows the evolution of the music from bluesy to jazzy. 
  • Tim Simmons
    Tim Simmons Posts: 9,524
    New Beyonce album just showed up. yessssssssss
  • brianlux
    brianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 43,662
    Tim Simmons said:
    New Beyonce album just showed up. yessssssssss

    Not meaning to burst your bubble, Tim, but you might want to check this out first:

    When Beyoncé dropped the same ableist slur as Lizzo on her new album, my heart sank

    Hannah Diviney

    It’s not very often that I don’t know what to say, rendered speechless by ignorance, sadness and a simmering anger born of bone-deep exhaustion. But that’s how I feel right now.

    Six weeks ago I called out American singer, Lizzo, on Twitter for her use of an ableist slur (“spaz”) in a new song. That tweet of mine – which explained how the slur was connected to my disability, cerebral palsy – took me less than five minutes to write and it went viral, landing on the front page of global news outlets including the BBC, New York Times and the Washington Post.

    Lizzo herself even took notice, changing the lyric and giving us all a masterclass in how to be a true and effective ally.

    I thought we’d changed the music industry and started a global conversation about why ableist language – intentional or not – has no place in music. But I guess I was wrong, because now Beyoncé has gone and done exactly the same thing. In fact, she’s used the word “spaz” twice in a new song Heated, a co-write with Canadian rapper Drake off her new album, Renaissance, which dropped on Friday.

    I found out by way of a snarky mention on Twitter asking if I planned to tell Queen Bey to “do better” like I had with Lizzo. My heart sank. Here we were again, but this time the stakes feel higher. Calling this one out is a whole other level.

    Whenever Beyoncé so much as breathes it becomes a cultural moment. She’s often the blueprint for the music industry – with artists and entertainers following her lead. That’s the status she has earned after decades of a career at the top, never making the same move twice, seeming to play in an entirely different league to the majority of the music industry.

    Beyoncé’s commitment to storytelling musically and visually is unparalleled, as is her power to have the world paying attention to the narratives, struggles and nuanced lived experience of being a black woman – a world I can only ever understand as an ally, and have no desire to overshadow.

    But that doesn’t excuse her use of ableist language – language that gets used and ignored all too often. Language you can be sure I will never ignore, no matter who it comes from or what the circumstances are. It doesn’t excuse the fact that the teams of people involved in making this album somehow missed all the noise the disabled community made only six weeks ago when Lizzo did the same thing.

    It doesn’t explain how millions of people have already heard this album and yet aren’t raising the issue, except to make fun of or degrade the disabled community.

    I’m so tired. Disabled people deserve better. I don’t want to have this conversation again.







    "It's a sad and beautiful world"
    -Roberto Benigni

  • Loujoe
    Loujoe Posts: 11,698
    Man that's tough. I didn't know that is an offensive word. It's only rock and roll. Or pop, or whatever. Turn it off if you don't like it. Gee whiz. Bad brains reissued a record and removed the lyrics from one song as not to offend people. It's punk rock. WTH is going on. I love everyone, but please people. End of rant
  • Tim Simmons
    Tim Simmons Posts: 9,524
    brianlux said:
    Tim Simmons said:
    New Beyonce album just showed up. yessssssssss

    Not meaning to burst your bubble, Tim, but you might want to check this out first:

    When Beyoncé dropped the same ableist slur as Lizzo on her new album, my heart sank

    Hannah Diviney

    It’s not very often that I don’t know what to say, rendered speechless by ignorance, sadness and a simmering anger born of bone-deep exhaustion. But that’s how I feel right now.

    Six weeks ago I called out American singer, Lizzo, on Twitter for her use of an ableist slur (“spaz”) in a new song. That tweet of mine – which explained how the slur was connected to my disability, cerebral palsy – took me less than five minutes to write and it went viral, landing on the front page of global news outlets including the BBC, New York Times and the Washington Post.

    Lizzo herself even took notice, changing the lyric and giving us all a masterclass in how to be a true and effective ally.

    I thought we’d changed the music industry and started a global conversation about why ableist language – intentional or not – has no place in music. But I guess I was wrong, because now Beyoncé has gone and done exactly the same thing. In fact, she’s used the word “spaz” twice in a new song Heated, a co-write with Canadian rapper Drake off her new album, Renaissance, which dropped on Friday.

    I found out by way of a snarky mention on Twitter asking if I planned to tell Queen Bey to “do better” like I had with Lizzo. My heart sank. Here we were again, but this time the stakes feel higher. Calling this one out is a whole other level.

    Whenever Beyoncé so much as breathes it becomes a cultural moment. She’s often the blueprint for the music industry – with artists and entertainers following her lead. That’s the status she has earned after decades of a career at the top, never making the same move twice, seeming to play in an entirely different league to the majority of the music industry.

    Beyoncé’s commitment to storytelling musically and visually is unparalleled, as is her power to have the world paying attention to the narratives, struggles and nuanced lived experience of being a black woman – a world I can only ever understand as an ally, and have no desire to overshadow.

    But that doesn’t excuse her use of ableist language – language that gets used and ignored all too often. Language you can be sure I will never ignore, no matter who it comes from or what the circumstances are. It doesn’t excuse the fact that the teams of people involved in making this album somehow missed all the noise the disabled community made only six weeks ago when Lizzo did the same thing.

    It doesn’t explain how millions of people have already heard this album and yet aren’t raising the issue, except to make fun of or degrade the disabled community.

    I’m so tired. Disabled people deserve better. I don’t want to have this conversation again.







    Yeah. I heard it in the song last week. It’s a bummer. I’d rather them own it and be better going forward than not doing anything. 
  • Tim Simmons
    Tim Simmons Posts: 9,524
    edited August 2022
    Loujoe said:
    Man that's tough. I didn't know that is an offensive word. It's only rock and roll. Or pop, or whatever. Turn it off if you don't like it. Gee whiz. Bad brains reissued a record and removed the lyrics from one song as not to offend people. It's punk rock. WTH is going on. I love everyone, but please people. End of rant
    I guess I don’t get the big deal that artists change their lyrics or songs after finding out that it offended or hurt someone or some marginalized group. I mean, if the artist isn’t that person, I can understand wanting to change their art so they don’t misrepresent someone they aren’t. Wanting to make th8ngs better after someone gets hurt isn’t a bad thing. 
    Post edited by Tim Simmons on
  • dankind
    dankind Posts: 20,841
    Tim Simmons said:
    Loujoe said:
    Man that's tough. I didn't know that is an offensive word. It's only rock and roll. Or pop, or whatever. Turn it off if you don't like it. Gee whiz. Bad brains reissued a record and removed the lyrics from one song as not to offend people. It's punk rock. WTH is going on. I love everyone, but please people. End of rant
    I guess I don’t get the big deal that artists change their lyrics or songs after finding out that it offended or hurt someone or some marginalized group. I mean, if the artist isn’t that person, I can understand wanting to change their art so they don’t misrepresent someone they aren’t. Wanting to make th8ngs better after someone gets hurt isn’t a bad thing. 
    Agree.

    Except Patti Smith will always get a pass from me.
    I SAW PEARL JAM
  • brianlux
    brianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 43,662
    Tim Simmons said:
    brianlux said:
    Tim Simmons said:
    New Beyonce album just showed up. yessssssssss

    Not meaning to burst your bubble, Tim, but you might want to check this out first:

    When Beyoncé dropped the same ableist slur as Lizzo on her new album, my heart sank

    Hannah Diviney

    It’s not very often that I don’t know what to say, rendered speechless by ignorance, sadness and a simmering anger born of bone-deep exhaustion. But that’s how I feel right now.

    Six weeks ago I called out American singer, Lizzo, on Twitter for her use of an ableist slur (“spaz”) in a new song. That tweet of mine – which explained how the slur was connected to my disability, cerebral palsy – took me less than five minutes to write and it went viral, landing on the front page of global news outlets including the BBC, New York Times and the Washington Post.

    Lizzo herself even took notice, changing the lyric and giving us all a masterclass in how to be a true and effective ally.

    I thought we’d changed the music industry and started a global conversation about why ableist language – intentional or not – has no place in music. But I guess I was wrong, because now Beyoncé has gone and done exactly the same thing. In fact, she’s used the word “spaz” twice in a new song Heated, a co-write with Canadian rapper Drake off her new album, Renaissance, which dropped on Friday.

    I found out by way of a snarky mention on Twitter asking if I planned to tell Queen Bey to “do better” like I had with Lizzo. My heart sank. Here we were again, but this time the stakes feel higher. Calling this one out is a whole other level.

    Whenever Beyoncé so much as breathes it becomes a cultural moment. She’s often the blueprint for the music industry – with artists and entertainers following her lead. That’s the status she has earned after decades of a career at the top, never making the same move twice, seeming to play in an entirely different league to the majority of the music industry.

    Beyoncé’s commitment to storytelling musically and visually is unparalleled, as is her power to have the world paying attention to the narratives, struggles and nuanced lived experience of being a black woman – a world I can only ever understand as an ally, and have no desire to overshadow.

    But that doesn’t excuse her use of ableist language – language that gets used and ignored all too often. Language you can be sure I will never ignore, no matter who it comes from or what the circumstances are. It doesn’t excuse the fact that the teams of people involved in making this album somehow missed all the noise the disabled community made only six weeks ago when Lizzo did the same thing.

    It doesn’t explain how millions of people have already heard this album and yet aren’t raising the issue, except to make fun of or degrade the disabled community.

    I’m so tired. Disabled people deserve better. I don’t want to have this conversation again.







    Yeah. I heard it in the song last week. It’s a bummer. I’d rather them own it and be better going forward than not doing anything. 

    I'm really hoping she comes around on this one.  And it probably wasn't meant to be derogatory, but how do you tell that to someone with a disability?  She would do well to make amends somehow.  I guess we'll have to wait and see.
    "It's a sad and beautiful world"
    -Roberto Benigni

  • mickeyrat
    mickeyrat Posts: 44,344
    Merriam-Webster's definition of "spaz":  http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spaz
    _____________________________________SIGNATURE________________________________________________

    Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
    you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
    memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
    another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
  • DewieCox
    DewieCox Posts: 11,432
    I’ve always thought it was a dumbass or someone prone to freak outs.
  • Tim Simmons
    Tim Simmons Posts: 9,524
    brianlux said:
    Tim Simmons said:
    brianlux said:
    Tim Simmons said:
    New Beyonce album just showed up. yessssssssss

    Not meaning to burst your bubble, Tim, but you might want to check this out first:

    When Beyoncé dropped the same ableist slur as Lizzo on her new album, my heart sank

    Hannah Diviney

    It’s not very often that I don’t know what to say, rendered speechless by ignorance, sadness and a simmering anger born of bone-deep exhaustion. But that’s how I feel right now.

    Six weeks ago I called out American singer, Lizzo, on Twitter for her use of an ableist slur (“spaz”) in a new song. That tweet of mine – which explained how the slur was connected to my disability, cerebral palsy – took me less than five minutes to write and it went viral, landing on the front page of global news outlets including the BBC, New York Times and the Washington Post.

    Lizzo herself even took notice, changing the lyric and giving us all a masterclass in how to be a true and effective ally.

    I thought we’d changed the music industry and started a global conversation about why ableist language – intentional or not – has no place in music. But I guess I was wrong, because now Beyoncé has gone and done exactly the same thing. In fact, she’s used the word “spaz” twice in a new song Heated, a co-write with Canadian rapper Drake off her new album, Renaissance, which dropped on Friday.

    I found out by way of a snarky mention on Twitter asking if I planned to tell Queen Bey to “do better” like I had with Lizzo. My heart sank. Here we were again, but this time the stakes feel higher. Calling this one out is a whole other level.

    Whenever Beyoncé so much as breathes it becomes a cultural moment. She’s often the blueprint for the music industry – with artists and entertainers following her lead. That’s the status she has earned after decades of a career at the top, never making the same move twice, seeming to play in an entirely different league to the majority of the music industry.

    Beyoncé’s commitment to storytelling musically and visually is unparalleled, as is her power to have the world paying attention to the narratives, struggles and nuanced lived experience of being a black woman – a world I can only ever understand as an ally, and have no desire to overshadow.

    But that doesn’t excuse her use of ableist language – language that gets used and ignored all too often. Language you can be sure I will never ignore, no matter who it comes from or what the circumstances are. It doesn’t excuse the fact that the teams of people involved in making this album somehow missed all the noise the disabled community made only six weeks ago when Lizzo did the same thing.

    It doesn’t explain how millions of people have already heard this album and yet aren’t raising the issue, except to make fun of or degrade the disabled community.

    I’m so tired. Disabled people deserve better. I don’t want to have this conversation again.







    Yeah. I heard it in the song last week. It’s a bummer. I’d rather them own it and be better going forward than not doing anything. 

    I'm really hoping she comes around on this one.  And it probably wasn't meant to be derogatory, but how do you tell that to someone with a disability?  She would do well to make amends somehow.  I guess we'll have to wait and see.
    I mean. She’s changing it. I’m sure it’s all good. 


    But yeah, until the Lizzo story a few weeks back I didn’t know. I’m fine dropping it. No issue for me. 
  • tempo_n_groove
    tempo_n_groove Posts: 41,358
    mickeyrat said:
    Merriam-Webster's definition of "spaz":  http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spaz
    I have always thought it to mean this.  Someone high sprung or a goof.  Never have I ever heard the word Spaz used to put down someone with cerebral palsy.
    brianlux said:
    Tim Simmons said:
    brianlux said:
    Tim Simmons said:
    New Beyonce album just showed up. yessssssssss

    Not meaning to burst your bubble, Tim, but you might want to check this out first:

    When Beyoncé dropped the same ableist slur as Lizzo on her new album, my heart sank

    Hannah Diviney

    It’s not very often that I don’t know what to say, rendered speechless by ignorance, sadness and a simmering anger born of bone-deep exhaustion. But that’s how I feel right now.

    Six weeks ago I called out American singer, Lizzo, on Twitter for her use of an ableist slur (“spaz”) in a new song. That tweet of mine – which explained how the slur was connected to my disability, cerebral palsy – took me less than five minutes to write and it went viral, landing on the front page of global news outlets including the BBC, New York Times and the Washington Post.

    Lizzo herself even took notice, changing the lyric and giving us all a masterclass in how to be a true and effective ally.

    I thought we’d changed the music industry and started a global conversation about why ableist language – intentional or not – has no place in music. But I guess I was wrong, because now Beyoncé has gone and done exactly the same thing. In fact, she’s used the word “spaz” twice in a new song Heated, a co-write with Canadian rapper Drake off her new album, Renaissance, which dropped on Friday.

    I found out by way of a snarky mention on Twitter asking if I planned to tell Queen Bey to “do better” like I had with Lizzo. My heart sank. Here we were again, but this time the stakes feel higher. Calling this one out is a whole other level.

    Whenever Beyoncé so much as breathes it becomes a cultural moment. She’s often the blueprint for the music industry – with artists and entertainers following her lead. That’s the status she has earned after decades of a career at the top, never making the same move twice, seeming to play in an entirely different league to the majority of the music industry.

    Beyoncé’s commitment to storytelling musically and visually is unparalleled, as is her power to have the world paying attention to the narratives, struggles and nuanced lived experience of being a black woman – a world I can only ever understand as an ally, and have no desire to overshadow.

    But that doesn’t excuse her use of ableist language – language that gets used and ignored all too often. Language you can be sure I will never ignore, no matter who it comes from or what the circumstances are. It doesn’t excuse the fact that the teams of people involved in making this album somehow missed all the noise the disabled community made only six weeks ago when Lizzo did the same thing.

    It doesn’t explain how millions of people have already heard this album and yet aren’t raising the issue, except to make fun of or degrade the disabled community.

    I’m so tired. Disabled people deserve better. I don’t want to have this conversation again.







    Yeah. I heard it in the song last week. It’s a bummer. I’d rather them own it and be better going forward than not doing anything. 

    I'm really hoping she comes around on this one.  And it probably wasn't meant to be derogatory, but how do you tell that to someone with a disability?  She would do well to make amends somehow.  I guess we'll have to wait and see.
    Never heard of it used in that way.  Is this new?
  • mrussel1
    mrussel1 Posts: 30,879
    tempo_n_groove said:
    mickeyrat said:
    Merriam-Webster's definition of "spaz":  http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spaz
    I have always thought it to mean this.  Someone high sprung or a goof.  Never have I ever heard the word Spaz used to put down someone with cerebral palsy.
    brianlux said:
    Tim Simmons said:
    brianlux said:
    Tim Simmons said:
    New Beyonce album just showed up. yessssssssss

    Not meaning to burst your bubble, Tim, but you might want to check this out first:

    When Beyoncé dropped the same ableist slur as Lizzo on her new album, my heart sank

    Hannah Diviney

    It’s not very often that I don’t know what to say, rendered speechless by ignorance, sadness and a simmering anger born of bone-deep exhaustion. But that’s how I feel right now.

    Six weeks ago I called out American singer, Lizzo, on Twitter for her use of an ableist slur (“spaz”) in a new song. That tweet of mine – which explained how the slur was connected to my disability, cerebral palsy – took me less than five minutes to write and it went viral, landing on the front page of global news outlets including the BBC, New York Times and the Washington Post.

    Lizzo herself even took notice, changing the lyric and giving us all a masterclass in how to be a true and effective ally.

    I thought we’d changed the music industry and started a global conversation about why ableist language – intentional or not – has no place in music. But I guess I was wrong, because now Beyoncé has gone and done exactly the same thing. In fact, she’s used the word “spaz” twice in a new song Heated, a co-write with Canadian rapper Drake off her new album, Renaissance, which dropped on Friday.

    I found out by way of a snarky mention on Twitter asking if I planned to tell Queen Bey to “do better” like I had with Lizzo. My heart sank. Here we were again, but this time the stakes feel higher. Calling this one out is a whole other level.

    Whenever Beyoncé so much as breathes it becomes a cultural moment. She’s often the blueprint for the music industry – with artists and entertainers following her lead. That’s the status she has earned after decades of a career at the top, never making the same move twice, seeming to play in an entirely different league to the majority of the music industry.

    Beyoncé’s commitment to storytelling musically and visually is unparalleled, as is her power to have the world paying attention to the narratives, struggles and nuanced lived experience of being a black woman – a world I can only ever understand as an ally, and have no desire to overshadow.

    But that doesn’t excuse her use of ableist language – language that gets used and ignored all too often. Language you can be sure I will never ignore, no matter who it comes from or what the circumstances are. It doesn’t excuse the fact that the teams of people involved in making this album somehow missed all the noise the disabled community made only six weeks ago when Lizzo did the same thing.

    It doesn’t explain how millions of people have already heard this album and yet aren’t raising the issue, except to make fun of or degrade the disabled community.

    I’m so tired. Disabled people deserve better. I don’t want to have this conversation again.







    Yeah. I heard it in the song last week. It’s a bummer. I’d rather them own it and be better going forward than not doing anything. 

    I'm really hoping she comes around on this one.  And it probably wasn't meant to be derogatory, but how do you tell that to someone with a disability?  She would do well to make amends somehow.  I guess we'll have to wait and see.
    Never heard of it used in that way.  Is this new?
    Same with me.. like a dork. 

    I'm sure someone is going to tell me that "dork" is a slur for something too.
  • tempo_n_groove
    tempo_n_groove Posts: 41,358
    mrussel1 said:
    tempo_n_groove said:
    mickeyrat said:
    Merriam-Webster's definition of "spaz":  http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spaz
    I have always thought it to mean this.  Someone high sprung or a goof.  Never have I ever heard the word Spaz used to put down someone with cerebral palsy.
    brianlux said:
    Tim Simmons said:
    brianlux said:
    Tim Simmons said:
    New Beyonce album just showed up. yessssssssss

    Not meaning to burst your bubble, Tim, but you might want to check this out first:

    When Beyoncé dropped the same ableist slur as Lizzo on her new album, my heart sank

    Hannah Diviney

    It’s not very often that I don’t know what to say, rendered speechless by ignorance, sadness and a simmering anger born of bone-deep exhaustion. But that’s how I feel right now.

    Six weeks ago I called out American singer, Lizzo, on Twitter for her use of an ableist slur (“spaz”) in a new song. That tweet of mine – which explained how the slur was connected to my disability, cerebral palsy – took me less than five minutes to write and it went viral, landing on the front page of global news outlets including the BBC, New York Times and the Washington Post.

    Lizzo herself even took notice, changing the lyric and giving us all a masterclass in how to be a true and effective ally.

    I thought we’d changed the music industry and started a global conversation about why ableist language – intentional or not – has no place in music. But I guess I was wrong, because now Beyoncé has gone and done exactly the same thing. In fact, she’s used the word “spaz” twice in a new song Heated, a co-write with Canadian rapper Drake off her new album, Renaissance, which dropped on Friday.

    I found out by way of a snarky mention on Twitter asking if I planned to tell Queen Bey to “do better” like I had with Lizzo. My heart sank. Here we were again, but this time the stakes feel higher. Calling this one out is a whole other level.

    Whenever Beyoncé so much as breathes it becomes a cultural moment. She’s often the blueprint for the music industry – with artists and entertainers following her lead. That’s the status she has earned after decades of a career at the top, never making the same move twice, seeming to play in an entirely different league to the majority of the music industry.

    Beyoncé’s commitment to storytelling musically and visually is unparalleled, as is her power to have the world paying attention to the narratives, struggles and nuanced lived experience of being a black woman – a world I can only ever understand as an ally, and have no desire to overshadow.

    But that doesn’t excuse her use of ableist language – language that gets used and ignored all too often. Language you can be sure I will never ignore, no matter who it comes from or what the circumstances are. It doesn’t excuse the fact that the teams of people involved in making this album somehow missed all the noise the disabled community made only six weeks ago when Lizzo did the same thing.

    It doesn’t explain how millions of people have already heard this album and yet aren’t raising the issue, except to make fun of or degrade the disabled community.

    I’m so tired. Disabled people deserve better. I don’t want to have this conversation again.







    Yeah. I heard it in the song last week. It’s a bummer. I’d rather them own it and be better going forward than not doing anything. 

    I'm really hoping she comes around on this one.  And it probably wasn't meant to be derogatory, but how do you tell that to someone with a disability?  She would do well to make amends somehow.  I guess we'll have to wait and see.
    Never heard of it used in that way.  Is this new?
    Same with me.. like a dork. 

    I'm sure someone is going to tell me that "dork" is a slur for something too.
    It's where I draw the line at the PC thing sometimes...  I still don't get how mulatto is a slur...
  • mrussel1
    mrussel1 Posts: 30,879
    tempo_n_groove said:
    mrussel1 said:
    tempo_n_groove said:
    mickeyrat said:
    Merriam-Webster's definition of "spaz":  http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spaz
    I have always thought it to mean this.  Someone high sprung or a goof.  Never have I ever heard the word Spaz used to put down someone with cerebral palsy.
    brianlux said:
    Tim Simmons said:
    brianlux said:
    Tim Simmons said:
    New Beyonce album just showed up. yessssssssss

    Not meaning to burst your bubble, Tim, but you might want to check this out first:

    When Beyoncé dropped the same ableist slur as Lizzo on her new album, my heart sank

    Hannah Diviney

    It’s not very often that I don’t know what to say, rendered speechless by ignorance, sadness and a simmering anger born of bone-deep exhaustion. But that’s how I feel right now.

    Six weeks ago I called out American singer, Lizzo, on Twitter for her use of an ableist slur (“spaz”) in a new song. That tweet of mine – which explained how the slur was connected to my disability, cerebral palsy – took me less than five minutes to write and it went viral, landing on the front page of global news outlets including the BBC, New York Times and the Washington Post.

    Lizzo herself even took notice, changing the lyric and giving us all a masterclass in how to be a true and effective ally.

    I thought we’d changed the music industry and started a global conversation about why ableist language – intentional or not – has no place in music. But I guess I was wrong, because now Beyoncé has gone and done exactly the same thing. In fact, she’s used the word “spaz” twice in a new song Heated, a co-write with Canadian rapper Drake off her new album, Renaissance, which dropped on Friday.

    I found out by way of a snarky mention on Twitter asking if I planned to tell Queen Bey to “do better” like I had with Lizzo. My heart sank. Here we were again, but this time the stakes feel higher. Calling this one out is a whole other level.

    Whenever Beyoncé so much as breathes it becomes a cultural moment. She’s often the blueprint for the music industry – with artists and entertainers following her lead. That’s the status she has earned after decades of a career at the top, never making the same move twice, seeming to play in an entirely different league to the majority of the music industry.

    Beyoncé’s commitment to storytelling musically and visually is unparalleled, as is her power to have the world paying attention to the narratives, struggles and nuanced lived experience of being a black woman – a world I can only ever understand as an ally, and have no desire to overshadow.

    But that doesn’t excuse her use of ableist language – language that gets used and ignored all too often. Language you can be sure I will never ignore, no matter who it comes from or what the circumstances are. It doesn’t excuse the fact that the teams of people involved in making this album somehow missed all the noise the disabled community made only six weeks ago when Lizzo did the same thing.

    It doesn’t explain how millions of people have already heard this album and yet aren’t raising the issue, except to make fun of or degrade the disabled community.

    I’m so tired. Disabled people deserve better. I don’t want to have this conversation again.







    Yeah. I heard it in the song last week. It’s a bummer. I’d rather them own it and be better going forward than not doing anything. 

    I'm really hoping she comes around on this one.  And it probably wasn't meant to be derogatory, but how do you tell that to someone with a disability?  She would do well to make amends somehow.  I guess we'll have to wait and see.
    Never heard of it used in that way.  Is this new?
    Same with me.. like a dork. 

    I'm sure someone is going to tell me that "dork" is a slur for something too.
    It's where I draw the line at the PC thing sometimes...  I still don't get how mulatto is a slur...
    I get that one.. it's someone half black and half white.  To me, a person can choose to be a spaz, a dork, a jerk, an idiot.  It's not specific to race, creed, color, etc.  Mulatto is specific. 
  • tempo_n_groove
    tempo_n_groove Posts: 41,358
    mrussel1 said:
    tempo_n_groove said:
    mrussel1 said:
    tempo_n_groove said:
    mickeyrat said:
    Merriam-Webster's definition of "spaz":  http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spaz
    I have always thought it to mean this.  Someone high sprung or a goof.  Never have I ever heard the word Spaz used to put down someone with cerebral palsy.
    brianlux said:
    Tim Simmons said:
    brianlux said:
    Tim Simmons said:
    New Beyonce album just showed up. yessssssssss

    Not meaning to burst your bubble, Tim, but you might want to check this out first:

    When Beyoncé dropped the same ableist slur as Lizzo on her new album, my heart sank

    Hannah Diviney

    It’s not very often that I don’t know what to say, rendered speechless by ignorance, sadness and a simmering anger born of bone-deep exhaustion. But that’s how I feel right now.

    Six weeks ago I called out American singer, Lizzo, on Twitter for her use of an ableist slur (“spaz”) in a new song. That tweet of mine – which explained how the slur was connected to my disability, cerebral palsy – took me less than five minutes to write and it went viral, landing on the front page of global news outlets including the BBC, New York Times and the Washington Post.

    Lizzo herself even took notice, changing the lyric and giving us all a masterclass in how to be a true and effective ally.

    I thought we’d changed the music industry and started a global conversation about why ableist language – intentional or not – has no place in music. But I guess I was wrong, because now Beyoncé has gone and done exactly the same thing. In fact, she’s used the word “spaz” twice in a new song Heated, a co-write with Canadian rapper Drake off her new album, Renaissance, which dropped on Friday.

    I found out by way of a snarky mention on Twitter asking if I planned to tell Queen Bey to “do better” like I had with Lizzo. My heart sank. Here we were again, but this time the stakes feel higher. Calling this one out is a whole other level.

    Whenever Beyoncé so much as breathes it becomes a cultural moment. She’s often the blueprint for the music industry – with artists and entertainers following her lead. That’s the status she has earned after decades of a career at the top, never making the same move twice, seeming to play in an entirely different league to the majority of the music industry.

    Beyoncé’s commitment to storytelling musically and visually is unparalleled, as is her power to have the world paying attention to the narratives, struggles and nuanced lived experience of being a black woman – a world I can only ever understand as an ally, and have no desire to overshadow.

    But that doesn’t excuse her use of ableist language – language that gets used and ignored all too often. Language you can be sure I will never ignore, no matter who it comes from or what the circumstances are. It doesn’t excuse the fact that the teams of people involved in making this album somehow missed all the noise the disabled community made only six weeks ago when Lizzo did the same thing.

    It doesn’t explain how millions of people have already heard this album and yet aren’t raising the issue, except to make fun of or degrade the disabled community.

    I’m so tired. Disabled people deserve better. I don’t want to have this conversation again.







    Yeah. I heard it in the song last week. It’s a bummer. I’d rather them own it and be better going forward than not doing anything. 

    I'm really hoping she comes around on this one.  And it probably wasn't meant to be derogatory, but how do you tell that to someone with a disability?  She would do well to make amends somehow.  I guess we'll have to wait and see.
    Never heard of it used in that way.  Is this new?
    Same with me.. like a dork. 

    I'm sure someone is going to tell me that "dork" is a slur for something too.
    It's where I draw the line at the PC thing sometimes...  I still don't get how mulatto is a slur...
    I get that one.. it's someone half black and half white.  To me, a person can choose to be a spaz, a dork, a jerk, an idiot.  It's not specific to race, creed, color, etc.  Mulatto is specific. 
    I always thought it was to describe a color, not black not white, a mix.  Again, I don't get to why it's a slur.  Someone back in the day must have done stupid shit with the word to make it taboo.
  • mrussel1
    mrussel1 Posts: 30,879
    tempo_n_groove said:
    mrussel1 said:
    tempo_n_groove said:
    mrussel1 said:
    tempo_n_groove said:
    mickeyrat said:
    Merriam-Webster's definition of "spaz":  http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spaz
    I have always thought it to mean this.  Someone high sprung or a goof.  Never have I ever heard the word Spaz used to put down someone with cerebral palsy.
    brianlux said:
    Tim Simmons said:
    brianlux said:
    Tim Simmons said:
    New Beyonce album just showed up. yessssssssss

    Not meaning to burst your bubble, Tim, but you might want to check this out first:

    When Beyoncé dropped the same ableist slur as Lizzo on her new album, my heart sank

    Hannah Diviney

    It’s not very often that I don’t know what to say, rendered speechless by ignorance, sadness and a simmering anger born of bone-deep exhaustion. But that’s how I feel right now.

    Six weeks ago I called out American singer, Lizzo, on Twitter for her use of an ableist slur (“spaz”) in a new song. That tweet of mine – which explained how the slur was connected to my disability, cerebral palsy – took me less than five minutes to write and it went viral, landing on the front page of global news outlets including the BBC, New York Times and the Washington Post.

    Lizzo herself even took notice, changing the lyric and giving us all a masterclass in how to be a true and effective ally.

    I thought we’d changed the music industry and started a global conversation about why ableist language – intentional or not – has no place in music. But I guess I was wrong, because now Beyoncé has gone and done exactly the same thing. In fact, she’s used the word “spaz” twice in a new song Heated, a co-write with Canadian rapper Drake off her new album, Renaissance, which dropped on Friday.

    I found out by way of a snarky mention on Twitter asking if I planned to tell Queen Bey to “do better” like I had with Lizzo. My heart sank. Here we were again, but this time the stakes feel higher. Calling this one out is a whole other level.

    Whenever Beyoncé so much as breathes it becomes a cultural moment. She’s often the blueprint for the music industry – with artists and entertainers following her lead. That’s the status she has earned after decades of a career at the top, never making the same move twice, seeming to play in an entirely different league to the majority of the music industry.

    Beyoncé’s commitment to storytelling musically and visually is unparalleled, as is her power to have the world paying attention to the narratives, struggles and nuanced lived experience of being a black woman – a world I can only ever understand as an ally, and have no desire to overshadow.

    But that doesn’t excuse her use of ableist language – language that gets used and ignored all too often. Language you can be sure I will never ignore, no matter who it comes from or what the circumstances are. It doesn’t excuse the fact that the teams of people involved in making this album somehow missed all the noise the disabled community made only six weeks ago when Lizzo did the same thing.

    It doesn’t explain how millions of people have already heard this album and yet aren’t raising the issue, except to make fun of or degrade the disabled community.

    I’m so tired. Disabled people deserve better. I don’t want to have this conversation again.







    Yeah. I heard it in the song last week. It’s a bummer. I’d rather them own it and be better going forward than not doing anything. 

    I'm really hoping she comes around on this one.  And it probably wasn't meant to be derogatory, but how do you tell that to someone with a disability?  She would do well to make amends somehow.  I guess we'll have to wait and see.
    Never heard of it used in that way.  Is this new?
    Same with me.. like a dork. 

    I'm sure someone is going to tell me that "dork" is a slur for something too.
    It's where I draw the line at the PC thing sometimes...  I still don't get how mulatto is a slur...
    I get that one.. it's someone half black and half white.  To me, a person can choose to be a spaz, a dork, a jerk, an idiot.  It's not specific to race, creed, color, etc.  Mulatto is specific. 
    I always thought it was to describe a color, not black not white, a mix.  Again, I don't get to why it's a slur.  Someone back in the day must have done stupid shit with the word to make it taboo.
    No, it's a description of your parents, not a color.  Miscegenation was illegal in many states, so being a 'mulatto' is akin to being a bastard or being illegal. 
  • Tim Simmons
    Tim Simmons Posts: 9,524
    A dork is a whales penis
  • goldrush
    goldrush everybody knows this is nowhere Posts: 7,788
    I’ve only ever known the word ‘sp*z’ as an offensive term (it’s literally an abbreviation of spastic paralysis). Growing up in the UK we’d always get into trouble if anyone called someone that word. I guess that highlights the differences in countries and cultures. 
    Another example would be the word ‘c**n’. In the UK, it was a really offensive racist slur, in the US, it could be short for raccoon, in Australia it’s a brand of cheese!

    I can see both sides - on the one hand, are Beyoncé and Lizzo really supposed to know the global differences in interpretations? On the other hand, there are so many co-writers and collaborators on a Beyoncé record that she’s more like a band than a solo artist. Surely one of them would’ve picked up on it, especially so soon after Lizzo?
    “Do not postpone happiness”
    (Jeff Tweedy, Sydney 2007)

    “Put yer good money on the sunrise”
    (Tim Rogers)

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