When you listen to music, are you focused more on the music style or the words of the songs? Most likely, you notice both. While we all have our own personal preference for what genres of music we prefer, most likely the words in the songs also have an impact on what songs become our favorites.

Sometimes words hurt. Some words are offensive. Some words shouldn’t be used.

Some words hurts intentionally, like when a bully at school is trying to be mean. Other times, words hurt, but the person using the words doesn’t realize the words are hurtful until after the fact. Sometimes someone who doesn’t know better uses racist, sexist or ableist words that deeply hurt others even though they didn’t mean to hurt them.

Lizzo received backlash when she used a certain word in the lyrics of her song “GRRRLS.” She claims she didn’t mean to hurt anyone with the word, and when she found out it was hurtful to others, she rerecorded the song with a different lyric.

Now, Beyoncé has used the exact same word that Lizzo used. In this case, Beyoncé used the word in her new song “Heated,” and once again, she claims that she didn’t know the word was offensive. She also claims that she is going to change the lyric.

What’s the word? Spaz. Apparently the word spaz has a couple different meanings, and that’s the reasoning behind why Lizzo and Beyoncé didn’t think of the word as offensive but others are in an uproar about it being very offensive.

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the word “spaz” means “one who is inept; klutz.” In slang use, it is often used to refer to someone with a disability in particular someone who has cerebral-palsy. However, in African American Vernacular English, the word means something different. It is often used to mean “fight” or “go crazy.” This was the meaning Lizzo and Beyoncé intended. They claim they did not intend to offend people with disabilities.

In a statement to the Associated Press, a spokeswoman for Beyoncé stated, “The word, not used intentionally in a harmful way, will be replaced.”

Considering Lizzo recently received so much backlash for the use of the word, many are wondering how Beyoncé and her team were unaware that the word was considered very offensive.

Do you think Beyoncé was unaware of the backlash Lizzo received for her song “GRRRLS”?