Kelis Is Coming For Beyoncé & Pharrell: “I Want Reparations,” Amid “Renaissance” Sample Issues 

Kelis has had enough of industry “bullies’ and “gangsters” and is coming for what’s rightfully hers, blasting Beyoncé and Pharrell, accusing them of stealing her music.  

The “Milkshake” hitmaker voiced her criticism after learning her song “Get Along With You,” was sampled on Renaissance. She called out Beyoncé for “theft,” and later shared two videos to clarify her frustrations. 

Kelis Calls Out Beyoncé & Pharrell

“My real beef is not only with Beyonce,” she said, explaining that the whole thing was “stupid and disrespectful” but wishes her people reached out before including the sample. “The real issue,” she said, is with people like Pharrell and Chad.” She then referred to Neptunes’ co-founder Chad Hugo as a “spineless amoeba. She also said she was “surprised he can keep his neck up.” 

However, she said Pharrell “does this stuff all the time” despite knowing better. Furthermore, Kelis accused the producer of being “petty,” and “passive aggressive,” claiming “this was a direct hit.” 

Kelis fell out with the Neptunes, who produced her first two albums, claiming they tricked her out of making any money from the projects. 

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“I Want Reparations”

In the second video clip, Kelis reiterated: “This is really not about Beyoncé,” continuing to call out Pharrell.  

“There’s a lot of hypocrisy and a lot of nonsense,” she explained before recalling a Pharrell interview from last year about crediting artists for their work. “He has writing credits on my records, all my singles,” she revealed. “And he never wrote a song, a lyric a day in his life. And yeah, that’s a problem.” 

Kelis then turned her attention back to Beyoncé, blasting her for failing to support women in real life while singing about female empowerment.  

“Then we have Beyoncé, who like I said, out of human decency and artistry and females — just all of the stuff she sings about, empowerment and stuff. I don’t talk about it, I am about it, OK? So the reality is all this female empowerment and stuff, it only counts if you really do it, if you’re really living it and walking the walk.” 

Despite admitting being triggered by the situation, Kelis announced “enough is enough.”  

She added, “Milkshake alone is one of the most licensed records of our generation. I am a creator, I’m an innovator, I have done more then left my mark on an era of music and style that will go down in history. But there are bully’s and secrets and gangsters in this industry that smile and get away with it until someone says enough is enough. So I’m saying it today. I’m coming for what’s mine and I want reparations. Peace.”  

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