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Why Beyoncé is vetting potential collaborators for her upcoming album

The megastar is said to be running #MeToo background checks on everyone involved in Renaissance and has reportedly already rejected two ‘high-profile’ artists from appearing on the record.

Committed to keeping her upcoming album release scandal-free, Beyoncé is said to be vetting everyone involved in its production, including her own team.

She allegedly made the decision following news that her former collaborator, Noel Fisher, who co-wrote the Grammy award-winning hit ‘Drunk in Love,’ has been charged with rape and that he’s currently being held on $6.9 million bail.

Though he hasn’t yet been found guilty and continues to deny all accusations, he was arrested in 2020 on five counts of felony assault and 15 counts of sexual assault.

This came after accusations of sexual misconduct from victims Bebe Rexha, Tinashe, and Jessie Reyes, all of whom spoke out about Fisher’s attempts to take advantage of them in the early stages of their careers.

For this reason, the megastar is putting her foot down to send a message that sexual assault and abuse are not to be tolerated by any means.

So much so, that she has reportedly already rejected two ‘high-profile’ artists from appearing on the hotly anticipated record, which will be called Renaissance.

After running a series of extensive #MeToo background checks (as they’re being referred to), it was discovered that both have faced past accusations of sexual misconduct.

‘Although neither has been found guilty, she’s sending a clear message to the industry in the wake of troubling cases from people like R. Kelly and Harvey Weinstein,’ a source told The Sun, noting that Beyoncé was ‘devastated’ to learn about the indictments against Fisher.

‘Beyoncé is a leader in her business and wants to set an example that any abuse shouldn’t be normalised. She’s rubbed some people up the wrong way, but she doesn’t care. She won’t go anywhere near you if you’ve been accused of going after one of her peers.’

Social media users have been known to call out musicians who work with artists facing sexual harassment or abuse claims. Drake was slammed last year for giving R Kelly a credit on his ‘Certified Lover Boy’ album.

Beyoncé 'is running #MeToo checks on producers and artists for her album' | Daily Mail Online

While R Kelly did not directly work on the album, the rapper had to give him a songwriter credit after sampling his 1998 classic, ‘Half on a Baby’.

With this in mind, from Normani working with Chris Brown, Doja Cat working with Dr Luke and Kendrick Lamar collaborating with Kodak Black, it’s no surprise that critics in recent years have raised concerns over the music industry’s problematic relationship with sexual assault and abuse.

One that did not appear to end with the rise of #MeToo in film, nor the highly-publicised Depp v Heard trial, which many believed would reshape the conversation for good.

Beyoncé’s actions are not an effort to avoid hate online (nor an ultra-cautious bid to avoid getting caught up in any potential messiness), however, rather a bold stand against gender-based violence that will hopefully set in motion change on much a wider scale.

Regardless of whether or not the vetting process is viewed as being over the top.

Beyonce on a horse

‘Whether you see Beyoncé as a woman of her word or a hypocrite, attempting to protect her brand image (and failing low-key), her stance on the matter is arguably significant,’ writes Halima Jibril for Dazed.

‘Hopefully it will promote a type of consciousness-raising among a generation of musicians evidently suffering from cultural amnesia.’

Renaissance is due to be about empowering women and the LGBTQ+ community after all.

‘My intention was to create a safe place, a place without judgment,’ Beyoncé wrote on Instagram. ‘A place to be free of perfectionism and overthinking. A place to scream, release, feel freedom. It was a beautiful journey of exploration. I hope you find joy in this music.’

Here’s hoping that Queen B isn’t all talk and no action.

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