Keri Hilson Reflects on Backlash from 2009 Beyonce Diss
In a recent appearance on The Breakfast Club, American singer-songwriter Keri Hilson discussed the intense backlash she faced in 2009 after her song included veiled criticism of Beyoncé. During the episode aired on April 9, 2025, Hilson revealed how this incident shaped her career and left her with ongoing regrets.
“It’s a regret. But not in the way people think. That’s a song I actually didn’t write. Those are not my words,” Keri shared during her exciting interview around the 25-minute mark.
During the discussion, Hilson recounted her experience while working with renowned producers Polow Da Don and Timbaland. She initially arrived for a studio session, eager to create, but was confronted with a verse that would put her in a precarious position.
“Your vision cloudy if you think that you’re the best/ You can dance, she can sing/ But she need to move it to the left, left/ She need to go have some babies. She needs to sit down, she fake/ I ain’t turning it off, I’m stay turning it on. Go ‘head and tell these folks how long I’ve been writing your songs.”
Hilson recalled how she resisted being part of what she deemed unnecessary drama regarding the lyrics that appeared to critique Beyoncé. In her conversation with hosts Loren LaRosa, Charlamagne Tha God, and DJ Envy, she expressed her need for integrity in her artistry.
“I’m an athlete… I’m a finesse player. I’m not a nasty player, I’m not a dirty player. I don’t even look at things like that,”she added.
Behind the Scenes of the 2009 Controversy
Reflecting on the fallout from the remix of “Turnin’ Me On,”Hilson shared that she felt her career was threatened if she did not comply with the studio’s direction. This was particularly challenging as her debut album, *In A Perfect World*, had not yet been released.
“I come into the studio and he plays me this verse. Automatically, I was like, ‘I’m not saying that.’ That was my position… But we disagree there Polow and I. Because he believes in kind of the shock jock mentality. He believes in playing dirty to a degree and I don’t,”she stated.
Describing herself as competitive yet honorable, Hilson asserted that she aimed to elevate herself through hard work and fairness rather than engage in negative competition. Despite her resolve, Hilson felt increasingly pressured, leading to moments of emotional turmoil.
“It was quite forceful… in an executive artist way only… Involving others and kind of threatening my career… in a real sense. ‘Cause my album wasn’t out yet so, it was like, you’re not coming out if you don’t do this. And the mistake that I made was not continuing to fight,” she added.
Keri expressed that she was “in tears” and felt trapped in her circumstances, ultimately leading her to record an alternative version of the song devoid of any Beyoncé reference. Despite this, the remix surfaced, and Hilson felt compelled to shoulder the blame that followed.
“I’m still eating it to this day because I’m still getting asked about that 15 however many years, 16-17 years later, um, it’s like I’ve worn the scarlet letter,” Keri said.
She alleged that the leak of the remix was orchestrated as part of a broader plan, expressing regret for not being more vocal about the impact of her external influences at the time.
“I just didn’t want to step into s**t anymore. I was shook. I was scared. Not of her [Beyoncé] — I love her. I think she’s incredible. She’s one of the greatest artists of all time. I’m a fan, and have always been. That’s never been in question for me. But now it’s a name I can’t say,”Hilson concluded.
Additional Context on Keri Hilson’s Career
While discussing her past, Hilson also touched on the interruption of her tour with Lil Wayne to record the remix, which many speculated included jabs directed at Ciara. Her original track featured Lil Wayne, achieving considerable success at number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100, while her debut album peaked at number 4 on the Billboard 200 chart.
In 2011, Hilson encountered another wave of criticism when she declined to pose with a magazine featuring Beyoncé on the cover. Addressing it during her Breakfast Club appearance, she reiterated her intent to avoid further drama.
“I didn’t want to hold no magazine with her on [it]. I just froze; I just was, like, shook whenever anybody brought it up. It’s a conversation I don’t want to have publicly just because I don’t want to p*ss anybody off. I don’t want to make things even more weird than they already were. I just wanted it to go away,”Keri explained.
Hilson previously discussed the issue on the *Middays with Persia* podcast in 2021, revealing that she eventually met Beyoncé and cleared the air between them.
“I feel like she understood what happened, what had transpired and there was a bit of healing in that moment when we met. I take her as a very intuitive kind of soul, as am I. She’s amazing. I’ve always felt that way, that’s the truth of the matter, but no one will believe that,” Keri explained.
Ester Dean Responds to the Controversy
In light of Hilson’s recent revelations, songwriter Ester Dean issued a public apology on April 9, 2025, acknowledging that the lyrics from the remix were “childish and didn’t age well,” and accepting full responsibility for the hurt caused, particularly to women.
Dean added that she submitted numerous verses for the remix, but only one was selected, which she co-wrote with Hilson. She expressed remorse for her involvement in the controversy and the subsequent fallout.
Interestingly, Dean later collaborated with Beyoncé on tracks from the 2011 album *4*, highlighting the complex interconnections within the music industry, where artists frequently navigate competing narratives and relationships.
Keri Hilson recently made headlines again with the release of her single, “Bae,” part of her upcoming album *We Need to Talk*, set to debut on April 18, 2025.