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Beyonce Amazed By Hacked Vocals Prank

Posted Fri 24 Apr 2009 4:47AM NZST by Billy Johnson, Jr. in Hip-Hop Media Training

I never run out of Beyonce jokes. But I honestly never have anything bad to say about her singing. I think she has one of the nicest voices in pop music today.


Yes, she over sings a lot, just like Mariah, Christina and Whitney.  Well, Whitney, before all the...you know.

But Beyonce is a legitimate talent.

So when I heard about the Howard Stern segment Tuesday that suggested that Beyonce's unedited vocals from a Today Show performance last November sounded like garbage, I was suspicious.

When listening to the clip of Beyonce singing "If I Were A Boy," I heard cracked notes and other examples of vocal struggling that sounded embarrassing. But the track also felt digitally altered, and I'm not talking about good Auto-Tune, if there is such a thing.

Wednesday, E! News revealed that the entire story was a hoax and even found the person who edited the track to sound as if Beyonce could not sing.

A sourced named Matt from an upstart blog admitted that the Beyonce vocals were a joke. "Yes I created them, and they are fake," he told E! News.

Thursday, Beyonce also confirmed the scam to Today Show host Matt Lauer.

"It's so amazing that someone in their home can do a little prank and it can end up on these major radio stations," Beyonce told Lauer.

She added that she had not heard the track but was surprised by the attention it has caused. "How could you believe that? I heard it was really over the top."

While Beyonce laughed about the ordeal, Matthew Knowles, her manager and father, was furious. When TMZ contacted him about the incident he replied in a fiery statement.  

The gossip blog described Papa Knowles' statement as the best they have ever seen and I agree. Knowles called an idiot anyone who ever doubted his daughter's singing ability.

"If no one took the time to look at the biggest inauguration in the history of America then shame on them," Knowles quipped to TMZ.

"If no one took the time to listen to Beyonce sing 'America The Beautiful' and 'At Last' at the Neighborhood Ball for the first dance of President Obama and the First Lady, and they question Beyonce's vocal ability, they've gotta be an idiot,'" Knowles added.

"That would be like questioning if Kobe Bryant could shoot a jump shot. The vocals were obviously altered."

While there are other examples that Knowles could have used to illustrate his daughter's skills, I'm glad he used this one.

I haven't heard it mentioned since Etta James wigged out about Beyonce singing her song. Now, I just need to get Etta James' number so that I can call her and get her all riled up again. LOL.

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1377 Comments

21. TabithaB -
Everybody has a bad day once in awhile. You all are just JEALOUS because you can't make the money she does!!! It's not like people PAID to see that performance... Either way, she's already made something of herself and has enough money to survive without even having another concert again. She works hard for her body and works alot without people always doubting her. She is AWESOME and I will support her nomatter what!!! *MUAH*

22. Cainicus -
It's sad that someone would say that a radio engineer would say that this was not altered and believe it. It does'nt take a trained ear to hear that even the guitar or the whole sound was altered but that's the nature of mankind, they would rather believe the worst about someone than the good even if they proved themselves a million times.

23. Amanda Mac -
She ain't all that, but it's not hard to tell that recording was seriously faked.

24. Paul -
so why does the link say fools howard stern? they`re the ones who played the clips and were calling here out... this article just wasted a precious minute of my life.

25. Steelcityroller -
Banana....

26. Kclikesro -
It may have been a hoax, but it was still funny!

27. Lake L -
she's a fraud! ha ha!

28. Turner Gurl -
dey actually believed this?

29. treshala -
MAN MAN MAN...PEOPLE SURE LOVE TO HATE BEYONCE! THAT IS COMPLETELY ALTERED AND THE GUY ADMITTED TO DOING SO! SHE'S THE BEST AND NOONE WILL EVER STOP HER...BUT...KEEP THE HATING UP! ITS CUTE! GO B!!! LOVE YOU

30. living life the way it should be -
ok in a way the person who messed with the song was wrong, but in another way, it is kinda funny.

31. Charger Supanizzle -
its real. if she could sing she would not risk embarrassment with unpredictable back tracks. how often does something go wrong with guide tracks? Her P.R. people have created "Matt" as damage control...

32. Nicole -
leave that girl alone haters!!!!!

33. Ed D -
LOL You guys are wicked funny. Who really cares anyways?

34. yeah! -
wether she sings or not. she's worth millions and the poor ghetto girls/boys that are making her rich are sad. because not only mainstream music is overrated, it is also fake. it is all propagandism.

35. Christopher J -
www.chrisclothsmall.com

36. JonZ -
I like how he thinks its the biggest inauguration in the history of America......... really?

37. LC -
You are so right drmorticiasam - i looked the video again and when she fell down the stairs her voice was still singing now you tell me you fell down the stairs you would not be singing you would be saying something trying to prevent the fall...fake fake fake i'm not paying money for entertainers like that and not being entertained live that's why they are so rich because they are using yall..i dont buy all that garbage - i am not making them millions they need to come see what i have going on with my business...www.lclink2wealth.com - come and make some this real money - its a digital revolution i am working hard to get my part..keep it moving..

38. Lucis Morningstar -
The only thing bad about B. is her choice of out fits on her new video. That spandex body suit unflatters her and makes her look like she has thunder thighs that are ready to "incredibal hulk" at any second and explode out all over the place. In a few years she is going to look back and think to herself, "why did I let them talk me into wearing that crud".

39. living life the way it should be -
hey hold up... this is for the person who says beyonce makes all the money off of endorsements... just cuz you don't like her don't give you the right to down her. and oh yeah somebody did alter the song because if you listen to the original version, it don't sound like that MORON!

40. WOW -
Of course he would say that was the biggest inauguration and they probably spent more tax paying dollars on it too...Of course she performed at the ingnaugural and of course she would rip off At last...She has a pretty voice, her songs are poorly produced, meaning the lyrics as well as the melody are not extremely meaningful they are bubble gum pop for the masses. They are popular due to todays shoddy standards...she is no Buddy Holly.
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