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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

41. 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.

42. Jocelyn -
i will never understand how people like Howard Stern, for example, can pass this off as factual.
It does sound like her enough to believe that it could be......

Completely awful to represent this as an actual recording.

43. a.c.e. -
It seems that I am in agreement with a few people on this blog when I say she can not sing and to Mr. Johnson please do not place this entertainer in the likes of Whitney, Cristina and Mariah. Beyonce is popular because her dad is a good PR person and there isn't much competition out there, but she is an entertainer not a singer/vocalist. And when will people stop buying into the hype this album whatever its called sasha something is more personal but isnt that what bday was suppose to be????? And her movie opens this weekend this was probably nothing more than a publicity stunt to get people out to see a movie that has been done a million times before.

44. yeah! -
wether she sings or not. she is worth millions and the poor ghetto girls/boys who are making her rich are just sad. becuase first of all, mainstream music is overrated and fake. It is all propagandism.

45. __A_YAHOO_USER__ -
i don't even like beyonce (always been a Kelly Rowland fan like "Bootylicious" and "Work, the Freemason's Mix", but u can tell that crap was altered. and it was so poorly mastered that it isn't even funny. damn, hearing this crap and seeing how low someone will go to bring someone that's doin something good down makes me want to go buy her cd.

as a matter of fact, i am buying it now online AND i'm donating to her charities and stuff.

46. scoobydoo -
She can sing no matter what she may have had bad day but she will always sale millions.

47. Andre S -
She can certainly sing, but her songs are so horrible. This recent album has put out some of the most annoying songs ever. She's so overplayed and needs to fade away for a while. Maybe she and Jay-Z can go take a long vacation together. Save us Jay-Z, take her some place far away. Away from any recording studios.

48. JaronG -
SHE IS THE BEST AS FAR AS WOMEN SINGERS IN THE INDUSTRY AND LOOKS GREAT KEEP DOING YOUR THING HATERS WILL HATE

49. Abraham -
None of the contemporary female singers can hold a candle to Beyonce. She is simply an all time best

50. Yahoo! Music User -
Oh my goodness.. yall peeps are so trifling!

51. PinkMinx -
All the negative comments reflect jealousy and the rampant negativity that rules our society......

52. Star -
Everyone needs to stop the hate, BK can sing in her own way. If all singers sounded the same, they would be boring. There are times I am sure when a situation calls for an artist to lip sync their own music, it is not as uncommon as you think. The bottom line is if you have every seen Beyonce in concert and sat 4th row center as I have you will know without a doubt this chick can sing!

53. Alma V -
no matter what they do to your music and voice....your still my BEYONCE...your my single ladies...and my hands up to you....ah .. ah,... ah... ah ......ah....a.....love you BEYONCE.....................muwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

54. Felicia -
wow this clip is so altered. Even I can hear that. I can't believe how big of a deal it has gotten to be. Beyonce has great talent.

55. Stephanie R -
you all have got to be kidding me! this woman works hard and is without a doubt one ofthe best singers. i just wish that people would stop hating and let beyonce sing

56. analy -
Ooo I can't stand this chick!!! Geezus PLEASE GO AWAY!!! Seriously do not compare her to Whitney * back then * or Christina... Are you people TARTED!!! Comparing this woman to them. My god what is this world comming to. You teenie boppers know nothing about talent. GOSH!!

57. footballfan -
Funny prank but what about the spelling and grammer in this Yahoo article - is it for real or just another prank. Can the Yahoo editors really be this bad?

58. YOUHAVEPROBLEMS -
It's their

not thier..

I am unemployed with 3 degrees have proof reader job for me?

and BEYONCE IS BEAUTIFUL.. SAW HER TODAY on NBC

59. Will -
This is the American way. Americans love to seek and destroy. Anybody who has just a little bit of success, Americans ponder ways to DESTROY. Only in America. THIS IS THE AMERICAN WAY! Shameful!!

60. Angie -
HATER WILL ALWAYS HATE, BUT THAT S HOW BEYONCE WILL KNOW SHE'S DOING THE RIGHT THINGS. AND DO U REALLY THING SHE CARES WHAT UR SAYING-PLEAES UR HATING AND SHES BEYONCE...GO MRS. B, WE LOVE YOU
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