Beyoncé samples Challenger shuttle disaster on ‘XO’
Beyoncé is receiving harsh criticism for a sample on her new track from the 1986 Challenger shuttle disaster. As previously reported, Bey released her secret self-titled album just two weeks ago without promotion. One of the standout tracks, “XO,” features a music video set at Coney Island showing her playing arcade games while singing about a breakup.
In the first six seconds of the song, retired NASA public affairs officer Steve Nesbitt can be heard saying, “Flight controllers here looking very carefully at the situation. Obviously a major malfunction.” The audio is from the moment the nation watched the Challenger shuttle explode 73 seconds after liftoff from the Kennedy Space Center. All seven crew members aboard were killed.
ABC News reports that families of those killed in Challenger disaster are outraged.
“We were disappointed to learn that an audio clip from the day we lost our heroic Challenger crew was used in the song ‘XO,’ ” June Scobee Rodgers, the widow of Challenger Space Shuttle Commander Dick Scobee told ABC News.
“The moment included in this song is an emotionally difficult one for the Challenger families, colleagues and friends.”
Keith Cowing, a former NASA employee who now runs the NASAWatch.com, echoed Rodgers’ statement.
“This choice of historic and solemn audio is inappropriate in the extreme,” Cowing told ABC. “The choice is little different than taking Walter Cronkite’s words to viewers announcing the death of President Kennedy or 911 calls from the World Trade Center attack and using them for shock value in a pop tune.”
Baddie Bey has since released a statement to ABC News explaining the reasoning behind the audio clip. She also added that she meant to pay tribute to the fallen crew members.
“My heart goes out to the families of those lost in the Challenger disaster,” said Beyoncé. “The song ‘XO’ was recorded with the sincerest intention to help heal those who have lost loved ones and to remind us that unexpected things happen, so love and appreciate every minute that you have with those who mean the most to you.
“The songwriters included the audio in tribute to the unselfish work of the Challenger crew with hope that they will never be forgotten.” 
She has since been asked to remove the clip from the song.
What do you think about the controversy? Was Baddie Bey really paying tribute to those killed in the Challenger shuttle disaster or was the sample used in poor taste?
