Keri Hilson Claims Her Former Boss Pressured Her To Sing Controversial Beyoncé Diss Track

Keri Hilson is revisiting one of the most talked-about moments of her music career; the controversy surrounding her and Beyoncé, and shedding new light on what really happened.

The R&B singer sparked controversy in 2009 following the release of the remix of the track "Turnin Me On," which many perceived as a diss toward Beyoncé.

Over a decade later, Keri Hilson claims that her former boss made her do it, adding that she regrets the situation.

Keri Hilson has been out of the spotlight for nearly 15 years, but recently, she stopped by "The Breakfast Club" to discuss her return to music. During the chat, the singer addressed her Beyoncé diss track.

The 41-year-old claimed that the lyrics weren't hers and that she never wanted to record the track. Hilson said her former producer and boss, Polow Da Don, pushed her to do it.

"It's a regret. But not in the way people think…I didn't write that verse. I was in tears. I was adamant. I didn't want to do it," she confessed.

Hilson explained that she was on tour with Lil Wayne at the time, and the controversial remix of the "Turnin Me On" track was written by someone else. She claimed she fought hard not to go through with it.

"He played it for me, and I was like, 'I'm not saying that.' I started writing my own version…but there was a lot of pressure. He said my album wouldn't come out if I didn't do it," Hilson said.

Hilson became the target of public backlash when the remix of her song "Turnin Me On" trended for the wrong reasons.

The track featured lyrics like "You can dance, she can sing but need to move it to the left," which fans believed was directed toward Beyoncé, referencing her song "Irreplaceable."

Also, the suggestion that someone should "go have some babies" was seen as a slight toward female artists.

Keri Hilson's appearance on "The Breakfast Club" is not the first time the singer has tried to explain that she didn't write the song.

In 2009, when the track remix leaked, Hilson called into Atlanta radio station V103 to address the rumors involving another singer, Ciara.

She outrightly declared that the track wasn't about Ciara. "I just want to tell Ciara it's not about you. People are just reading way too far into it. People take things and make it what they want it to be. It wasn't taking shots at nobody," she said per Rap-Up.

Following Hilson's clarification, Ciara shared her thoughts on the drama. The singer revealed that everyone was waiting to hear what Hilson had to say, adding that she believed her.

Ciara added that she loved her colleague and was happy about how far she had come. Not long after, Hilson responded with kind words for Ciara.

The songwriter said she knew the 39-year-old's words were sincere before expressing pride in Ciara's achievements.

"I'm not jealous of anybody's career. I've worked with Ciara many times. I'm a fan of Beyonce's," Hilson added.

Although Keri Hilson addressed the rumors early enough, speculations about the beef between her and Beyoncé continued making the rounds for years.

In 2020, the "Pretty Girl Rock" crooner spoke candidly about the rumored beef again.

During a conversation on "Out Loud With Claudia Jordan," Hilson claimed the feud was strategically staged to frame her as though she was targeting Beyoncé.

"Was not my lyrics, was not my writing, was not my doing," Hilson said per Hot 97.

She added that she paid the penalty because she was a green artist living her dream. "Then, I'm caught. Do I tell the truth? Do I expose them early in my career? I'm super young, super new. This [is] my first album. It just soiled my whole dream," she revealed.

Hilson's career took a big hit due to the controversy.

She revealed Beyonce's fans came after her with criticism and insults, which led her into deep depression.

Thankfully, the singer is out of that phase and is thrilled to be making music again.

Her new album, "We Need To Talk," will be available for streaming on April 18, 2025.