Is Beyoncé Referencing Jay-Z and Solange’s Elevator Fight In “Cozy”?

In comparison to Beyoncé’s earth-shattering Lemonade drop in 2016, her seventh studio album, Renaissance, is tame in the pot-stirring department. (Which is not to say it’s tame in any other areas—only that there’s no Becky with the good hair this go-round.) But the second song on the Renaissance tracklist, the rhythmic bop “Cozy,” does feature a verse that made fans raise their eyebrows.

In the final line of the pre-chorus, Beyoncé sing-speaks the words, “Might I suggest you don’t fuck with my sis,” before the music temporarily drops out. Hypothetically, the “sis” in question could be any close friend of Queen Bey’s, but it seems more likely she’s referencing her biological sister, the singer-songwriter Solange. As for “don’t fuck with,” well, might I point you in the direction of an incident after the 2014 Met Gala?

’Twas an ordinary white-tie evening until TMZ released leaked surveillance footage from an elevator at an after-party, in which Solange could be seen with Beyoncé and Jay-Z. In the elevator, Solange screamed, swung and kicked at her brother-in-law, prompting many to speculate his martial infidelity had triggered the outrage. His wife all but confirmed this a few years later, both in numerous songs from Lemonade and on the “Flawless” remix, in which she dropped the line, “Of course sometimes shit go down when there’s a billion dollars on an elevator.”

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After the Met Gala incident, Beyoncé, Jay, and Solange released a joint statement, which read: “As a result of the public release of the elevator security footage from Monday, May 5th, there has been a great deal of speculation about what triggered the unfortunate incident. But the most important thing is that our family has worked through it. Jay and Solange each assume their share of responsibility for what has occurred. They both acknowledge their role in this private matter that has played out in the public. They both have apologized to each other and we have moved forward as a united family. The reports of Solange being intoxicated or displaying erratic behavior throughout that evening are simply false. At the end of the day families have problems and we’re no different. We love each other and above all we are family. We’ve put this behind us and hope everyone else will do the same.”

Although there’s no mention of elevators in “Cozy,” it seems unlikely Beyoncé wouldn’t consider how “don’t fuck with my sis” might come across to her audience, for whom the 2014 incident remains seared in their brains. But not everything the Bey hive assumes has proven correct in the past. “Cozy” could just be a simple directive: Don’t mess with the Queen when she’s wearing her crown.

Beyond the Solange shout-out, “Cozy” also comments on bigger themes, like Beyoncé celebrating her identity as a Black woman (“Comfortable in my skin / Cozy with who I am”) and, as some fans have pointed out, paying homage to the LGBTQ+ community by referencing the progress pride flag. Read the full lyrics to “Cozy” below.

This a reminder

Damn, I love the burning of the dagger
From the words that you say (Fuck, yeah)
Dancin’ in the mirror, kiss my scars
Because I love what they made (Ooh, yeah)

She’s a god (Ah-ooh), she’s a hero (Ah-ooh)
She survived (Ah-ooh) all she been through (Ah-ooh, ooh)
Confident (Ah-ooh), damn, she lethal (Ah-ooh, ooh)
Might I suggest you don’t fuck with my sis (Ooh)
‘Cause she comfortable

Comfortable in my skin
Cozy with who I am
Comfortable in my skin
Cozy, cozy
Comfortable in my skin
Feet up above your sins
I love myself, goddamn
Cozy, cozy

So cozy
I love me
They hate me
‘Cause they want me
(I’m dark brown, dark skin, light skin, bеige)
(Fluorescent bеige, bitch, I’m Black)

Been down, been up, been broke, broke down, bounced back
Been off, been on, been back, what you know about that?
Been the light, been dark, been the truth, been that King Bey energy
I been thick, been fine, still a ten, still here, that’s all me
Black like love too deep
Dance to the soles of my feet
Green eyes envy me
Paint the world pussy pink
Blue like the soul I crowned
Purple drank and couture gowns
Gold fangs a shade God made
Blue, black, white, and brown
Paint the town red like cinnamon
Yellow diamonds, limoncello glisterin’
Rainbow gelato in the streets
Renaissance, yachtin’ in Capri