Ester Dean Writes Open Letter To Keri Hilson Clarifying "Turnin' Me On (Remix)" Rumored Beyoncé Diss

“Open Letter from Ester Dean. For Keri. For Creatives. For The Record. I’ve stayed quiet for a long time, but I believe in telling the truth – especially when the internet starts telling its own version of the story. Back in July 2008, I started working with Polow Da Don in Atlanta. Later, I moved to Los Angeles to write for Polow’s artists over at Interscope. I wasn’t famous. I wasn’t chasing clout. I was in the studio – day and night – writing 3 to 4 songs a day. No friends. No family. Just work. Whenever the studio was open, I wrote. When Polow called, I showed up. That’s who I was, ‘Turning Me On (Remix).

“One night, Polow asked me to write a remix verse for Keri Hilson – something street, something for the culture. He left the room, and I sat there trying different ideas until I landed on these lines: ‘I shot the sheriff… but wait til I shoot these b****es, down down. Shoot these b****es, down, down’ ….and… ‘Your vision cloudy if you think that you’re the best. You can dance, she can sing, but she need to move it to the… (don’t do it, Em). She need to go ave some babies, she needs to sit down, she fading.”

Tacky? Yes. Forced? No. That was me I wasn’t in the room with Keri writing this together. I didn’t know her personally. She was already star. I was just a writer trying to earn my place. I did my job and left Keri came in another time and wrote her own verse — her pen, her voice: ‘Been had dollars boy. Go-on get your money up. Know you ain’t the only homie on me lined up. I ain’t turnin’ it off I’m stay turnin’ it on. Go on and tell these folks how long I been writing your songs. I been puttin’ you on, just check the credits h*e. And if you want me, you can find me in Decatur, h*e. Cause you’re turnin’ me off.’

Keri was already massive. She didn’t need saving. She was out here making history. Why Speak Now? Because while our stories may look similar now, back then they weren’t. Keri was speaking on big platforms I didn’t have access to — and it was her story to tell, not mine. I stayed writing. No hate. No shade. Just truth. What Keri went through was sad. She’s a great artist, a beautiful spirit, and she deserves grace She took her lessons. I’ll take mine. Respect always. – Ester Dean”Ahead of Dean’s letter, the “Pretty Girl Rock” singer admitted to feeling “regret” over the track. Hilson further explained in her TBC interview, that the shady lyrics weren’t even hers. Although she chose not to identify the original writer during the sit-down, the mystery didn’t last long. After a user asserted, “The writer was definitely Ester Dean,” she doubled down with a confident, “@mstiabby and did!! It was a hit!!!” But the moment of flexing soon turned into a public apology and her taking accountability for the effect of the song. “I submitted a lot of verses for that remix—one got picked, and it was co-written with Keri. Looking back, it was childish and didn’t age well,” she revealed. “I see how it hurt people, especially women, and I take full accountability. I’ve worked with and supported many women since, but that doesn’t erase the moment. Growth is real, and so is this apology.

Keri, however, took to TSR’s comments section to clarify that not only was the verse not a collaboration, but she also fought to soften the message. “You used the word co-wrote. I RE-wrote 3 lines in your verse,” she explained. “Which was the ONLY battle I won in the whole matter. But you weren’t there when all this was going down, and we didn’t write it together. She even pinpointed exactly which lyrics were written by her: “Been getting dollars boy/ Gone get ya money up/ No you ain’t the only homie on me, line up.” She emphasized, “The softest section. Lines about a boy. Because not only did I strongly disagree with the unnecessary hateful sentiments towards other women, and I’ve never been a fan of the publicity stunt method.” She added that her original objection was that the diss simply wasn’t “on subject. Dean’s apology, Hilson added, “You chose to stay quiet for 16 years, but coming out now, when you felt a portion of the heat I’ve gotten all this time. the remix was orchestrated by super-producer Polow Da Don, who was eager to capitalize on the momentum of her hit single while she was still on tour with Lil Wayne. “He wanted me to do a remix to ‘Turnin’ Me On,’” she explained. “He produced the record. Because I was on tour with Lil Wayne, I wasn’t able to lay anything down. He had been on me for a couple of weeks, [saying] we need to do a remix. The lyrical substance of the remix came as a surprise when she finally returned to record it. “He had another writer in our camp at the time … he had her write this,” she recalled. “He played it for me— meanwhile I’m thinking I was coming in to write a remix to ‘Turnin’ Me On.’ Automatically, I was like, ‘I’m not saying that.’ That was my position. I’m an athlete. I am competitive. But I’m not nasty, I’m a finesse player. I don’t look at things like that.” Allegedly, she was “forced” by producers to record the track—knowing its malicious nature. “My album wasn’t out yet, I was told it’s not coming out if you don’t do this,” she revealed. “I was super young. I felt I had no choice. I’m still protecting everyone involved. I’ve been eating that for years.” Despite the toll the moment took on her career and public image, the 42-year-old said she’s reached a place of forgiveness—for herself, at least. “I’ve forgiven myself,” she said. “But I’ll never forget what that moment cost me.

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