The Beyhive Is Defending Their Queen After A Reported Renaissance Leak

After six years without a new Beyoncé album, Renaissance is finally arriving on July 29 — but even with an end finally in sight, some fans couldn’t help but get the listening party started early. As Variety reports, there was social media discussion about an apparent album leak on July 27, and the magazine said it “was able to find high-quality FLAC files that certainly sound like the album within a matter of minutes.”

While the Beyhive is buzzing with memes and tweets about the reported Renaissance leak, most of them are about not listening to the files in question — because, well, why not just wait? Fans gave a variety of reasons for deciding not to play Renaissance early. @justinmcurto joked that Beyoncé needs the money from actual album sales “because she quit her job,” a reference to lead single and resignation anthem “Break My Soul.” Several Twitter users wrote that a “real fan” of the musician would not listen to leaks, even if they are available.

Of course, this isn’t the first time highly anticipated music from a fave has been leaked (hi, Lorde’s “Solar Power”). In fact, it’s not even the first time for Beyoncé. In 2011, after her album 4 surfaced online several weeks before its official release date, the “Break My Soul” singer made her feelings about the leak clear. “My music was leaked and while this is not how I wanted to present my new songs, I appreciate the positive response from my fans,” she said in a statement to MTV News at the time. “When I record music I always think about my fans singing every note and dancing to every beat. I make music to make people happy and I appreciate that everyone has been so anxious to hear my new songs.”

Beyoncé didn’t just condemn the leak. Sony actually sued the man who put it online for $233,000, per HuffPost — so all the memes and tweets about minding your business and avoiding the wrath of Beyoncé’s team might just be onto something.

So, how did the leak happen? As Variety and several users point out, there might somehow be Renaissance CDs already on sale in other countries.

Not listening to Renaissance until midnight on July 29? Good! Because you shouldn’t be in the middle of your workday when it drops, anyway (remember, everyone, don’t let that 9-to-5 break your soul). In a June 30 Instagram post, Beyoncé said she wants Renaissance to provide “a place to scream, release, feel freedom ... to release the wiggle. Ha! And to feel as unique, strong, and sexy as you are.”