Hey everyone, welcome! Lizzo has been absolutely killing it this year. Her track “Truth Hurts” just snagged the number one spot on the Billboard charts, and things are really looking up for her. However, there’s always someone ready to rain on the parade, and in this case, it’s Azealia Banks. Here’s her take on Lizzo’s recent success:
“I can’t help but sigh at the ongoing public fixation with this ‘bad girl’ persona. Frankly, it’s gotten old. The song isn’t my cup of tea, and neither is her over-the-top stage presence. It’s a shame because she’s undeniably talented, but it feels like she’s pigeonholed herself into this caricature of a ‘millennial mammy’ just to stay in the spotlight. I hope this phase passes soon and that she lets artists like Cupcakke shine in their own right. We’ve seen icons like Queen Latifah and Missy Elliott represent without resorting to such extremes. Lizzo’s shtick feels tired, and I’m ready for something new. As for the music industry, they need to realize that black culture is more than just a trend to capitalize on. It’s time for them to show some genuine respect and appreciation. And let’s not forget that Cardi isn’t even black. It’s concerning how corporate interests are shaping our perceptions of black excellence. While I support body positivity, there’s a fine line between empowerment and exploitation. Lizzo’s performances sometimes feel like they cater more to a voyeuristic gaze than genuine celebration. It’s worth considering how these portrayals of black bodies are perceived globally.”
This sequence of events appears quite deliberate. It’s not about the inherent talent or worthiness of these individuals; rather, it’s about the executives’ calculation that they are fresh faces unlikely to challenge the status quo. And when they do deviate, they’re expected to toe the line set by the elite. But why wasn’t Jazmine Sullivan given the same level of attention? To clarify, any criticism of Cardi B isn’t driven by animosity. While there are aspects of her actions I may not agree with, I defended her when Iggy Azalea targeted her because I recognized Azalea’s tendency toward negativity. Now, Azalea’s criticism of Lizzo is unjust. Lizzo has tirelessly worked to attain her current position, with her hit song “Truth Hurts,” which topped the charts despite being released nearly two years prior. Personally, my journey has been one of continuous effort. From crafting pop tunes since childhood to mastering the flute at 12 and performing with various girl groups, I’ve been on tour since 2012. Seeing the fruits of my labor culminate in success is profoundly gratifying. There’s a poignant irony in realizing that a song once thought overlooked has become the catalyst for newfound fame, drawing the largest crowds of the summer. It’s a testament to the adage that the darkest moments precede the dawn. Despite the initial despair, I’m genuinely grateful to have persevered. Witnessing marching bands, particularly those from the Black community, play my music resonates deeply with me, reflecting my enduring passion for band culture.
I’ve been teased before, but witnessing black marching bands playing my music, especially seeing the flute sections jamming out to “Truth Hurts” at the BET Awards, is just incredible. I’ll share the video later; it’s amazing to watch them play the trill part while twerking. It really affirms that I’m where I belong. It validates all the struggles I’ve faced—feeling out of place, not black enough, not cool enough. It’s like every emotion I’ve experienced, every hardship endured, was worth it. The journey to fame wasn’t easy, as seen in that touching video. Lizzo’s gratitude shines through; she’s finally receiving the recognition she deserves. Lizzo’s not just a talented performer; she’s a champion of body positivity, empowering others through her music. Despite facing hate, she remains true to herself. Despite the negativity, love prevails. Rihanna recently gave her a shout-out on Instagram, praising her for wearing Savage Fenty. Lizzo was thrilled to receive praise from her idol. Rihanna even reached out personally, commending her BET Awards performance. Lizzo admires Rihanna greatly and cherishes their interaction. On another note, amidst Megan and Nicki’s collaboration, there were rumors of Azalea’s negative remarks on Instagram, suggesting ill intentions from Nicki. But Lizzo hopes Nicki doesn’t cause trouble for Megan, who’s overcome many obstacles to reach her current success.
I truly hope Nicki isn’t involved in any negative Sagittarian activities. My suspicion about her is quite strong. She’s proven to be quite unpleasant. Even Azalea went as far as dissing Erykah Badu, and I found myself defending Cardi B last year. Just to clarify, I don’t harbor any hate towards Cardi B. While there are aspects of her actions that I don’t appreciate, when Azalea targeted her, I certainly stood up for her. Azalea’s tendency to spread hate seems unending. Now, she’s directing it towards Lizzo, which is utterly unacceptable. Lizzo has put in immense effort to reach where she is today. Her hit song “Truth Hurts,” currently topping the charts, was released almost two years ago. Personally, I’ve been toiling away my whole life. I began writing pop songs at the age of nine and picked up the flute at twelve. I’ve been part of numerous girl groups and touring since 2012. It’s incredibly gratifying to see all that hard work finally bearing fruit. It’s remarkable how a song you once thought went unnoticed can catapult you to stardom. I’ve experienced my share of dark days, but being here, with the biggest crowd of the summer gathered for me, is beyond surreal. It’s a testament to the adage that it’s always darkest before the dawn. I’m genuinely grateful for this moment, especially considering how bleak things once seemed. Witnessing marching bands, particularly black ones, performing my music is deeply moving. As someone who’s always been passionate about bands, even if it meant enduring teasing, seeing them embrace my music is incredibly validating. I’ll be sharing a video of the flute sections playing the trill part and dancing to ‘Truth Hurts,’ reminiscent of my performance at the BET Awards. It’s moments like these that affirm I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be. Every emotion, every struggle I’ve faced, whether it was feeling inadequate or not fitting in, now feels justified. Lizzo’s journey to fame was anything but easy, as evidenced by that touching video. It’s a testament to her gratitude and resilience.
It took her a journey to reach this point, but now she’s receiving the recognition she truly deserves. Lizzo embodies incredible talent, captivating performances, and advocates for body positivity, empowering countless with her music. Authenticity defines her; she’s always been true to herself. Despite the harsh criticisms from individuals like Azalea, who resort to hurtful remarks, Lizzo remains resilient. Yet amidst the hate, love shines brighter. Rihanna recently praised Lizzo on Instagram, acknowledging her while showcasing her Savage Fenty bra. And Lizzo received a heartfelt message from Rihanna after her BET Awards performance. Regarding collaboration between Megan and Nicki, Azalea’s alleged Instagram post criticizing Nicki highlights her penchant for negativity. Azalea’s disrespectful comments extend even to artists like Erykah Badu. Despite any personal differences, Lizzo defended Cardi B against Azalea’s attacks, recognizing Azalea’s pattern of spreading hate. Lizzo’s journey to success reflects years of dedication, with hits like “Truth Hurts” finally receiving the recognition they deserve, even years after their release. Her resilience, honed through years of hard work, now manifests in the overwhelming support she receives from fans, culminating in the massive crowd gathered to celebrate her success.
That’s my testimony. It truly does get darkest before the dawn, and I’m genuinely grateful to be here. That was a bleak day. I felt such sadness, and the fact that I just needed time for the world to embrace me makes it even more meaningful. Watching marching bands perform my music, particularly black marching bands, resonates deeply with me. I’ve always been a band geek, not in a trendy way, but I was teased for it. Yet, seeing marching bands, especially black ones, play my music fills me with joy. I’ll share a video later—there’s something magical about the flute section playing the trill part while twerking to “Truth Hurts,” like at the BET Awards. It’s incredible. It makes me feel like I’m exactly where I’m meant to be. Every emotion I’ve experienced, every moment of sorrow, pain, feeling lost or out of place, not black enough or cool enough, feels validated. You watched that video; it was touching. It illustrates how grateful I am. My journey to fame wasn’t easy; it took time, but now I’m finally receiving the recognition I deserve. I’m a talented performer promoting body positivity, empowering others through my music, and staying true to myself. I’ve always been who I am now, despite the hate. People like Azalea may try to tear me down, but the love I receive is stronger. Rihanna recently gave me a shout-out on Instagram for wearing one of her Savage Fenty bras, and it meant the world to me. “Big up my girl Lizzo for the feature,” she said. It made my day amidst the hustle of preparing for our show on September 20th on Amazon Prime.
Rihanna also expressed her admiration following her performance at the BET Awards. “I adore Rihanna. We’ve had some communication. Did we exchange DMs? She actually messaged me to praise the performance.”
Additionally, when Megan and Nicki collaborated, Azalea reportedly shared on her Instagram story: “Nicki is truly malicious. She intentionally got Meg intoxicated to make her appear wild in the photo/video. And, Nicki is recklessly indulging. Honestly, Nicki’s falseness and malice are evident. I hope she doesn’t target Meg. Meg has overcome numerous obstacles to reach this level. I truly hope Nicki isn’t engaging in sinister behavior, although I highly suspect she is. She’s truly the worst.”
Azalea also targeted Erykah Badu, while I stood up for Cardi B last year. To those who assume I dislike Cardi B, that’s not the case. While I may disagree with some of her actions, when Azalea criticized her, I defended Cardi because I recognize Azalea’s tendency to spread negativity. Now, she’s directing her negativity towards Lizzo, which I find unacceptable. Lizzo has tirelessly worked to achieve her current status. Her hit song “Truth Hurts,” currently topping charts, was released nearly two years ago.
Reflecting on my journey, I’ve dedicated my life to music since childhood. From writing pop songs at nine to playing the flute at twelve, and being part of various girl groups, I’ve been touring since 2012. It’s gratifying to see my hard work finally paying off. The journey from releasing a song in what felt like obscurity to having it propel me to stardom, with the biggest crowd of the summer gathered for me, is truly remarkable. It’s a testament to perseverance—my darkest days preceding this bright moment. I’m genuinely grateful to be here.
Watching marching bands, especially black marching bands, perform my music fills me with immense joy. Despite being teased for my passion for band, seeing these bands, even the flute sections, embrace my music, like when they played “Truth Hurts” at the BET Awards, is incredibly fulfilling. It validates every emotion and every struggle I’ve experienced, from feeling out of place to questioning my identity.
Lizzo’s journey, as depicted in that touching video, is a testament to resilience. She’s now receiving the recognition she deserves, promoting body positivity, and empowering through her music. Despite the hate she faces, love prevails. Rihanna’s shout-out on Instagram, applauding Lizzo for wearing one of her Savage Fenty bras, further demonstrates the support and camaraderie within the industry.
Just came across this gem while prepping for our September 20th show on Amazon Prime—what a mood lifter! Rihanna even gave props after her BET Awards performance. “Rihanna’s got my back. We even had a DM exchange about it. She messaged me saying she loved the performance.” And when Megan and Nicki teamed up, Azalea allegedly threw shade on Instagram, claiming Nicki intentionally got Megan drunk to make her look bad in photos/videos. It’s disheartening to see this negativity, especially towards someone like Lizzo, who’s worked tirelessly to reach the top. Her hit “Truth Hurts,” now topping the charts, was released almost two years ago. Personally, I’ve been grinding since childhood—writing pop tunes at nine, playing the flute since twelve, and touring since 2012. It’s incredibly gratifying to see this hard work pay off. It’s a testament to resilience—the song you once thought went unnoticed now catapulting you to stardom. And the love pouring in is overwhelming. Lizzo’s journey wasn’t easy, but her talent, authenticity, and message of self-love shine through. Despite the hate, love triumphs. Rihanna herself gave Lizzo a shout-out on Instagram for rocking her Savage X Fenty bra. It’s moments like these that remind me why I’m grateful to be here, sharing my music with the world.
This is my journey. It’s true what they say, the darkest moments often precede the brightest ones, and I’m just grateful to be here, standing in the light. There was a time when everything felt heavy, a dark cloud hanging over me. But now, looking back, I realize that those struggles were just stepping stones to something greater.
Seeing marching bands, especially those of the Black community, playing my music fills me with an indescribable joy. You see, I’ve always been a bit of a band geek, never quite fitting into the conventional molds of coolness. To witness these bands embrace my music, to see the flute sections grooving to the beats, it’s beyond surreal. It’s a validation of all the doubts and insecurities I’ve ever had.
That video meant the world to me. It captured a moment of profound gratitude, a testament to the journey I’ve traveled. Fame didn’t come easy; it was a road paved with obstacles and setbacks. But now, finally, I’m receiving the recognition I’ve always dreamt of.
Lizzo isn’t just a name; she’s a force of nature. A beacon of empowerment and self-love, her music transcends boundaries and inspires millions. Yet, despite her undeniable talent, there are still voices of hate and negativity. But for every ounce of hate, there’s an ocean of love.
I’ll never forget the shout-out from Rihanna, a moment of validation from one of the industry’s biggest stars. It’s these moments that remind me why I do what I do. And as for the detractors and naysayers, well, their words only fuel my fire.
So here I am, standing tall, basking in the glow of success. Every hardship, every tear shed, it was all worth it. Because in the end, the love will always triumph over hate.