Lizzo sets the record straight in single “Rumors” featuring Cardi B
The duo confess all the rumors are true, in a Greek goddess-inspired music video
Music Features Cardi
R&B-and-pop maestro Lizzo has returned, after two years since her last full-length release, with a song to let people know she’s been hearing all the things said about her—and she could not care less. In the Ancient Greece-inspired video (which makes reference to the Muses from Disney’s Hercules, among other citations), she and rapper Cardi B affirm that everything everyone’s been saying about them is true; not that it’s any skin off their backs, or putting a dent in their wallets.
While Lizzo playfully feeds rumors that her and Chris Evans are having a baby, Cardi B is actually pregnant with her second child in the Herculean music video, sporting gold plating on her breasts. The Hustlers stars make reference to hot topics of discussion concerning their personal lives: For Cardi, it’s her body modifications and previous work as a stripper, while for Lizzo it’s her body and her diet, as bigger women apparently cannot exist without plenty of people offering up their opinions on that.
One of the wonderful things about Lizzo has always been the way she’s so firmly herself at all times, exuding confidence and a “no one can bring me down” energy. Her breakout bop focused on how “Truth Hurts,” and now she’s letting everyone know that she’s not bothered by the chatter. Oftentimes subject to fatphobia online, the singer asserts, “I am body goals.” The video only features plus-sized women, along with statues of fuller figured gods and goddesses, and affirms Lizzo’s stance to continue her body-positivity efforts, despite criticism about a juice cleanse she went on last year, which she also references.
Despite what the video shows, “Rumors” lacks a lightning-strike moment. It remains relatively one-note throughout the track, never really offering a giant hook for listeners to latch onto. Aside from maybe a few more cuss words than Lizzo’s previously dealt out in her singles, there’s no earworm that jumps out and screams, “Got you!” Ahead of the release, Lizzo told fans to be ready for something “very different,” but “Rumors” doesn’t read too much different from her previous work. There’s a bouncy beat and a brassy breakdown, topped off with carefree sensibilities, which continues to work for Lizzo, but hardly quantifies as something “very different.”
The duo’s offering may not be controversial like Cardi’s collab “WAP,” or sensual like Cardi’s most recent appearance on Normani’s “Wildside,” but “Rumors” will likely serve as a good song to put on when blocking out haters, assuming you have any to shut down. Overall, the single falls into what might be called “Old Navy music”: songs to backtrack sanitized commercials featuring families showing off jeans. It’s perfectly fine, even fun, and will no doubt get lots of radio airplay, but it just doesn’t stick out too much from the current pop M.O. What does stick out is Lizzo’s continued charm, and the continuance of letting any bullshit roll off her in waves—which, in and of itself, is a reason to tune in.
68 Comments
We get it. You love Cristal and dick. Jesus. Are these one-dimensional pop artists’ 15 minutes almost up yet? Don’t any of them have anything else to say? it’s not edgy. It’s not a feminist declaration. And I am sorry but you are not a body goal. It’s time we extinguished the medically false idea that obese people are just as healthy as people who are not. We don’t put up with assholes saying masks and vaccines don’t work, why do we allow fat people to ignore science and proclaim their condition is something to idolize?
I said this before but I am black and our community had problem with overweight/obese people. A lot of people died of covid because of underlying conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure etc. But yet here we are still celebrating this horse shit. There was a video of Lizzo a couple months ago on Tik Tok, eating watermelon, with mustard on it. And that’s a good look?
Not trying to be funny but mustard has zero calories and watermelon is mostly water. Not a snack I’d try but it’s probably pretty healthy. Agreed about the need for health to be the priority though. I wish people would set attainable goals as steps towards better living. Too many just throw themselves into it, don’t see immediate results that make them look like models and give up. Or hurt themselves going overboard with exercise.There’s got to be a way to balance a push for healthy living while not putting down people who have a harder time walking the path to fitness. But some people will find a way to be offended, like one female celebrity whose name I can’t recall. Said she was triggered by a sign at a restaurant or something offering low-fat options. I guess it was the words ‘low-fat’ but whatever else you called it probably would have triggered her too. Light pull on that one. Lena Dunham? Sounds right.
There is a big difference between not making fun of Lizzo and Lizzo using ‘body positivity’ as an excuse to be unhealthy, and then worse yet, declaring, “I am body goals”, like her obesity is something to aspire to. Cankles don’t make you a goddess.
I think Lizzo’s body positivity is her owning the way she is, and not feeling like a worthless piece of shit every moment of her life just because she’s fat. I don’t know her life but I bet she is trying to be healthier, but until that day comes where she’s lost 100 pounds she’s still gonna be confident.
i don’t know anything about her health, but i do know that doing a 1hr set on stage under steaming lights, singing on point and hyping up a crowd is not something you just…..do.
case in point: vince neil.
Did you know that the absolute best way to lose or just maintain a healthy weight is to eat shit? You should try it out.
i’d wager that lizzo is probably healthier than a lot of skinny folks.
fat does not always equal unhealthy.
A few extra pounds? Sure. Maybe. Ask any doctor what the #1 health issue in America is: obesity. Lizzo falls under the medical category of morbid obesity. Her weight is not something to idolize, period. Show me one legitimate doctor or scientist saying morbid obesity is healthy and fine. Do you think vaccines cause mind control too?
All this mighty certainty about her being unhealthy, people might think you’re her doctor. And drawing a through line between “Lizzo being proud of her own body” with vaccine denialism and anti-mask sentiment is kinda far-fetched, to put it kindly. To put it bluntly it is misdirection and a false equivalent. She is saying that her body is her own “body goals” and not telling people to emulate her. Also, I suppose one should say expert opinions vary, but latest I heard, obesity isn’t transmissible through air droplets.It’s OK to not like Lizzo’s music, she’s not everyone’s cup of tea. But to do mental backflips to rationalize not liking her music seems like something a person devoid of joy in their life does, so… I suppose it makes sense you don’t like her music. I hope you enjoy something and celebrate that instead.
Fuck off you sad fatphobic racist cunt
One of the underlying problems with being able to draw a straight line between ‘overweight’ and ‘unhealthy’ is that we have very few useful metrics to be able to gauge that. For example, the BMI won’t stop calling me overweight until I look like a concentration camp survivor.
You’re full of shit. The National Institutes of Health studies show obesity is the second leading cause of preventable death in America. 300,000 deaths a year from obesity. We shouldn’t insult Lizzo for being obese but we shouldn’t be idolizing her for it either. I say this as a 6ft tall 320lb man. I know I need to lose weight. I’m not on Instagram or Twitter demanding people love me. It’s pathetic.
You’re full of shit. The National Institutes of Health studies show obesity is the second leading cause of preventable death in America. 300,000 deaths a year from obesity. We shouldn’t insult Lizzo for being obese but we shouldn’t be idolizing her for it either. I say this as a 6ft tall 320lb man. I know I need to lose weight. I’m not on Instagram or Twitter demanding people love me. It’s pathetic.
we get it, you didn’t actually listen to the song.
Except I did. And read the lyrics. And I am still cringing now, 2 hours later.
that’s uh, an intense reaction to a…well, it’s a decent song, but i agree with the writer, it really does lack a hook.i’d suggest updating your outrage, though. cristal – which wasn’t even mentioned in the tune, btw – makes you sound even older than i am, and i am not young or hip at all.
Totally agree! The horns bit sounds a bit 90s and not in a good way – although it might be ironic or something. It does not a hook make for sure.
“Why do we allow people?”You’re exactly the kind of “hater” these artists are talking about. Enjoy your 15 seconds, bro.
Fuck off, bigot.
She rhymes “cool” with “cool”. Guess I’m a hater because that sucks.
nodding my head like yeah
“Cool? Like cold? Like frigid? Like she’s a stone cold bitch, hmm? God you are so sexist. It makes me literally sick. Can we doxx this guy on Twitter and cancel him?”-typical progressive blog comment
So, just so I understand it right, the avclub doesn’t make you tired the way the other sites do right?
Do you also think she rhymes “goddamn” with “goddamn”? Do you know how song writing works?
Siiiiiiiiiiigggggggghhhhhhhhhh.
No, I don’t think Lizzo rhymes “oh, goddam” with “oh, goddam”. The rhyming word comes immediately before it. The “oh, goddam” is for emphasis, similar to the “yeahs” at the end of every line for the rest of the song. I’ve never liked this style of rapping, but it has a long history and my personal preference doesn’t really matter, so whatever.
But the lines I’m talking about go like this –
They hated on me since school, yeahI never thought I was cool, yeahNow me and Cardi, we cool, yeah Rhyming “cool” with “cool” there is objectively lazy and dumb, especially when you consider how many words rhyme with “cool.” Look, I’ll rewrite it now.
I never thought I was cool, yeahNow me and Cardi, we rule, yeahTry to tell me that’s not obviously better, to the point where you wonder why it didn’t occur to Lizzo. Go ahead, I’ll wait.
TLDR; this long is lazy and corny and go fuck yourself.
thought she says “we crew” the second time
I’ve heard worse. Train rhymed President with President in “Meet Virginia,” which still takes the cake.
“and she wants to live her life! and she thinks about her life!”that song makes me so angry even today. don’t forget the bit about how she wears high heels when she exercises. I swear it was written by a terminally ill 8-year-old they knew and they promised his family to make it a real song on a real album when he died. just the worst, laziest song i’ve ever heard.
My problem with Cardi B has nothing to do with her skin color, plastic surgery, or former job title as there’s nothing wrong with any of that. I just think she’s dumb as a rock.Nothing against Lizzo, she seems chill.
Cool you felt the need to say “I’m not a racist or a sexist but…”
How is that what you got from what I said? It’s necessary to point that out because so many racist assholes use reasons like those to hate someone, and the story directly referenced those things so clarification was needed.“For Cardi, it’s her body modifications and previous work as a stripper”
She wrote “Swipe your nose like a credit card…” which is like one of the best things in forever (and just slightly edges out “Macaroni in a pot…”). I’d say those lyrics are pretty goddamned smart.
She has a team of writers that she collaborates with. Did she write that line herself, I have no idea.
Cardi B is a wild person which is why a lot of people consider her stupid or ratchet, but her music paints a picture that a team of writers can’t buy. Her lyrics are often too entertaining where as so many pop stars that also have teams of writers are not. When an artist is consistently entertaining (a subjective take, I know) it is not a fluke even if they have a team of writers.
Appreciate the real response and not just calling me flat out racist for addressing the literal complaints/concerns mentioned in the article. It’s not that she’s wild, I’ve seen enough of her interviews and questionable choices on social media to question how much of it is a manufactured act, and how much of it is plain dumb. Like buying supercars for clout despite the fact that she doesn’t know how to drive (her words, not mine).I actually don’t mind her lyrics or music, it’s just the way she presents herself outside of her music that gets me. To make matters worse, I was a fan when she first broke onto the scene, while defending her against the haters.
I can understand that and my only response that their are very few celebrities that if I follow them on social media or know about their personal lives that I don’t quickly start liking less. It should never be a surprise to me but it always is that these people really would not be my friends in real life even if a big part of their job is pretending like they could be.
I don’t follow any celebrities on social media… except T-Pain as he’s involved in the drifting scene. My exposure to her, and many other celebrities, generally comes from AV Club, Jezebel, Reddit, Youtube, and CNN.
“Like buying supercars for clout despite the fact that she doesn’t know how to drive (her words, not mine).”Like rich people who own yachts and private planes, but can’t steer a ship or fly? I don’t know your age, but Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, MTV Cribs, or IG influencers, but that covers 35 years of glut celebrities take part in. Why single her out for what’s been done for centuries by the rich?
Like rich people who own yachts and private planes, but can’t steer a ship or fly?The difference being that yachts and planes generally have a small crew that handles the daily operation. I don’t see many chauffeurs driving people around in a two seat Aventador.That’s truly a terrible example when you start to consider what’s required of someone to obtain a pilots license, or a captains license, compared to a drivers license.
Those lyrics are not good. Her delivery sells it, for me. When I ask if a line is good by itself, I try to imagine someone else delivering it. If it only sounds right for the person it was written for then I can’t call it good by itself.
In the “Rumors” video we see Lizzo swiping a credit card down the butt crack of a headless statue. The shot is so fast I missed it the first time. I love her humor when she uses it; she reminds me of Bessie Smith and the sexual freedom she celebrated in her music. There isn’t much of a physical resemblance between the two, but they both take claim to the space they want to to inhabit.
Cardi B pulls an almost Marilyn Monroe act where she acts in a way that plays on stereotypes of dumb women (probably increased by racist impressions of people with certain accents being dumb) but is not actually dumb. Her AP Gov teacher was in the news standing up for her a few years ago when people called her dumb. Not that you have to be a genius to be in APs, but you definitely can’t pass them if you’re “dumb as a rock)
I’m not Cardi’s biggest fan but I think her ‘street’ comportment is something of an act and that she’s a good deal smarter than many people think.
I mean, if it is good for her then. Doesn’t seem that way though.
I don’t know if she is dumb or not, but I can’t imagine why I would care.
I don’t know why I care either.
For Cardi, it’s her body modifications and previous work as a stripper
Nobody cares that she has fake tits or danced naked for money. It’s that she was drugging and robbing men, and somehow that’s OK because she was broke and dudes who get private lap dances are pervs who deserved it.
Can you imagine if it came out that Drake had drugged and robbed women in sexual situations in his past? He’d be 100% cancelled in 2 seconds flat. Cardi gets a pass because she’s a feminist icon fighting toxic masculinity for the sake of sex workers everywhere.
Regardless of some tweets you’ve seen on twitter our culture (and the majority of the world) is anti stripper and anti strip club, and the same people that think strippers get what they deserve also think people who go to strip clubs get what they deserve when bad things happen to them. Cardi Makes it very clear that this was in the past and she is not that person anymore, but most people still will never be able to look past that aspect of her. Not to mention the reality for male strippers is so completely different than female strippers that the Drake argument falls apart instantly.
So she gets a pass because male strippers have it easier than female strippers? And that excuses drugging and robbing men. Wow. Sexist much? My point still stands. Far too often who we choose to ‘cancel’ and for how long is determined by how much we like that celebrity.
The comment above you by jhelter skelter says it better than I did. These are salacious incidents from a celebrities past lives that theyve either renounced or worked hard to move beyond. Any entertainer who is a drug dealer has committed far worse sins that what you’re describing from Cardi.
Except she neither renounced the acts nor ‘worked hard to move beyond’ them (whatever that means). Hell, not long after the news broke she literally starred in a film about strippers robbing men. How is that not telling the world she’s proud of what she did? It’s hardly showing penance. Also, male rappers doing bad things does not excuse Cardi B from doing bad things. I don’t respect Jay Z either, or any of the multitude of rappers who brag about committing crime. I guess , for me, what makes this different is that Cardi B is out here playing along with the media’s portrayal of her as a feminist icon for the 21st century and that any criticism leveled at her is instantly labeled as misogyny. It’s bullshit.
Kind of undermines your point when you have no fucking idea what you are talking about. Drake HAS been accused- of some pretty gross grooming behavior. Yet he is so NOT cancelled you aren’t even aware of that fact. But here you are, having your turn being the clown in every mention of Cardi B who brings up the robbery story. It’s almost like women (especially woc) always get held to higher standards.
Can you imagine if it came out that Chris Brown beat Rihanna to a pulp? There’s no way he’d continue to easily work in the music industry for over a decade with no end in sight.
My issue with this is that not a single person gives a shit that Jay Z was a drug dealer. Male rappers openly brag about crimes they actually committed, not just shit they’re puffing up to seem tough, that are way worse than anything Cardi B has done, but apparently it’s a bridge too far for a woman to do the same.
The vocal melody is kind of grating, and I still can’t decide if the production channels the 90s in a good way or a bad way, but good on Lizzo for being unapologetically confident. Cardi B has stuck to the same flow/rhyming patterns in all her songs lately. But she has way more money than me. So, there’s that.
I had to clear those rumorsI’ve got a headache and it’s not a tumor
I’ve been busy working today, so I apologize for missing the memo that we’re now all against Lizzo because she’s proud to be overweight, or whatever. Who gets so upset about a new Lizzo song (which is arguably just, meh) that they have to rush to post negative bullshit? It’s kind of embarrassing and makes me miss the old AVC.
I’m not sure it’s just the AVC… it’s just the internet.Welcome to Hell.
I don’t know, I miss old avclub too but it wasn’t much better in this respect. Do you remember the really nuanced and enlightened discourse around Beth Ditto? As a Gossip fan, those were rough times around these parts.
Old AVC had a blocking feature. And sometimes actual moderation. Now it’s a free for all and the bigots keep flowing in from the rest of the Kinja sewer.
Yes, it is sort disheartening the amount of racist/homophobes/misogynists that flood the comments now, who have no room for real convos 🙁
That was a lot of words to get around saying it was a boring mediocre song
Yeah it’s pretty blah. Too bad, she’s got a great voice.
Whoo boy. The misogyny in these comments. Nothing scares a dude more than a powerful woman getting her money.
And yet not one comment is criticizing her for being a woman. Calling out body positivity as bullshit and thinking her music is mediocre at best doesn’t make one sexist. You’re projecting in defense of an artist you admire. Nothing else.
Definitely some suspect comments in here, but on the other hand…the song is just a complete dud when you stack it up against all those catchy hits Lizzo knocked out last time. I heard it yesterday and it’s completely gone from my head.