Yet again, one of the nation's most affluent celebrities is claiming to be "oppressed." This time, the cognitive dissonance was on full display during an on-stage, nationally televised acceptance speech for an award that few talented musicians have the honor of winning. It's not surprising that in the land of endless opportunity we call America, the "oppressed" multi-billionaire with a rags-to-riches backstory is not so oppressed after all.
CLAIM: At the MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday, ultra-rich singer Lizzo, whose real name is Melissa Viviane Jefferson, was nominated for four awards and won an esteemed accolade in the "Video for Good" category for her hit song "About Damn Time," called on the fans who voted for her win to also vote to change the laws in America that are supposedly "oppressing us."
While on stage at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, the musician admitted she wasn't sure what the trophy, a statute of an astronaut dubbed the "moonman," was celebrating. "I don't know what music 'Video for Good' means, but I do know what your vote means," Lizzo said from the microphone stand, after prefacing the remarks with "b********tch" before the affluent, Hollywood leftist audience.
?????????????????????????? pic.twitter.com/qBVGGsaXa6
— FOLLOW @YITTY (@lizzo) August 29, 2022
"Your vote means everything to me. It means everything to make a change in this country," Lizzo said in a more serious tone, then declared to her fanbase: "So remember when you're voting for your favorite artist, vote to change some of these laws that are oppressing us."
She concluded the speech: "B*tch, this is winning, ho!"
The award, which used to be titled the Best Video with a Social Message and was renamed the Best Fight Against the System, recognizes artists whose music videos address current sociopolitical subjects. Regardless, the decorative prize is possible because of artists' freedom to express themselves.
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Lizzo's expletive-filled political statement went viral, and the vocalist was slammed as out-of-touch and tone-deaf for crying victim at the award ceremony while enjoying the lavish lifestyle she embraces daily.
??KEEP MY NAME IN YO MOUF CUS I KNOW IT TASTE GOOD BITCH?? pic.twitter.com/XnuG25s280
— FOLLOW @YITTY (@lizzo) August 29, 2022
FACTS: Lizzo, who is the #17 recording artist in the country on top of Billboard's Artist 100 chart, touts a current net worth of $12 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. She once posed half-naked while boarding a private jet. "YOU TOO CAN SHOW UR ASS ON A JET," Lizzo encouraged her followers in mid-April. The butt-baring airplane attire showcased Lizzo in a bra and a cheeky pair of cut-out leggings. (There were many ifs, ands, or buts about the paper-thin thong that disappeared into Lizzo's nether regions, never to be seen again.)
SONG OF THE SUMMER COMING 4/14
— FOLLOW @YITTY (@lizzo) April 10, 2022
ARE YOU READY?https://t.co/VwawwhPkrK pic.twitter.com/ESvLNKLZsM
The media darling certainly doesn't don commoner's clothing, either. According to People magazine, on the red carpet before the VMA appearance, Lizzo was wearing a black strapless Jean Paul Gaultier Couture gown that looked more like a heavy-duty trash bag than high-end fashion. The "oppressed" rapper was accessorized with Lael Osness gloves and Jennifer Fisher jewelry, including a gold lip ring and layers of gold hoop earrings.
Lizzo also popped up on People magazine's Best Dressed List at the 2022 BET Awards in June, where she appeared in a sparkling navy Gucci gown trimmed in black feathers and finished with black Gucci platform heels. And the Grammy Award-winning star attended the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute Gala in May, sporting a hand-embroidered, intricate black-and-gold coat with a matching Thom Browne dress.
"It took 22,000 hours to make this coat. I'm just so happy to be in it. I feel like a piece of art," Lizzo told Vogue about the labor-intensive look for the Met Gala. The renowned flutist also serenaded the lush venue with a rare $50,000 flute.
Lizzo's #MetGala coat took 22,000 hours to make and her rare flute cost $55,000 https://t.co/7pfrLBlt8g pic.twitter.com/CiOi1oSFZp
— Variety (@Variety) May 3, 2022
Before making it big (pun intended), while on the road to stardom, the then-starving artist dropped out of college and lived in her car, a 1999 Subaru, for half a year. "That was my home for a little," Lizzo told CBS This Morning. "I spent Thanksgiving in that car, and I remember I cried myself to sleep."
At another point, Lizzo was couch surfing and sleeping on floors around Houston. In a statement to People magazine, Lizzo even spoke of "testament[s] to journeys," upward mobility, and hard-earned success. "Your darkest day turns into your brightest triumph," Lizzo, who's been hustling to make a name for herself for over 10 years, asserted.
Other than life knocking Lizzo down, she was uplifted by powerful figures in the music industry. Lizzo, like many hungry souls aspiring to make it in America, was helped by the kindness and admiration of others. She fulfilled her dream of obtaining fame and fortune, largely thanks to the late singer Prince, who "co-signed" her music. "Prince was the first person to really make me feel validated as an artist..." Lizzo told NPR.
RULING: False—Lizzo is not oppressed. Of course, she and every Hollywood elite are not facing oppression of any kind despite their proletarian role play. Lizzo's performative argument failed to cite any oppressive U.S. laws. I would say Lizzo's political opinion doesn't carry much weight, but I'll admit she has a ton of influence.
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