Lizzo’s TikTok confession and the ‘Rumors’ backlash highlight the costs of empowerment

By Brittny Pierre, music journalist and cultural critic

The confidence of Black women like Lizzo (and Cardi B) clearly triggers many people.

As Lizzo proclaimed in her newest single, “Rumors,” plenty of people are more than happy to devote their lives to “tryna break a woman down.” And the hitmaker is quite aware that when she posts on TikTok, or releases new music, she’s bound to face a deluge of hate. The internet is full of people who would love nothing more than to tear a confident, beautiful and talented Black woman down. Even so, watching Lizzo break down on social media this week resonated with a lot of people. Her pain cuts deep, because it’s a reminder of the often unseen costs of public empowerment.

“Rumors,” Lizzo’s first single since 2019, features hip-hop’s latest go-to collaborator Cardi B, who has faced her fair share of criticism and controversy for her appearance and lyrics. The…

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