Truth Hurts

I love Lizzo. My daughter loves Lizzo. Everybody loves Lizzo. She’s been a godsend for those of us who don’t fit the mold, figuratively and literally — a source of inspiration for all shapes, sizes, statuses, races, sexual pref, and an advocate for body positivity and self-love. In her music video for the #1 smash “Truth Hurts” Lizzo gets married…to herself. Amen. 

But the song came under fire recently when British singer, Mina Lioness (@minalioness) called her out for lifting the first line of the song — “I just took an DNA test I’m 100% that bitch” (word for word) — from a tweet Mina wrote months before the release of “Truth.” Lizzo denied knowing anything about it but later admitted to having been inspired by a viral meme that followed the tweet (not the tweet itself). After some heated back and forth the 2 women settled up.  

If you follow me you might know that when it comes to intellectual property disputes I tend to favor the side of the infringee not because I’m so old school (which I am) but because I usually recognize the original song in the latter even before there’s a lawsuit. Case in point: I “heard” “Got To Give It Up” the first time I heard to “Blurred Lines.” It’s a Laurel vs Yanny thing. These cases are pretty much split down the middle.  

But this time I wasn’t so sure about where the law should fall. First of all songwriters are inspired by memes and buzz phrases all the time. And to be fair, would we expect Lizzo to assume a meme (any meme) started with somebody’s tweet? Not necessarily.

Second…is a tweet copyrightable? Especially after it goes viral and is everywhere and on everyone’s lips? I mean…one day someone started saying “So yesterday” and “On Fleek.” Then everyone was saying it. And then everyone was writing a song. I know I know, you can’t copyright a title. So then I ask you…would it have let Lizzo off the hook if she named her song “100% That Bitch” or “I just Took A DNA Test” instead of “Truth Hurts.” 

I’ve officially headed down the rabbit hole. 

I have to tell you, on occasion I overhear snippets of conversation from strangers, that I later use in songs. So should I make my best effort to find that stranger and accredit them? How would I even do that? And does it matter less if the phrase in question is uttered as opposed to documented — tapped out (as in a tweet)? Does the fact that it’s written down make it more permanent, indelible, “property” worthy? 

I wonder whether the criteria for intellectual property should be contingent upon the idea that it was created with the intention it would beproperty. I don’t know. Just wonderin’ out loud.

Now I’m further down the rabbit hole. 

All I’m saying is, times have changed. It’s a bold new viral world out there. Criteria for copyright infringement was founded long before ideas went viral. Furthermore (imo) the current environment in politics is providing fertile ground for boundaries (and ethics) to be stretched or…”reimagined.” LeBron James wants to trademark “Taco Tuesday.” Kylie Jenner filed a trademark application to cover any merchandise using the words “rise and shine.” 

Anyway, like I said the 2 women settled. All’s well that ends well. But not so fast. Just when Lizzo thought it was safe to go back in the studio…it turns out Mina Lioness wasn’t the only one who took issue with authorship. 

Brothers (Justin and Jeremiah Raisen) claim via a mashup video on Intsta, that “I just took a DNA test turns out I’m 100% that bitch” was a meme that came up during a writing session they had with the superstar which inspired a song called “Healthy” and then she (Lizzo), went on to use the same first line in “Truth.” I don’t know how much we can trust photography these days but it sure looks like they were all together in the same room. And the first lines are identical (though in a different key). Lizzo says the Raisen brothers had nothing to do with writing the song. But isn’t that them? What were they doing there if not collaborating?

Supporting her story — the brothers agreed to renounce any claim to “Truth Hurts” in writing months ago. But why would they be asked to do that if it weren’t an issue? And why would they sign something if it wasn’t true??? (This kinda reminds me of when Robin Thicke asked a judge to rule that there was no similarity between “Blurred Lines” and “Got to Give it Up”before a lawsuit even emerged! 😳) 

Curiously (or maybe not), the brothers changed their minds about “the renouncing” upon the success of “Truth Hurts?” But it doesn’t make a diff. Cuz she’s got a signed doc!

My brain hurts too. 

Anyway…until further notice this part of the drama will have to remain She said/He+He said. 

We still love you Lizzo. Let’s move forward and be mindful. When in doubt give cred…like you did. Even if it remains to be seen whether a tweet is intellectual property it’s clear that Mina was a valuable muse. And…let’s be careful about being in the studio with writers if we’re not actually writing with them. Cuz things get complicated!

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