Lizzo is sharing writing credit on her hit song “Truth Hurts” with the creator behind the song’s signature line, but not with two other writers who claim they also contributed to the track.
“Truth Hurts” features the popular line, “I just took a DNA test, turns out I’m 100 percent that bitch,” which originated from a 2017 tweet by singer Mina Lioness and was turned into a popular meme. On Wednesday Lizzo wrote on social media that Lioness “is the person I am sharing my success with.”
The line was also used in Lizzo’s song “Healthy,” created in 2017 with the songwriting brothers Justin and Jeremiah Raisen. The Raisens feel they deserve writing credit on “Truth Hurts” as a result, though Lizzo wrote they “had nothing to do with the line or how I chose to sing it.”
“The men who now claim a piece of ‘Truth Hurts’ did not help me write any part of the song. There was no one in the room when I wrote ‘Truth Hurts’ except me, Ricky Reed, and my tears. That song is my life, and its words are my truth,” Lizzo wrote Wednesday.
In addition, Lizzo’s lawyer Cynthia Arato announced Wednesday that a lawsuit has been filed to establish that the Raisens, as well as Justin “Yves” Rothman, are not entitled to any credit for the song. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in California, notes the Raisens “expressly withdrew any claim to “Truth Hurts,” in writing, in April of this year, and subsequently assured Lizzo, again in writing, that they were making no claims to the work.”
The songwriters credited on “Truth Hurts,” which is spending its seventh week at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart, are Lizzo, Ricky Reed, Tele and Jesse Saint John.
After the claim made by the Raisens, CeCe Peniston wrote on Instagram that Lizzo’s “Juice” plagiarizes her classic ’90s hit, “Finally,” calling it “a clear example of #copyrightinfringement.”
“Truth Hurts” was originally released in September 2017 but got a boost this year after it was featured in the Netflix film “Someone Great,” released on April 19, the same day Lizzo dropped her album, “Cuz I Love You.” The song wasn’t originally featured on the 11-track “Cuz I Love You,” but her record label added it to the deluxe version of the album, released on May 3.
“Truth Hurts” was submitted for the 2020 Grammys in categories like song and record of the year — where songwriters and producers also earn nominations; the Recording Academy will announce its nominees on Nov. 20.
Lizzo is currently selling T-shirts on her website that read “100% that bitch.”
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