SPECIAL

Aaliyah Will Be The Subject Of ABC News Special “Superstar”

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It’s been over 20 years since R&B icon Aaliyah tragically passed away at the age of 22. Her short life and the tragic plane crash that ended it have been subject to public fascination for years and now there’s an hour-long celebration celebrating her life coming to ABC. The special which is titled Superstar: Aaliyah seeks to assess the impact she had on the worlds of R&B and fashion with her distinct style.

Another thing the documentary is expected to cover is Aaliyah’s notorious marriage to R. Kelly. The pair’s alleged marriage has been the subject of rumors for decades. They both initially denied that Aaliyah had forged paperwork and listed herself as 18 instead of 15 so the process would be legal. Years later during the Surviving R. Kelly documentary, it came to light that a former tour manager had helped the pair falsify documents after Aaliyah revealed she was pregnant. The episode will feature her former boyfriend Damon Dash as well as will.i.am Justine Skye, Karl Kani, and more. It will air on ABC Wednesday, June 14th, and be available to stream on Hulu the next day. You can watch the trailer for it here.

Aaliyah’s Superstar Moment

Previous episodes of the Superstar series have documented the legacies of other deceased stars. Richard Pryor, Kobe Bryant, and Whitney Houston are all among those who have had their own editions of the special. Aaliyah’s debut album Age Ain’t Nothing But A Number just had its 29th anniversary. Fans continue to stream her music and new artists continue to cite her as a major influence to this day. Earlier this year fans petitioned the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame to honor Aaliyah as an inductee, though she wasn’t nominated.

Fans also celebrated what would have been Aaliyah’s 44th birthday earlier this year. Many friends of Aaliyah and those influenced by her work also shared messages for the late singer. Friend and collaborator Missy Elliot sent out a heartfelt tweet commemorating the day back in January. Are you excited about the upcoming ABC News special highlighting Aaliyah’s legacy? Let us know in the comment section below.

The post Aaliyah Will Be The Subject Of ABC News Special “Superstar” appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Lizzo Made A ‘Special’ Surprise Appearance At The Final Show Of SZA’s ‘SOS’ Tour

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This past week, SZA’s SOS tour came to a close at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, California. After a successful run, the “Kill Bill” hitmaker had to go out with a bang.

Early on in the night, SZA was joined by Phoebe Bridgers, and the two performed their collaboration, “Ghost In The Machine.” Bridgers had previously made a surprise appearance at SZA’s New York City show at Madison Square Garden.

Toward the end of the night, Lizzo made a surprise appearance, and the two performed SZA’s remix of “Special,” the title track to Lizzo’s sophomore album.

This is perhaps a full-circle moment for the two collaborators and besties, as SZA made a surprise appearance during the final show of Lizzo’s Special tour last year, which is where the two revealed the “Special” remix.

On SOS, Lizzo and SZA collaborated on the rock-influenced “F2F,” on which, Lizzo co-wrote and contributed background vocals. In an interview with Rolling Stone’s Music Now podcast last December, SZA revealed that she and Lizzo recorded “five or six songs” during the SOS recording sessions. Perhaps some more of their collabs will appear on the upcoming SOS deluxe edition.

You can check out clips from the SZA concert above.

Lizzo is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

SZA Hopped On Lizzo’s ‘Special’ For An Extravagant Remix That Makes The Song Even More Inspiring

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Lizzo and SZA both had massive 2022s with Special and SOS. As two world-dominating stars, they’ve dealt with a lot of hate, whether that’s Lizzo receiving body-shaming comments or SZA being criticized for exploring romantic relationships in her work. The pair always know how to stand up for themselves, and they teamed up for a gorgeous remix of Lizzo’s title track which reckons with staying strong despite the people who try to keep you down.

The song opens with a bewitching verse from SZA, immediately addressing the constant influx of hate she receives and not hesitating to call it out: “Woke up this morning to somebody in a video / Talking about something I posted in a video / If it wasn’t me then would you even get offended? Or / Is it just because I’m Black and heavy?”

With SZA hopping on the track and contributing strong, beautiful vocals, “Special” becomes even more motivational and encouraging than it originally was. The both of them together are unstoppable, and it’s sure to be a chart-topping hit that’ll remind fans of their worth.

Listen to the “Special” remix above.

Lizzo is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

SZA Joins Lizzo On “Special” Remix

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Lizzo and SZA just released a remix of the former’s standout track from last year, the uplifting and soulful “Special.” Moreover, it’s the title track on Lizzo’s 2022 album, not SZA’s SOS cut of the same name. Even though this new version doesn’t switch up much from the original, it was already powerful to begin with. Furthermore, the TDE vocalist adds some gorgeous background vocals throughout its runtime. Given Lizzo’s recent Grammy win for Record of the Year, this song takes on a particularly triumphant feeling. As SZA supports her industry colleague, you can feel the confidence and gratitude pour out.

SZA onstage at the 65th Annual GRAMMY Awards held at Crypto.com Arena on February 5, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Christopher Polk/Variety via Getty Images)

However, the “Kill Bill” singer didn’t stop there. In fact, she opens up this new version with a short, but thematically fitting narrative. Throughout her lines and beneath her soothing vocal tone, she handles negativity from external sources and finds comfort in self-affirmation. While many might try to bring them down, both artists look inward for satisfaction and are proud of their emotions. After her verse ends, the chart-dominating artist supports Lizzo as she sings her parts. Even if it’s a minimal addition, it’s certainly a powerful one that adds more dynamism to the track.

Meanwhile, SZA also appeared at the Grammys and presented Bad Bunny with the Best Música Urbana Album. After all the incredible success of SOS, we’re sure she’ll make a show-stopping return to the Recording Academy next year. Still, what did you think of Lizzo and SZA teaming up on the former’s inspiring album track, “Special”? However you feel, let us know in the comments and check out some notable lines from SZA’s verse down below. Also, if you haven’t heard the song yet, you can find the remix on your preferred streaming service. As always, check back in with HNHH for the best new music releases in hip-hop, R&B, and beyond.

Quotable Lyrics
Woke up this morning to somebody judging me
No surprise they judging me, don’t know who I’m ‘posed to be
I’m just acting up, I’m pressed as f**k and never saying sorry
Found it in the end, I can only do it for me

Lizzo Is A ‘Special’ Superhero Looking To Protect The World From Danger In Cinematic New Video

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No one must’ve told card-carrying Bey Hive member Lizzo that Beyoncé would be announcing the Renaissance World Tour today. Either way, fans of pop music divas saw a double victory today as Lizzo shared her new video for the single “Special” off her album by the same name.

The track deviates from Lizzo’s signature dance track pacing that propelled her into pop superstardom. However, the song’s message directly ties back to her empowerment ethos. On “Special,” Lizzo opens up about how constant online bullying, which is often tied to fatphobia, hurts her. But, at the end of the day, she, like the others who unfortunately experience the same type of hate, must find the strength to keep going.

In the accompanying video, director Christian Breslauer takes this concept to the next level transforming Lizzo into a superhero, who’s on a mission to protect others from those vile perpetrators. As the visual often shows, Lizzo flies back home after a long day of saving the world and immediately removes her super-suit, an added layer of protection shielding her from the haters. However, as Lizzo removes the armor, which exposes her vulnerability, she’s immediately met with hate while singing, “Woke up this morning to somebody in a video / Talking about something I posted in a video / If it wasn’t me, then would you even get offended? Or Is it just because I’m Black and heavy? / Y’all don’t hear me, though.”

That’s followed by the line, “Fame is pretty new, but I’ve been used to people judging me / That’s why I move the way I move and why I’m so in love with me,” letting the world know this vicious circle of hate is the driving force behind her confidence.

As Lizzo navigates the world, she switches between the attacked and the protector until she fully embraces her mission, but getting there isn’t easy. In several parts of the video, Lizzo is ridiculed for her advocacy and rallied against it despite serving as an inspiration to many. However, as Lizzo sings in the lines, “Could you imagine a world where everybody’s the same? / And you can cancel a girl / ‘Cause she just wanted to change / How could you throw f*ckin’ stones / If you ain’t been through her pain? / That’s why we feel so alone / That’s why we feel so ashamed, ” her efforts will be met with resistance, but she must power through.

The chorus, “In case nobody told you today / You’re special (special) / In case nobody made you believe / You’re special (special) / Well, I will always love you the same / You’re special,” serves not only as words of encouragement for Lizzo but for everyone on the same path.

Watch the full video above.

Lizzo is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

SZA Labels Lizzo Her “Fave” During HBO Special

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SZA praised Lizzo as one of her favorite artists during the HBO Max special, Lizzo: Live in Concert. The remark comes after SZA teased a collaboration on the deluxe version of her recent album, SOS.

“This is my fucking fave,” SZA said on the program. “Make some noise for my fucking fave, Lizzo.”

HOUSTON, TX – NOVEMBER 05: SZA performs on stage during the Astroworld Fest 2021 at NRG Park on November 5, 2021 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Omar Vega/FilmMagic)

“This is unreal,” she added. “Thank you so much for even just being my friend. I love you, you’re special.”

SZA and one of her producers, Rob Bisel, previously discussed working with Lizzo during a recent interview with Rolling Stone.

“There’s definitely a handful [of tracks with Lizzo]. I don’t want to incriminate myself here, but there’s some stuff floating around for sure,” Bisel revealed of the deluxe edition of SOS.

SZA added: “We just have so much fun together. And I feel like she gets me. She’s another person who has hella music tastes and doesn’t fit in anybody’s box of anything. She makes it seem like she doesn’t even care like she just does whatever she wants. And I just love being with her, just as a friend and hanging out. So whenever she comes to a studio, I just feel like, ‘Let’s drop into some bullshit.’”

SZA released SOS, last month, as her first studio album since 2017’s Ctrl. After release, she revealed Lizzo actually makes a subtle appearance on the song, “F2F.” She’s also credited with co-writing the track.

SZA has said that Lizzo appears on her song, “The Boy From South Detroit,” which is likely to land on the deluxe version of SOS.

Check out a trailer for Lizzo’s HBO Max special below.

[Via]

Cardi B Had Thoughts About What Lizzo’s Butt Tasted Like After The Two Shared A Provocative Moment On Stage

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Last year was a big one for Lizzo. She released a monumental single, “About Damn Time,” as well as her much anticipated sophomore album, Special. She also went on a nationwide tour following the album’s release. The first leg of the tour concluded in Inglewood, California over the course of two nights. Portions from each show can be seen on an HBO Max concert film called Lizzo: Live In Concert, which was made available to stream on New Year’s Eve.

During the Inglewood shows, Lizzo was joined by her friends and collaborators, Missy Elliott, SZA, and Cardi B. The latter joined Lizzo in a performance of their 2021 collaboration, “Rumors,” as a surprise to the audience. During the performance, Cardi is seen placing her fingers close to Lizzo’s buttocks, then licking her finger.

@lizzo

She told me it taste like tamarindo 😳

♬ original sound – lizzo

Fast-forward to yesterday (January 3), when Lizzo re-shared a clip of this moment to her TikTok, with text reading “Did Cardi really eat my nyash,” “nyash” being a slang term for a large butt.

Cardi and Lizzo seemed to have discussed the matter after the fact, as the video was captioned, “She told me it taste like tamarindo,” referring to a tamarind-flavored Mexican candy.

You can check out the video above.

Lizzo and Cardi B are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Lizzo Twerked In Nightwear During A Performance Of ‘Break Up Twice’ On ‘Saturday Night Live’

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In the last Saturday Night Live episode of the year, Lizzo returned to the stage. In festive spirits, she performed her buzzy track, “Break Up Twice” from her critically-acclaimed sophomore album, Special.

During her performance, Lizzo is woken up by an alarm clock, then arises from a bed after hitting pressing the alarm off. Donned in white nightwear, Lizzo lets her man know that she’s willing to give their relationship another try, but she’s not giving him any more chances after this.

“Boy, you know you better / ooh, you know you better / Boy, you know you bettеr watch out / ‘Cause boy, you know me bettеr / you know me so much better / You know that I don’t break up twice,” she sings on the song’s chorus, which interpolates Lauryn Hill’s “Doo Wop (That Thing)”

As the song progresses, Lizzo is joined by a backing chorus, who sweetly supplement Lizzo’s soulful vocals. She also twerks by her mattress, in true Lizzo fashion.

This is Lizzo’s second time performing on SNL this year, her first being in April upon the release of her comeback single, “About Damn Time.”

Check out the performance of “Break Up Twice above.

Lizzo is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Lizzo Fires Back At “White Music” Criticism

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Lizzo has responded to critics who have complained that she makes “White Music.” Speaking with Howard Stern on his radio show, the “About Damn Time” singer labeled the comments “very hurtful.”

“[It is] very hurtful only because I am a Black woman,” Lizzo explained. “I feel like it challenges my identity and who I am. It diminishes that, which I think is really hurtful. And on the other end, I’m making funky, soulful, feel-good music that is so similar to a lot of Black music that was made for Black people in the ’70s and ’80s.”

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 22: Lizzo performs during her ‘Cuz I Love You Too Tour’ at Radio City Music Hall on September 22, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Steven Ferdman/Getty Images)

She continued: “Then, on top of that, my message is literally for everybody and anybody. And I don’t try to gatekeep my message from people. So, all three of those things from me, and I’m like, you don’t even get me at all. I feel like a lot of people truthfully don’t get me, which is why I wanted to do the documentary. I feel like y’all don’t get me. Y’all don’t know where I came from. And now, I don’t want to answer no more questions about this shit. I just want to show the world who I am.”

Lizzo previously addressed the same remarks during an interview with Vanity Fair in October. At the time, she described her music as stemming from “my Black experience.”

Her interview with Howard Stern comes after the release of her new HBO documentary, Love, Lizzo. She also released her fourth studio album, Special, in 2022. The project later peaked at number two on the US Billboard 200 chart.

Check out Lizzo’s discussion with Howard Stern below.

[Via]