Things for Lizzo have been tough on the legal front over the past couple months: In August, she was sued for alleged harassment by some of her former dancers, and another similar lawsuit was also just filed against her. She put that aside for at least a night yesterday (September 21), when she accepted the Quincy Jones Humanitarian Award at the Black Music Action Coalition Gala.
Accepting the award, Lizzo teared up as she spoke (as Variety reports), saying, “Black Music Action Coalition, y’all really are about that action. Thank you so much for this, because I needed this right now. God’s timing is always on time! I didn’t write a speech because I don’t know what to say in times like these.”
Lizzo accepts the Quincy Jones Humanitarian Award at tonight’s Black Music Action Coalition gala, while surrounded by a group of her dancers pic.twitter.com/8wrgwiyidK
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) September 22, 2023
From there, she described some of her humanitarian and activist efforts and continued, “It’s easy to do the right thing when everybody’s watching you, and it’s what you do in those moments when nobody’s watching that defines who you are. And I’m going to continue to be who I am, no matter who’s watching. I’m going to continue to shine a light on the people who are helping people, because they deserve it. I’m going to continue to amplify the voices of marginalized people because I have a microphone and I know how to use it. And, I’m going to continue to put on and represent safe spaces for fat Black women, because that’s what the f*ck I do!”
Lizzo is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.