Honestly, if you haven't shouted that one specific line in a car with your friends, have you even lived through the 2010s? You know the one. It starts with a piano loop that feels like a sparkling warning sign. Then comes the question that launched a thousand memes: "Why men great 'til they gotta be great?"
It’s the thesis statement of Lizzo’s "Truth Hurts," a song that basically became the national anthem for anyone who’s ever been ghosted, lied to, or just plain let down. But lizzo why men great isn't just a catchy hook. It’s a moment of cultural exhaustion captured in 2 minutes and 53 seconds.
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The Voicemail That Changed Everything
Most people think hits are manufactured in these sterile, high-tech labs by guys in suits. Not this one. This line came from a place of pure, unadulterated messiness.
Back in 2017, Lizzo was having a rough time. A really rough time. She was actually considering quitting music altogether because she felt like she was shouting into a void. Then, a guy she was seeing decided to leave her a voicemail. It wasn't a "hey, I miss you" call. It was a "hey, don't call me anymore, I'm back with my ex" call.
She walked into the studio with producer Ricky Reed feeling like a wreck. She wasn't there to write a chart-topper. She was there to vent. As she was unloading all her frustration—crying, ranting, just being human—Reed was sitting there taking notes. He realized her "venting" was actually a song.
The line lizzo why men great was essentially her looking at the world and seeing men in positions of power, men acting like they’re the "greatest," but failing to show up when it actually counts in a relationship. It's about the gap between the ego and the effort.
That "100% That Bitch" Controversy
You can't talk about "Why men great" without talking about the DNA test.
"I just took a DNA test, turns out I'm 100% that bitch."
For a while, everyone thought Lizzo just pulled that out of thin air. It turns out, the line actually originated from a 2017 tweet by a British singer named Mina Lioness. After some public back-and-forth and a bit of a legal scuffle, Lizzo did the right thing and gave Lioness a songwriting credit. It was a rare moment of internet accountability in the music industry.
There were also claims from songwriters Justin and Jeremiah Raisen, who argued the "DNA test" line came from a writing session for a song called "Healthy." Lizzo eventually settled the disputes, but she maintained that the heart of the song—the vulnerability, the "why men great" sentiment—was her own lived truth.
Why It Sat on a Shelf for Two Years
Here is the wild part. "Truth Hurts" came out in 2017.
It did... nothing.
It wasn't a hit. It didn't move the needle. Lizzo was devastated. It wasn't until 2019, after the song was featured in the Netflix movie Someone Great (fitting title, right?) and started blowing up on TikTok, that it finally hit Number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
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It stayed there for seven weeks.
This was the first time a "sleeper hit" of this magnitude happened in the TikTok era. It proved that sometimes the world just isn't ready for the truth when you first tell it. You have to wait for the vibe to catch up.
The Psychology of Greatness
Why does that line hit so hard?
Socially speaking, we're taught to view "greatness" as a static trait. You're a great athlete. You're a great businessman. You're a "great guy."
But Lizzo’s lyrics challenge the idea that greatness is a label you get to wear without doing the work. In her words, men hold the highest seats of power but often "cannot seem to do any good with it." When it comes down to the "gotta be great" moment—the commitment, the honesty, the showing up—that's where the wheels fall off.
It’s the "non-committal" behavior she mentions later in the verse. You could have had a "bad bitch," but you chose to be mediocre. That’s the real sting.
Real-World Impact: More Than Just a Song
This wasn't just a win for Lizzo; it was a win for a specific kind of representation.
- Body Positivity: Lizzo forced the industry to look at a Black, plus-sized woman as a mainstream pop goddess.
- Self-Marriage: The music video features her marrying herself. It sounds cheesy, but in 2019, that visual of "I'm enough for me" was a massive cultural reset.
- Genre-Blending: Is it rap? Is it pop? Is it R&B? It’s all of them. The "glittering" piano loop over a trap beat created a sound that everyone tried to copy for the next three years.
What You Can Take Away From It
If you're looking at the lizzo why men great phenomenon and wondering what it means for your own life, it's pretty simple.
Don't settle for "theoretical" greatness.
If someone tells you they’re great, but they don't show up when things get real, they aren't great. They’re just loud. Lizzo’s "Truth Hurts" is an invitation to take your own "DNA test." Are you 100% yourself, or are you waiting for someone else to validate you?
The next time you're feeling low about a breakup or a disappointment, remember that Lizzo wrote her biggest hit while she was literally crying in a chair. Your "worst" moments are often just the rough drafts of your best ones.
Actionable Steps for Reclaiming Your Power:
- Audit your circle: Are the people around you "great" only when it's easy?
- Practice radical honesty: If you have "boy problems" (or any problems), acknowledge them. Lizzo says that’s the "human" in her. Solving them? That’s the "goddess."
- Invest in yourself: The song ends with her moving on to a "New man on the Minnesota Vikings." Whether that's a literal new person or just a new hobby, don't stay stuck in the "why" of the past.
- Own your credits: Like Mina Lioness, if you contribute something valuable, don't be afraid to claim your seat at the table.
At the end of the day, the truth only hurts if you're trying to hide from it. Once you embrace it, it’s just a really good beat to dance to.