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It's like when the air hit my tongue, it hurt.
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Hey, what's going on everybody?
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From First We Feast, I'm Sean Evans and you're watching Hot Ones.
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It's the show with hot questions and even hotter wings.
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And today we're joined by Lizzo.
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She's a three-time Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter and I wouldn't be surprised if she adds a few more of those trophies to the mantle with her latest project.
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It's called Special, no features, no skips and it's available now.
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Lizzo, welcome to the show. talk that [ __ ] for me. Thank you. Happy to be here. Well, you deserve it.
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And before we get started, how are you around spicy food? So, I'm pretty good.
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I had an addiction to hot Cheetos and I survived the One Chip Challenge.
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So, I think this is going to be um a piece of [ __ ] cake. So, try me. It smell good. It smells really good. It's fragrant. Are there notes? There's floral notes. ALL RIGHT, LET'S GET IT.
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[ __ ] All right, let's get it.
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And then you'll start at the other side. here or here? There. There. There.
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[ __ ] you almost had me start AT THE [ __ ] END. I WAS I was on it. I was on it. it.
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I Well, yeah, be careful with that. Okay. This is the first one.
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Yep, the classic garlic fresno. Damn.
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You almost had me [ __ ] up. I was watching. Oh, it's good.
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So, want to start by congratulating you on the release of Special, a 12-track opus that you've described as your sonic dream.
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And in a recent interview with Vulture, your producer, Ricky Reed, tells this story about how you laid down the gauntlet in the studio telling him, "I want to lead the conversation regarding drums." CAN YOU UNPACKAGE THAT?
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WE IT WAS A CONVERSATION that we had where like you know, fast music wasn't really a thing right now. It's not popular.
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It's like slower drums are more popular like the like the trappier drums.
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And I was like, "What happened to the I'm so excited."
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What happened to those like fast like fun '80s drums?
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So, yeah, we wanted to speed up drums in the 2020s.
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Like every decade there's a new musical sound.
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And I'm like, "Why not make a statement?"
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You know, and then the opening bars, they can be kind of tricky, but they're important because they can set the tone for the album.
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Was it immediately obvious to you that special should open with "Hi, motherfucker" and then you talking about making smoothies?
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"Hi, [ __ ] Did you miss me?" No.
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Actually, wanted to start the album with like a moodier like I had this like beautiful song I wrote.
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And I'm singing it's a ballad on violins, no drums, like super dark.
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And then I was going to be like, "This is the intro, you know?"
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And then "Hi, motherfucker" happens.
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And then Julie Greenwald from Atlantic RECORDS WAS LIKE, "NO, NO.
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THIS IS THE beginning of the [ __ ] album."
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And I sat with it for a while and I was like, "Duh."
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Like every Lizzo album starts with like a fanfare in your face like "I'm flying cuz I you know."
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And so, this is like a classic Lizzo album intro right in your [ __ ] face. That wing was good. I ate the whole thing. I saw that.
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Are you ready to move on here to the next one, Ooh, it's Island? Yeah, yeah. What island is it from?
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Little tropical vibe over here, Hawaii. Ooh, good. Mhm. Ooh, real good.
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I might be like the greatest of all time. Cuz this is nothing.
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You know, there's something in the air right now. It feels historic. Mhm.
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You know, something in the air. Legendary. Yeah, legendary. Legendary. Legendary. Mhm, that was good.
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So, you experienced a whirlwind breakthrough in 2019, but I know the road to get there was a winding and exhausting one, working through music scenes in Minneapolis and Houston, and for a while even living in your dented Subaru.
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What would you say is unique or distinguishable about Minneapolis's underground hip-hop scene?
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Cuz it had kind of a mythical place for me growing up listening to like Atmosphere and Brother Ali and I D and Abilities. Wow. Holy [ __ ] yeah.
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Like um there's an incredible like rap and local scene there that I didn't even know about.
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Like, cuz you know, I'm from Houston. Yeah.
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And I remember when I was like wondering, like, should I move to Minneapolis?
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I don't know, because there was a producer that was like, come live with me and na na na na.
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I went to South by Southwest that year, which I went every year.
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And that particular year, every band I went to see or every show I went to, I was like, where y'all from?
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They're like, Minneapolis. Minneapolis.
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I was like, how is every Minneapolis band here like saturating South by Southwest?
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And I was like, this is a sign to go.
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And I went and like there's so many incredible rock and music clubs there, so many incredible bands, rappers, performers, singers.
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You could sell out every venue there with the local acts alone in one night.
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I had like the Chalice and Girl Party and I dropped Lizzo Bangers there and they supported me so [ __ ] much in Minneapolis.
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Pound for pound, what would you say is the throwback underground Lizzo rap song that had the hardest bars? Wye Oak? You're so wild.
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How do you know about that?
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Ooh, Bobby, I didn't know you was a regular.
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Tell these people I used to rap.
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Um, I mean, let's We got to give it to batches and cookies. I was rapping so fast.
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Remember that gooey gooey you took and said do we you we I need to a two we a these for my baby boo we you we floating like boo we you got a nice pair like some boobies.
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Are you high off that do we do we with your mystery machine Scooby?
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Feeling bad where you should be be be don't make nothing stop. It it keep going. Still got it. I still [ __ ] got it.
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Are you ready to move on here to this next wing? You're doing so good.
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is like literally I'm sleeping right now. Woah. I'm sleep. This one good, too.
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I got a leopard on the fret.
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So, you often hear Hollywood actors talk about formal acting training, but not so much with musicians.
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How, if at all, do you think that studying classical music theory shaped or informed your approach to making hits now?
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For me, um I I just had to breathe Yeah, yeah.
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I had to breathe backwards on that one. Um open a window. Open move.
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Being classically trained is incredible cuz I feel like I can speak a language.
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You know, I make pop music, but I like to think that I make really musical interesting pop music that, you know, I think a lot about the composition.
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You know, I want my music to sound good even when you mute my vocals.
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You know what I'm talking about?
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And you hear the track and you be like, "Damn, this is like a rich piece of music that, you know, [ __ ] John Williams can conduct with the [ __ ] Boston Pops and yeah. Jurassic Park. W W Jurassic Park.
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Jurassic Park, Jaws, Star Wars, E. T. Shout out. Legend.
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Legendary, Harry Potter, all of it.
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Understanding the time signature you're in, harmony and dissonance and rhythm and cadence.
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But, I think it is important.
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And then, I I read a blog post from a music theory teacher.
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The thesis of it was this.
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Rumors flirts with Phrygian mode.
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I hope I'm saying that right.
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Rumors flirts with Phrygian mode using a great deal of chromaticism. Mhm.
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I don't know what that means, but confirm or deny. Confirm.
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Um the song it was it was difficult because it goes between major and minor.
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And um so it's a half step up and down.
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So um So those two That was a major and a minor change in one song and it and it goes back pretty quickly.
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Yeah, it's pretty intricate musical [ __ ] right there.
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Shout out to whoever the Who is that?
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I'm going to I'll find the byline, but but you cosign. Shout out.
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Shout out the [ __ ] out. Shout the [ __ ] out. Mhm. Hidden?
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It got What DJ Khaled did like two of these? Yeah, we got to three.
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So we we just made it past the Khaled mark over here.
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I understand why he stopped it. You get it. You get it. That's good. Yeah. So far hidden. So far we're good. Those calientes. I like that. There we go. There we go.
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From an artist perspective, how do you decide on a lead single?
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About Damn Time was the last song I wrote for the album.
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I was turning in my masters in March.
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I wrote About Damn Time in February and I was like, this one? Mhm. About this one?
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Cuz the hook wasn't done.
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Verses wasn't in a minute I'mma need a It wasn't there yet.
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So I was like, And when I finished it, I was like, oh [ __ ] This song need to come out right mother [ __ ] now.
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That I've been so down and under pressure, I'm way too fine to be this stressed.
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It's like, hello, we needed that right then when I dropped that [ __ ] So I'm so bad at picking singles for myself cuz I think everything I do is incredible. I really do. Yeah.
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I'm just going to breathe.
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Cuz like breathing for some reason is getting a little weird.
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It's getting a little weird.
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It gets dangerous over here. It might be the Yitty.
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The Yitty, you know, is holding me in. I don't know. Give me a second. It's a chili.
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That's coming back to you, right? You know why?
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It's probably you're having a Pavlovian response that's bringing you back to the one chip. No.
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Yes, because there's a common thread in the pepper, that Carolina Reaper.
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I didn't think about that till just now, but yeah. This isn't bad.
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It's just I got scared for a second, but now I'm good. Woah. Crushing it.
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She's crushing these vegan nuts.
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in your [ __ ] eyes, cuz you Are you eating the chicken? I'm right with you. I'm right with you. I'm right with you. Okay. I'm right with you. It's all lumpy. Okay, now I got it. All right.
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So, I'm intrigued by this quote of yours.
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I don't look to celebrities for style anymore, because I've learned the chain of command.
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With that in mind, what we want to do is show you some iconic looks from the past.
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We'll pull them up over here on the monitor.
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I'm just curious sort of how you reflect on these things looking back, okay? So, the first one Damn.
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I'm such a bad [ __ ] What went into masterminding the candy bar look from the 2020 Brit Awards, and then shout out to the clutch? I'm American chocolate. I look like a snack.
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It's a chocolate drop on my head, too.
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And the makeup is chocolate, and my nails are chocolate bars.
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See, those are the details.
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That's what I'm looking for right here. Yeah.
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The purse, they 100% that [ __ ] We good. Aw, Versace.
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Two times at the Grammys, multiple Versace dresses in that year. to do it twice.
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It was my first time going to the [ __ ] Grammys, so we wanted it to be like super old Hollywood classic.
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Wow, you chose some really beautiful photos.
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I just did an interview the other day and they showed some of the first pictures ever taken of me of all time.
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And I was wearing flannels and and duck shoes out of my [ __ ] closet.
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Um, so thank you for this.
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Um, yeah, I wanted it to be classic and um, I I was. I looked beautiful.
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So this next one is the collared and ghost here from Hot N' Saucy.
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I just want to shout out, this looks like a black female-owned business. It is.
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to say shout out to my sisters.
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Keep running this [ __ ] Start your business today cuz we on Hot Ones and let me tell you, girl, I'm loving the blowout.
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It's twist out, whatever your, you know, yeah, yeah.
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I'm a um, I'm a high porosity girl, so I don't know what your porosity is. All right, let's get it.
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Yeah, let's hope you Let's hope you enjoy the sauce after all that.
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Cuz if it's nasty, I'm going to be like, "What the fuck?"
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It tastes like collard greens. Mhm, as advertised. This I can get into.
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We going to be all right.
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We going to be all right. I'm not mad at this. There we go.
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Do you find that as your star power grows, does it become easier or more challenging to stay ahead of the zeitgeist? It's growing. We're good.
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You thought I was going to fall?
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You thought I was going to fall?
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Oh, you thought I was going to DJ Khaled this [ __ ] They didn't want ME TO WIN. WHEN I WAS YOUNG, RIGHT?
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I used to have these ideas and I would write songs and stuff And I would think of things and then like months and or like a year later I would hear that song that I had the idea for on the radio or I would see things. I'd be like, "Damn."
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Like I felt very like I got the same ideas that the people who are putting out the ideas got and um I've always had confidence in that.
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So, even now as the static gets bigger and you know, I become so synonymous with the cultural zeitgeist.
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I think that my confidence that I've had ever since I was little and my vision is has stayed true.
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So, I really do trust my instinct.
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It's the one thing I can trust in this crazy [ __ ] world.
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Are we doing any more wide shots? Uh maybe. Can I take my shoes off? Go go for it.
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Cuz for some it's just I can't really take Just go ahead. I can't take it no more.
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Make yourself at home over here.
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[ __ ] Who the [ __ ] is tear faint? We're about to find out.
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How far forward are we in the spice level?
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So, as you can see we're approaching the finish line over here.
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We are in six-figure Scoville numbers right here.
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Can you tell the [ __ ] at home? I [ __ ] at home.
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[ __ ] at home, we are climbing.
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We are climbing right now. I wasn't going to win?
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You thought I was going to falter? Rock of Gibraltar.
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You know what I'm saying? Rock of the halter top.
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Well, speaking of speaking of and the chain the Yitty chain, what tools in your life as an entertainer do you think have served you best as the CEO of a shapewear brand like Yitty? I'mma finish you.
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You want to finish yours?
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Don't be a little [ __ ] with you. I'M GOING WITH YOU.
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I'M ALONG FOR THE I'M ALONG FOR THE LIZZO RIDE OVER HERE. No reaction.
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Um CE-Hoe is what I like to call myself.
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Like I'm very hands-on with my career, hands-on with everything that I do.
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Like there's a specific kind of bra, and I'm wearing it right now, that I wanted to make just for me.
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It's a longline bra that pushes up your titties and holds the sides.
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And I can have them in different colors, so I don't just have to wear them underneath my shirt.
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This was a very selfish dream endeavor that, you know, I selfishly brought to the world.
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You're like, "I want to make clothes for me."
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It's selfish when you're creating it and selfless when you're putting it out. How you doing so far? I feel great. Feel good town.
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You know what I'm saying? That was cute, right? Look at me. Look at me. Look at me. I'm the captain now. Yeah, you are. Oh, there we go.
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I'm the [ __ ] captain now. There we go. I know. I know. Now I can't go to that. Now I can't go to that.
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Cuz I just dipped a bomb in there. Jesus, Jesus, Jesus.
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There's nowhere to run over here. Jesus. Ah.
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So I know that you've been on the hunt for the best plantain sandwich in the entire world.
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Where are we at on that journey?
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Like have you found the one yet? Yeah. It's okay. Yeah. Oh my gosh. [ __ ] Go ahead. Take the place up.
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I feel like my ancestors was talking to me for a second. It said, "Stop." You know? My titty hurt. My titty. Hold on. Yeah, yeah. Take your time.
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[ __ ] My titty said, "Stop." All right. Hold on. Yep, yep. You did this before. [ __ ] you did that one?
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I'm sorry, I'm going to answer the question. [ __ ] Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Plantain sandwich.
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It's like when the air hit my tongue, it hurt. Hold on. Take your time. Take your time. Plantain sandwich.
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I had a really good one at Black Rican Vegan.
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Really good one in New York. You know?
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I feel like it was seasoned. It was juicy. Had vegan cheese on it. Mhm. No. Yeah. When does it stop? So, the worst is over.
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When does it stop, though?
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This When does this one stop? 15-20 minutes from now.
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This will all just be a memory. It'll all be a memory.
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Careful around your eyes and stuff.
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I'm not going to touch my [ __ ] Damn, that was [ __ ] up. I know. No, I'm serious.
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What the [ __ ] You know what you did. I do. I do. You know what?
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And this is always a show I feel like.
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And that was on you, though.
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The So, I feel like this is this is Spider-Man meme kind of thing. Yeah, right.
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And you're my sister, Lizzo. Oh. I don't know. I don't know. Yeah, I know. Branding. All right. I can eat this one. Woah.
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I'm going to try to keep up over here. Keep up with me. I'm trying. I'm trying.
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All right, what else we got? it.
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What are the intangible qualities that distinguish a good backup dancer from a great backup dancer?
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I think that a great backup dancer A great backup dancer has an awareness.
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Good backup dancer today is they learn the moves.
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Great backup dancer has an awareness of the space around them.
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A great backup dancer can pick some [ __ ] up.
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Somebody throw something on stage, great backup dancer can pick it up. Still hit the steps.
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You know what I'm saying? Yeah.
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A great backup dancer can support me energetically on stage.
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I think a great backup dancer That's all I got.
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I don't got nothing else.
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One bite was fine, right? Yep. Yep. Here, check this out. that? What the [ __ ] is that? in. We've got Oat milk. Oat milk ice cream.
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We've got vegan ice cream to the rescue. [ __ ] That feel good. Yeah, I HAD TO, RIGHT? YOU YOU held up.
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You were that [ __ ] You were really that [ __ ] Last dab. Last dab. Gordon Ramsay, he cool? He a cool guy? He's a [ __ ] fast. All right.
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That's all I wanted to know. All right. All right. What a dream. We did it. Album out. Yitty out.
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Watch out for the big girls. Emmy nominated. Six times. Six times. I'm with you. Top of the mountain.
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Still, this was the This was the highest on my list of goals.
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It's like the absence of this. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
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And it kind of comes back on you. this. I can do this. Yep, yep, yep. Oh, this is hot.
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Everything in We're going in. Going in.
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Fountain ice cream and Lizzo, we've made it.
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We've conquered the wings of death today.
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And if you've learned anything along the way Wings of life.
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from church choir to Destiny's Child to classic flute, your music predilections, your influences, they run the gamut.
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So, to close things out, I want to do kind of a quick association game with you where I toss out a musical act and you just give me the first thought or two that comes to mind when you think about them, okay? James Galway.
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Ha ha ha, the man with the golden flute. Marijuana Death Squads. Oh. You like that one? You like that one? He took me back. I'm in Death Squads. I'm in Death Squads. Um, fun. Lil Flip. Oh my god. Freestyle king. Coldplay. Oof.
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Coldplay, incredible band. I did it. That's it. Let me have it. that there was history.
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There was history in the room today.
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And it is time to put the crown on Queen Lizzo's head taking on the wings of death and living to tell the tale.
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This is the hottest [ __ ] sauce I've ever had in my entire [ __ ] life.
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I just want to say thank you to all of y'all who believes in me.
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Watch out for the big girls.
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We six-time Emmy nominated. Go stream special. And go get some Yitty. Yitty. com, [ __ ] WE DID IT.
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I FEEL LIKE THE QUEEN RIGHT NOW.
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I COULDN'T BELIEVE HOW HARD IT was to focus on the questions. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
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I was like I was like I wanted to answer so bad.
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Oh, [ __ ] This [ __ ] hot. Oh, wow.
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Hey, what's going on Hot Ones fans?
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Thank you so much for watching today's video.
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The season 18 sauces, they're here.
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And you know what that means? Dom, box me. So, is the big box.
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The season 18 Hot Ones box is now available at heatness. com. That's heatness.
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com to get your hands on all of the season 18 sauces delivered straight to your door in one convenient box.
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Don't forget to be careful around the eyes.