LIZZO: Twerking TED Talk
Written by KingCnote on October 1, 2021
Lizzo shared her expertise on twerking in a TED Talk.
Twerking is derived from the West African dance called Mapouka. During a 13-minute presentation, Lizzo wanted to use her platform to “prevent the erasure of Blackness from twerking.”
She said (quote) “Everything that Black people create — from fashion to music to the way we talk — is co-opted and appropriated by pop culture.”
Her example was how twerking became mainstream the moment Miley Cyrus twerked in her “We Can’t Stop” music video. Then again on stage with Robin Thicke at the 2013 MTV Music Video Awards.
Lizzo proclaimed in her TED Talk (quote) “I twerk to own my power, to reclaim my Blackness, my culture. I twerk for fat, Black women because being fat and Black is a beautiful thing.” (People)