Lizzo faces backlash after defending Jay-Z amid Epstein files mention, deletes TikTok as fans accuse her of chasing 'good graces'

Singer and rapper Lizzo sparked controversy online when she posted a video on TikTok addressing the recent release of the Jeffrey Epstein files, which included the name of rapper Jay-Z. In the clip, she called out people jumping to conclusions based simply on someone’s name appearing in the documents. Her intent—she said—was to question how names are interpreted and whether the files alone are enough to judge someone.

In the now-deleted TikTok, Lizzo directly questioned how Jay-Z’s name was being interpreted in the Epstein files, telling viewers, “What did it say Jay-Z did? He was there in 1996. Come on, people, you are falling for it!” She went on to argue that Epstein mentioning the rapper didn’t amount to misconduct, claiming Epstein had only referenced Jay-Z once in passing, saying something along the lines of, “We can learn from Jay-Z’s business model.” Lizzo repeatedly pressed critics to focus on concrete details rather than speculation, asking bluntly, “Where’s the crime? Focus.” She also pushed back against broader online pile-ons, touching on criticism surrounding Diddy’s parties and even referencing filmmaker Mira Nair, suggesting certain figures were being unfairly targeted while others escaped scrutiny. At one point, she accused viewers of losing sight of the facts, telling them, “You’re distracted. You just want Mamdani to be the bad guy.”