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PEOPLE & ARTS Friday 18 OctOber 2019
2 writers claim they deserve credit on Lizzo's 'Truth Hurts'

By MESFIN FEKADU portunistic claims, it is nev-
Associated Press ertheless disappointing that
NEW YORK (AP) — There's a after all of her hard work,
debate about the truth be- Lizzo has to respond to this
hind Lizzo's "Truth Hurts." specious claim."
Lizzo's breakthrough tune, The New York Times report-
which spent six weeks on ed that the Raisens rescind-
top of Billboard's Hot 100 ed an earlier claim over
chart this year, features the "Truth Hurts" through their
signature line: "I just took a publisher, Kobalt.
DNA test, turns out I'm 100 Outside of the all-genre
percent that bitch." The Hot 100 chart, "Truth Hurts"
lyric originated from a 2017 spent seven weeks at No.
tweet by singer Mina Lion- 1 on both the Hot R&B/
ess and was turned into a Hip-Hop songs and Hot rap
popular meme, which was songs chart, respectively. It
then used in Lizzo's song was submitted for the 2020
"Healthy," created in 2017. Grammys in categories like
The songwriting brothers song and record of the
Justin and Jeremiah Raisen, year — where songwriters
who worked on "Healthy," and producers also earn
claim say they deserve writ- nominations; the Recording
ing credit on "Truth Hurts" Academy will announce its
since the song borrows nominees on Nov. 20.
from "Healthy," a tune they Lizzo performs during the first weekend of the Austin City Limits Music Festival in Zilker Park on Sun- "The last thing we want to
co-wrote. day, Oct. 6, 2019, in Austin, Texas. do is throw any negativity
"We were never contact- Associated Press toward Lizzo's momentum
ed about being credited and movement as a cul-
for the use of the parts of boost this year after it was about fixing it, we put the with Lizzo or anyone else to tural figure. If we believe
"Healthy" (melody, lyrics, featured in the Netflix film song in dispute in 2017 create this song, and they in what she's preaching,
and chords) that appear "Someone Great," released when it came out," Justin did not help write any of believing in ourselves & our
in "Truth Hurts," Justin Raisen on April 19, the same day Raisen continued on Insta- the material that they now own voices is something we
wrote Tuesday on Insta- Lizzo dropped her album, gram. "We've tried to sort seek to profit from, which thought she'd understand,"
gram , explaining that they "Cuz I Love You." this out quietly for the last is why they expressly re- Justin Raisen wrote.
worked on "Healthy" in April ?Truth Hurts" wasn't original- two years, only asking for nounced any claim to the Lizzo is currently selling T-
2017. ly featured on the 11-track 5% each but were shut- work, in writing, months shirts on her website that
The songwriters credited "Cuz I Love You," but her down every time." ago," Cynthia Arato said in read "100% that bitch " —
on "Truth Hurts" are Lizzo, record label added it to But Lizzo's lawyer said in a a statement Wednesday. the line created by Lion-
Ricky Reed, Tele and Jes- the deluxe version of the statement that "The Raisens "Although it has become ess (She didn't immediately
se Saint John. "Truth Hurts" album, released on May 3. are not writers of" Lizzo's in- all too commonplace for reply to an email from The
was originally released in "After reaching out to Ricky ternational hit. successful artists to be sub- Associated Press seeking
September 2017 but got a Reed and Lizzo's team "They did not collaborate jected to these type of op- comment).q

Cha's story is about race, redemption and forgiveness

By OLINE H. COGDILL about "how easily kids ab- The current shooting of these two families, torn
"Your House Will Pay: a Nov- sorbed the spilled poison of echoes a 1991 shooting apart by race and history,
el," Ecco, by Steph Cha the grown-up world." in which black teenager intersects as their problems
The "house" in Steph Cha's History uncomfortably re- Ava Matthews was killed become a microcosm of
riveting first stand-alone peats itself in the story. by a Korean liquor store problems festering in Los
novel references many Grace Park, a 27-year-old manager. The shopkeeper Angeles. For the Matthews
types of houses. There is the pharmacist, attends a rally disappeared after being and the Parks, justice is
home in which you live, but protesting the Los Angeles convicted of voluntary messy, tainted by a litany of
house also refers to where police shooting of a black manslaughter for killing the "what ifs" that could have
you work, your friends and teenager, joining her sister, unarmed girl. The shop- changed their lives. Ra-
prisons, both physical and Miriam. She is estranged keeper's sentence was pro- cial tensions rear up, even
emotional, those things that from their Korean immi- bation, community service by characters who hon-
bind people and that we grant parents with whom and a $500 fine. estly believe they are not
call home. This house mo- Grace still lives. Grace's Ava's death nearly de- bigoted. Each family will
tif — and its myriad mean- life consists of work in the stroyed her younger broth- learn uncomfortable truths
ings — effectively moves family pharmacy and go- er, Shawn, who joined a This cover image released by about themselves as they
throughout Cha's engross- ing home to her parents gang and spent a few Ecco shows "Your House Will try to rise about the past.
ing story about race, re- who are unresponsive to years in prison. But Shawn Pay," by Steph Cha. Cha unflinchingly delves
demption and forgiveness. her outrage at the shooting turned his life around, has Associated Press into the complex emotions
"Your House Will Pay" also is and who refuse to discuss settled down with a steady that drive families, violence
an emotional look at fami- why they and Miriam won't job, a girlfriend and her Shawn knows deep down and the need to survive.
lies and how trauma and talk. Miriam also won't dis- daughter, and has been a that "he was loosely held "Your House Will Pay" sets a
violence can reverberate cuss their parents, only say- surrogate dad to the family by the world, that he was new high for the talented
for generations, causing ing that their mother is "not of his cousin, Ray, who has one snap away from a to- Cha, who also writes the
one character to worry a good person." been in jail for 10 years. But tal unmooring." The legacy Juniper Song series.q