Dr. Boyce Watkins defended his comments, saying hip-hop artist Lizzo is popular due to the epidemic of obesity in America.
“#Lizzo popular is because there is an obesity epidemic in America. Rather than encouraging people to do better, we are simply lying to them and telling them that they are just fine the way they are… Unfortunately, Many of these people are dying from diabetes and heart disease.”
The “Juice” singer clapped back, insisting her immense “talent” was behind her widespread popularity.
“I’m popular because I write good songs and I’m talented and perform high energy hour and a half shows filled with love. The only person who needs to do better is you. Keep my name out ya mouth & look in the mirror before you come for me.”
She added: “Here’s the attention you ordered.”
Dr. Watkins responded by tweeting, “This lady is an embarrassment to the entire Black community… one butter biscuit away from a heart attack. A clown.”
Some bloggers, including your auntie who are unfamiliar with Watkins, labeled Watkins a “troll” because of his apparent disrespect toward Lizzo.
Watkins defended his comments in a Youtube live video on Thursday, Dec. 26 (see below).
“Lizzo is a pretty big Black woman. I would say she is obese – morbidly obese – and she brags about it. So it’s not an insult to say that she is obese,” Watkins said during an interview with Dr. Claude Anderson on his YouTube Channel on Thursday.
Watkins, 48, said a majority of the people who responded to his survey said Lizzo “hurts the Black community.”
He said Lizzo changed her act over time “to get more attention” from white people “and the attention started when she started fulfilling the mammy role.”
Dr. Anderson, who doesn’t know who Lizzo is, added that some Black people behave in a disrespectful manner in public because Blacks don’t have a “code of conduct” that will stop them from letting people disparage an entire race.
Dr. Anderson compared Black people to Jewish people, who built a holocaust museum right next to the U.S. Mint in Washington, D.C. “where the money is.”
Dr. Watkins also admonished former President Barack Obama in August 2019 for tweeting his Summer 2019 playlist which included Lizzo’s music.
Dr. Watkins tweeted:
“Perhaps rather than using your massive platform to tweet your playlist, you can also tweet about the fact that 45% of the black males in your hometown of Chicago do not have jobs.”
But critics say Dr. Watkins should have used his vast knowledge to educate the singer without insulting her.
Dr. Watkins is a well-respected financial scholar, political analyst, social commentator and author of many financial books.
Watkins has written books about investing, economic empowerment, and social justice. He is a frequent guest on The Wendy Williams Experience radio program, and is a frequent contributor to theGrio.com.
Watch Dr. Watkins’ interview with Dr. Claude Anderson below.
