Lizzo Referenced That VMAs Beef Between Nicki Minaj and Miley Cyrus During Her Speech

Miley, what’s good? Three words that changed celebrity beef forever. 

Lizzo knows it too—that’s why she referenced them. During her acceptance speech after winning the video for good award for “About Time” at the 2022 VMAs, the singer cheekily alluded to the unscripted exchange between Miley Cyrus and 2022 vanguard award winner Nicki Minaj. 

“And now, to the bitches that got something to say about me in the press,” Lizzo began before moving on to call out haters’ lack of impact on her life. “You know what, I’m not gonna say nothing. They be like, ‘Lizzo, why don’t you clap back?’ Because bitch, I’m winning!”

Noah Schnapp and Doja Cat’s beef pales in comparison to the iconic showdown at the VMAs seven years ago—a night that shifted our timeline. It was 2015, Miley Cyrus danced around to “Blurred Lines” with a foam finger, Taylor Swift and her girl squad won VVideo of the year for “Bad Blood,” and Kanye West teased his eventual 2020 run for the presidency during a rambling speech when winning that year’s vanguard award. 

The real history being made came in the latter half of the night, when Nicki came for Miley’s throat. After giving her acceptance speech for best hip-hop video, Minaj turned to Cyrus to call her out. Cyrus, who was hosting the night’s festivities, had shaded the “Anaconda” singer during an interview with The New York Times by implying Minaj was jealous she wasn’t nominated for the night’s biggest honor—video of the year. 

Taking a pause, Minaj said one of her most iconic phrases to date: “And now, back to this bitch that had a lot to say about me the other day in the press…. Miley, what’s good?”

Cyrus, who was standing on the other side of the stage, quickly attempted to defuse the situation by telling Minaj that her words were twisted and offered a meek congratulations. Although the pair seemed to reconcile later down the line (Cyrus commented, “What’s good,” with a heart-eyed cat emoji after Minaj reposted a video of her dancing to “Chun-Li”), the damage had been done: Barbs—Nicki’s fanbase—do not forgive, nor do they forget. 

Lizzo’s reference came after a string of fatphobic and racist comments from multiple public figures in the press, although thanks to her winning mentality, she didn’t call out any by name. To her point, Lizzo’s life is a series of wins: She looked fabulous in Jean Paul Gaultier, she’s in a happy relationship, and she’s winning awards left and right. Good for her! 

Lizzo has declared herself a fan of Nicki Minaj time and time again—so it’s only right and just that on one of music’s biggest nights, she paid homage to the woman who changed it all. In Nicki Minaj we trust!