Pop star Lizzo has denied allegations of plagiarism over her hit single Truth Hurts.
Three men claimed to have helped write the song, which was originally released in 2017 but became a viral hit earlier this year after gaining popularity on the video sharing website TikTok.
It topped the charts in the US and has become the the longest-running Billboard Hot 100 number one by a solo female rapper.
— #STREAMTRUTHHURTS (@lizzo) October 23, 2019
Earlier this month, two brothers, Justin and Jeremiah Raisen, and another collaborator, Justin “Yves” Rothman, said they had each had a hand in writing Truth Hurts.
Lizzo has now responded, dismissing their claims to the song and filing a lawsuit asking a judge to declare they have no copyright on Truth Hurts.
The lawsuit accuses the Raisens of embarking “on an escalating campaign of harassment” against the singer, alleging they threatened to “go public unless they receive an unwarranted share of this work”.
Writing on social media, Lizzo said: “The men who now claim a piece of Truth Hurts did not help me write any part of the song.
“They had nothing to do with the line or how I chose to sing it. There was no one in the room when I wrote Truth Hurts, except me, (music producer) Ricky Reed, and my tears.”
Lizzo’s lawsuit, filed in federal court, says she was inspired to write Truth Hurts by a popular internet meme.
She said the line “I just took a DNA test, turns out I’m 100% that bitch” came from the meme.
The lawsuit says the Raisen “expressly withdrew any claim to Truth Hurts, in writing” in April and that Rothman has never previously made the claim.
Lizzo, 31, has asked the court to enter a judgment stating the three men and their publishers have no ownership rights over the song.
She is also asking for costs and legal fees. Detroit-born Lizzo, whose real name is Melissa Vivianne Jefferson, has enjoyed a stellar year following the April release of her third studio album, Cuz I Love You.
She is also an actress and appeared in the drama Hustlers alongside Constance Wu and Jennifer Lopez.