{"id":1236267158,"date":"2026-06-08T14:44:25","date_gmt":"2026-06-08T18:44:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/?p=1236267158"},"modified":"2026-06-08T14:44:31","modified_gmt":"2026-06-08T18:44:31","slug":"lizzo-michael-jackson-prince-legacy-cant-be-matched","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/music\/rb-hip-hop\/lizzo-michael-jackson-prince-legacy-cant-be-matched-1236267158\/","title":{"rendered":"Lizzo Explains Why These 2 Artists&#8217; Legacies Will Never Be Matched: &#8216;It&#8217;s Not Even Possible to Be That Great&nbsp;Anymore&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"<!-- do not apply CSS styles to this element! -->\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pmc-paywall\">\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<p\n\t\tclass=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \"\n>\n\t<a  href=\"https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/artist\/lizzo\/\"  >Lizzo<\/a> joined <em>Drink Champs<\/em> for an interview clip that went live Saturday (June 6), and when asked to choose between two musical greats, the Detroit native refused to do so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"injected-related-story \/\/ lrv-u-display-inline-block lrv-u-width-100p lrv-u-margin-t-2 u-margin-t-26@mobile-max u-margin-b-0.875@mobile-max u-margin-b-150@tablet u-border-t-12 lrv-u-padding-t-025 u-padding-b-1.313 lrv-u-padding-b-125@mobile-max lrv-u-border-color-black\" >\n\t\t\t<div class=\"\">\n\t\t\t\n<h3 id=\"title-of-a-story\" class=\"c-title  lrv-a-unstyle-link lrv-u-whitespace-nowrap u-font-weight-700 lrv-u-display-inline-block u-line-height-18px a-font-accent u-letter-spacing-0225 u-font-size-16 lrv-u-color-black lrv-u-text-transform-uppercase u-article-badge-underline a-article-esp u-display-inline-flex lrv-u-margin-b-1@mobile-max u-margin-b-9@tablet\">\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tRelated\t\t\n\t\n<\/h3>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"injected-related-story-wrapper lrv-u-flex lrv-u-justify-content-space-between lrv-u-padding-tb-050@desktop a-children-border-vertical a-children-border--grey a-children-border-width-050\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\n<div class=\"o-card \">\n\n\t\t\t<a  tabindex=\"0\"  href=\"https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/music\/rb-hip-hop\/lizzo-nicki-minaj-dis-bitch-remix-1236265514\/\"  class=\"lrv-u-color-black:hover lrv-u-flex u-flex-direction-column@desktop\"  >\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n<div class=\"c-lazy-image  lrv-u-margin-b-075 lrv-u-margin-b-00@mobile-max u-width-130px@mobile-max\">\n\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"a-crop-6x4 a-crop-3x2@mobile-max\">\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-lazy-image__img lrv-u-background-color-grey-lightest lrv-u-width-100p lrv-u-display-block lrv-u-height-auto\" src=\"\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2279707281-e1780685141262.jpg?w=237&#038;h=147&#038;crop=1\" alt=\"Lizzo\" data-lazy-srcset=\"\" data-lazy-sizes=\"auto\" height=\"\" width=\"\">\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t<div class=\"o-card__content \">\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n<span class=\"c-span  lrv-u-whitespace-nowrap\">\n\n\t\n<\/span>\n\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"o_category \">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<div class=\"c_title \">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n<h3 id=\"title-of-a-story\" class=\"c-title  a-font-basic-fancy u-font-size-15 u-font-size-15.5@mobile-max u-line-height-22px u-padding-r-0.188@desktop u-word-spacing-0013 u-line-height-22.5px@mobile-max a-truncate-ellipsis-4line@mobile-max a-truncate-ellipsis-3line\">\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tLizzo Seemingly Takes Aim at Nicki Minaj on Alternate Edition of &#8216;BITCH&#8217; &amp; Says She &#8216;Used to Be the Biggest&nbsp;Fan&#8217;\t\t\n\t\n<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n<time class=\"c-timestamp  \" datetime=\"00:00-YY-DD-MM\">\n\t\t\n<\/time>\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n<div class=\"o-card \">\n\n\t\t\t<a  tabindex=\"0\"  href=\"https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/lists\/global-200-number-ones-decade-after-release\/\"  class=\"lrv-u-color-black:hover lrv-u-flex u-flex-direction-column@desktop\"  >\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n<div class=\"c-lazy-image  lrv-u-margin-b-075 lrv-u-margin-b-00@mobile-max u-width-130px@mobile-max\">\n\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"a-crop-6x4 a-crop-3x2@mobile-max\">\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-lazy-image__img lrv-u-background-color-grey-lightest lrv-u-width-100p lrv-u-display-block lrv-u-height-auto\" src=\"\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/michael-jackson-1983-mazur-billboard-1800.jpg?w=237&#038;h=147&#038;crop=1\" alt=\"Michael Jackson performs in concert circa 1983.\" data-lazy-srcset=\"\" data-lazy-sizes=\"auto\" height=\"\" width=\"\">\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t<div class=\"o-card__content \">\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n<span class=\"c-span  lrv-u-whitespace-nowrap\">\n\n\t\n<\/span>\n\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"o_category \">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<div class=\"c_title \">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n<h3 id=\"title-of-a-story\" class=\"c-title  a-font-basic-fancy u-font-size-15 u-font-size-15.5@mobile-max u-line-height-22px u-padding-r-0.188@desktop u-word-spacing-0013 u-line-height-22.5px@mobile-max a-truncate-ellipsis-4line@mobile-max a-truncate-ellipsis-3line\">\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tMichael Jackson\u2019s \u2018Billie Jean\u2019 &amp; All the Classics That Have Topped the Global 200 at Least a Decade After Their&nbsp;Release\t\t\n\t\n<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n<time class=\"c-timestamp  \" datetime=\"00:00-YY-DD-MM\">\n\t\t\n<\/time>\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n<div class=\"o-card \">\n\n\t\t\t<a  tabindex=\"0\"  href=\"https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/music\/music-news\/prince-album-timeless-unreleased-songs-release-date-1236264095\/\"  class=\"lrv-u-color-black:hover lrv-u-flex u-flex-direction-column@desktop\"  >\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n<div class=\"c-lazy-image  lrv-u-margin-b-075 lrv-u-margin-b-00@mobile-max u-width-130px@mobile-max\">\n\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"a-crop-6x4 a-crop-3x2@mobile-max\">\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-lazy-image__img lrv-u-background-color-grey-lightest lrv-u-width-100p lrv-u-display-block lrv-u-height-auto\" src=\"\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/74378149-e1780587497576.jpg?crop=0px%2C0px%2C1800px%2C1116px&#038;resize=237%2C147\" alt=\"Prince\" data-lazy-srcset=\"\" data-lazy-sizes=\"auto\" height=\"\" width=\"\">\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t<div class=\"o-card__content \">\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n<span class=\"c-span  lrv-u-whitespace-nowrap\">\n\n\t\n<\/span>\n\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"o_category \">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<div class=\"c_title \">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n<h3 id=\"title-of-a-story\" class=\"c-title  a-font-basic-fancy u-font-size-15 u-font-size-15.5@mobile-max u-line-height-22px u-padding-r-0.188@desktop u-word-spacing-0013 u-line-height-22.5px@mobile-max a-truncate-ellipsis-4line@mobile-max a-truncate-ellipsis-3line\">\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tPrince Estate to Release Posthumous Album &#8216;Timeless&#8217; Featuring Unreleased&nbsp;Songs\t\t\n\t\n<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n<time class=\"c-timestamp  \" datetime=\"00:00-YY-DD-MM\">\n\t\t\n<\/time>\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p\n\t\tclass=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \"\n>\n\tInstead, Lizzo gave the often-compared rivals<a  href=\"https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/artist\/michael-jackson\"  > Michael Jackson<\/a> and <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/artist\/prince\"  >Prince<\/a> their flowers, and saluted MJ and the Purple One&#8217;s iconic legacies that she doesn&#8217;t think will be touched by any artists of today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p\n\t\tclass=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \"\n>\n\t\u201cHow lucky are we to be able to experience or have experienced or witness the kind of artistry that Michael Jackson and Prince gave in real time? This is Mozart-level s&#8211;t,&#8221; she said. &#8220;In 150 years, people are still going to be talking about these artists.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p\n\t\tclass=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \"\n>\n\tLizzo believes there are too many distractions for artists these days muddying the waters to truly be dedicated to their crafts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p\n\t\tclass=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \"\n>\n\t&#8220;It&#8217;s not even possible to be that great anymore,&#8221; she added. &#8220;We got too many cell phones, too many distractions. What they had was working at home on their craft. Do you know the blisters and the bleeding that you have to have on your fingers to play guitar the way Prince played guitar?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p\n\t\tclass=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \"\n>\n\tThe &#8220;Truth Hurts&#8221; artist continued: &#8220;That comes from hours of sitting and just playing. Like, that&#8217;s not going to come to you after going viral on TikTok. Michael Jackson was working on his spins in a dance studio from 7 p.m. to six in the morning.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p\n\t\tclass=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \"\n>\n\tLizzo credited the Jacksons with being the original pop family band and inventing pop stardom. &#8220;That&#8217;s what I always say about Janet [Jackson]: She&#8217;s the queen of pop because they invented pop,&#8221; she claimed. &#8220;Motown literally invented what modern pop is today.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p\n\t\tclass=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \"\n>\n\t&#8220;I don&#8217;t think there&#8217;s ever been a pop star of that magnitude. And it will never happen again, baby,&#8221; Lizzo added of Michael Jackson, before crowning Prince as the &#8220;greatest guitar player of all-time.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p\n\t\tclass=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \"\n>\n\tOver the course of their careers, Michael Jackson placed 52 songs on the <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/charts\/hot-100\/\"  >Billboard Hot 100<\/a> and six No. 1 albums on the <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/charts\/billboard-200\/\"  >Billboard 200<\/a>, while Prince landed 47 songs on the Hot 100 and five No. 1s on the Billboard 200.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p\n\t\tclass=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \"\n>\n\tAs far as her own music goes, Lizzo returned with her first album in four years on Friday (June 5), as <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/music\/pop\/lizzo-bitch-album-stream-it-now-1236264551\/\"  ><em>Bitch<\/em> arrived<\/a> on streaming services. 2022&#8217;s <em>Special <\/em>debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 with 69,000 total album-equivalent units, according to Luminate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p\n\t\tclass=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \"\n>\n\t\u201cReclaiming the word \u2018b\u2014h\u2019 is power. It\u2019s taking a label once used to diminish women and turning it into a declaration of confidence and unapologetic self-love,\u201d she said in a statement. \u201cSo many incredible women in music have used the word for positivity like Meredith Brooks and Missy Elliott. It was only fitting to name my album&nbsp;<em>Bitch<\/em>&nbsp;because it has become my favorite word when using it on my own terms, and because I am 100% that b\u2014h!&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p\n\t\tclass=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \"\n>\n\tWatch the clip of Lizzo on <em>Drink Champs<\/em> below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"embed-youtube\">