Lizzo took to X on Thursday night to share a moment from a hangout with Cardi B that instantly called back to one of the most talked about instances in award show history. She described the exchange between herself and Cardi in playful terms, drawing a direct line to the 1999 MTV Video Music Awards, when Diana Ross reached over and touched Lil Kim’s exposed chest on stage in front of a stunned audience. That original moment has lived on for decades as one of the most unforgettable, unscripted bits of television in music award show memory, and Lizzo bringing it back into conversation gave fans an easy way to picture exactly what she meant.
Not to brag or anything but last night Cardi jiggled my yitties like Diana Ross did to lil Kim… 🥰
— LIZZO (@lizzo) September 17, 2026
Why does this friendship keep making headlines?
Lizzo and Cardi have built a bond over the years that goes well past casual hangouts. The two teamed up in 2021 for the single Rumors, a track built around the two artists reclaiming the nonstop chatter about their bodies, relationships and careers instead of running from it. Lizzo has said before that getting Cardi on that record was something she pushed hard for, calling the move a personal win she had wanted for a long time.
Did Cardi B influence any other Lizzo music?
She did, and in a way most fans probably forgot about. After Rumors came out, Cardi posted about wanting the two of them to make a love song together next. That idea eventually shaped I Love You Bitch, a song from Lizzo’s 2022 album Special, giving Cardi an informal writing credit of sorts on a project she was never officially part of in the studio.
How does Lizzo really feel about Cardi B’s impact?
Lizzo has been consistent about where she places Cardi in the larger music conversation, previously telling Complex that Cardi represents something rare in the industry, a true groundbreaker whose influence changed things for a wide range of women in music. That kind of respect helps explain why a lighthearted moment between the two of them landed the way it did online, since it reads less like random gossip and more like two established artists who genuinely enjoy each other’s company.
What does this moment say about their friendship?
Celebrity friendships often get reduced to red carpet photos and joint interviews, but this exchange between Lizzo and Cardi feels like something more familiar to anyone with a close circle of their own. It is the kind of inside joke that only makes sense because of years of history, and pulling from a decades old VMAs memory shows how deeply both women understand pop culture and their place inside it. For two artists who have spent years being scrutinized over their bodies, choosing to joke about touch and physicality on their own terms feels like its own quiet statement.
