“Who would you choose as the 2024 Woman of the Year? My pick for 2024 Woman of the Year… Well, I think all of them are pretty remarkable, you know? But if I had to pick one, Taylor Swift is really making waves this year. Yeah, Taylor, for sure. Although, let’s not confuse things with Jennifer Lopez humming Beyoncé songs while dressed like she’s on Beyoncé’s Renaissance tour and then naming Taylor Swift as her Woman of the Year for 2023. Clearly, she has someone else in mind. But what’s the deal with JLo and black women? Is there some underlying animosity? It’s not shocking that she’s facing criticism for not crediting black women, given that she’s often drawn from black culture for her success. And when it comes to Beyoncé, the parallels are hard to ignore. Take, for example, JLo’s duet with Maluma at the 2020 AMAs, which bore a striking resemblance to Beyoncé’s 2014 Grammy performance of “Drunk In Love” with Jay-Z. From the wet bob to the chair dancing, black sheer bodysuit, and even the lighting, it was like déjà vu. And then there’s the fashion. Remember when Beyoncé wore that shimmering red sequin flame dress in 2005? JLo seemed to have a similar outfit in Lisbon years later. Fans are quick to point out that while JLo readily draws inspiration from black women like Beyoncé, acknowledging their greatness seems to be where she draws the line.”
Before we delve into discussions, let’s examine instances where Jennifer Lopez has been criticized for either appropriating black culture, showing disregard for the community, or leveraging black women’s work. Firstly, there was controversy surrounding her use of the n-word in “I’m Real” with Ja Rule back in 2001. She defended herself at the time, attributing the lyric to Ja Rule and dismissing accusations of racism. However, this incident wasn’t isolated. In her song “Lonely” with Maluma, Lopez refers to herself as a black woman, raising eyebrows. Moreover, in 2022, she faced backlash for remarks made at an event sponsored by Goldman Sachs, where she questioned the lack of partnership for Latinas, despite investments in black communities. Additionally, there are claims that Lopez has appropriated black culture and music, notably from artists like Ashanti. Ashanti’s vocals were originally intended for Lopez’s hit “I’m Real,” causing disappointment and frustration for Ashanti, who felt her work was unfairly transferred without her consent.
Additionally, Fat Joe revealed that JLo was almost handed ‘What’s Luv?’ and he had to advocate for Ashanti to remain on the track. “I don’t know if you know, Irv and J woke me up around 3 in the morning and said, ‘Yo, come down, we made a song for you.’ It’s right after Pun passed. So when I got to the studio around 4 in the morning, they played ‘What’s Luv?’ with you on it, and they were telling me, ‘Yo, this is for you and JLo. We want the Latinos on this, this and that.’ You know, Ashanti actually opened up about feeling unacknowledged for her work and expressed in an interview with Metro UK, ‘You should always care about credit for what you do, regardless of your industry. It’s really important to give credit, especially nowadays because things are so smoke and mirrors.’ It’s not that it’s frustrating; the word has been getting out there over the past couple of years, and I’m grateful, so a lot of people know and they were surprised, but it’s more of a, ‘Yeah, grateful that, you know.’
Speaking of songs being appropriated, did you know that JLo allegedly sought to claim Amerie’s most successful song, ‘One Thing’? When Amerie was pushing her label to release ‘One Thing,’ rumors surfaced that Colombia Records was trying to halt the single’s release because JLo was preparing to record her own album, ‘Rebirth.’ In fact, Colombia Records wanted JLo to record ‘One Thing’ instead of Amerie, prompting Amerie to leak the song to radio stations before JLo could record it.
Apart from Ashanti and Amerie, there’s also the narrative of JLo’s questionable actions towards Mariah Carey. Back when Mariah was dealing with issues concerning her ex Tommy Mottola, she was working on the film ‘Glitter’ and had secured a sample from Yellow Magic Orchestra’s 1978 song ‘Firecracker’ for her single ‘Loverboy.’ However, Mariah was taken aback when she heard the melody she had secured for her own album featured on JLo’s album.
She couldn’t comprehend how a melody she had composed last summer suddenly surfaced on Jennifer Lopez’s album. It was baffling and frustrating. This incident was precisely why Mariah Carey refused to acknowledge JLo. Did they even know each other? No. Moreover, there were instances where JLo’s songs seemed to ride on the talents of black women. Take “Ride or Die,” for example, originally meant for Brandy’s “Aphrodisiac” album but diverted to JLo’s “Rebirth” due to delays. Brandy’s voice lingers in the chorus and backing vocals, with the excuse being JLo’s scheduling conflicts. Yet, many believe Brandy’s vocals stayed because JLo couldn’t match her rendition. Even the hook of “If You Had My Love” was sung by Shanice Harrell, mixed in the background, while Christina Milian took the lead in “Play.” And “Jenny From the Block,” JLo’s trademark, wasn’t even sung by her. The vocals on the single were Natasha Ramos’, used after she demoed the track for JLo.
Natasha’s voice bears an uncanny resemblance to JLo’s, so without the leaked demo, her true contribution to the chorus and bridge would have gone unnoticed. Rumors also suggest that Canela Cox provided vocals for ‘Love Don’t Cost a Thing,’ while background singer Ruda Hadad allegedly took the lead on most of ‘Get Right.’ Similarly, ‘All I Have,’ JLo’s second single from ‘This Is Me,’ features vocals primarily from another artist. The hook heavily samples Deborah Laws’ ‘Very Special,’ with Sony securing permission, though Laws claimed ignorance and even sued. Surprisingly, the voice on the hook isn’t Laws’, but Mike’s. JLo’s presence on the track is minimal.
Interestingly, I debuted around the same time as JLo’s first album. Rodney Jerkins penned ‘Um If I Gave Love’ for me, coincidentally resembling JLo’s ‘If You Had My Love.’ Allegedly, Puff Daddy insisted on acquiring my song, prompting Rodney to essentially replicate it for JLo. Despite these instances, some argue JLo hasn’t properly acknowledged the talents of black women she’s worked with. Do these occurrences suggest indifference, animosity, or perhaps jealousy towards black women on JLo’s part? Share your thoughts below.
