While Ariana Grande may have been petty timing the release of her latest song, dropping it just 30 minutes before her ex Pete Davidson appeared on Saturday Night Live, most fans agree “thank u, next” isn’t a diss track. With lyrics like “I’m so fucking grateful for my ex,” the song celebrates self-love even after the pain of a breakup, detailing how every relationship lost can be a chance to grow if you let it be. It’s a true lesson in maturity amid all the drama we’re used to in celebrity culture.
Unfortunately, not everyone who heard the song came away with such a positive message. Izzy (@_izzyofficial), an aspiring rapper from California, tweeted at Grande with his own rendition of her break-up anthem on Wednesday.
“Shout out to all my fellas out there that got an ex-girlfriend that’s been singing this song just a tad bit too loud lately,” he begins before launching into a cover about how women who blame their boyfriends for breakups are really at fault themselves.
The fact that Grande didn’t actually blame any of the men mentioned in “thank u, next” seemed to elude him.
Thank u, next? @ArianaGrande
— IZZY (@_izzyofficial) November 14, 2018
Fellas, it’s our turn… pic.twitter.com/c6OnZj5Rtf
His lyrics include, “It’s funny how you make it seem like I’m the bad guy when in reality you couldn’t get your act right” and “I really feel bad for the one you choose to be in next, because you the real definition of a devil in a dress.” For the chorus, he sang simply, “Fuck my ex.”
People on Twitter were not amused.
i wish you people would stop doing this and go to therapy instead https://t.co/CdbsWvioEN
— r (@reaghhan) November 15, 2018
https://twitter.com/peachylys/status/1063088317825052673
He really just turned such a beautiful song about growth and learning from the past into something so ugly… thanks, but no thanks. Next. https://t.co/I3OyXeOQ8t
— dramalina (@rileytresjolie) November 15, 2018
https://twitter.com/badgaldegu/status/1062983677393678336
straight men don’t deserve rights https://t.co/6FP5HNj7uU
— sabrina 𓃔 (@birdinurteeth) November 15, 2018
https://twitter.com/SUNPRlNCE/status/1062932949614510080
https://twitter.com/edgyyeji/status/1062919372103020544
As the video racked up more than 600,000 views, Izzy responded in a tweet later that day to clarify that his cover was specifically about his ex-girlfriend. But the explanation didn’t blow over well, especially since he ended his tweet with: “If you’re MAD mad: You’re probably a female, and that video wasn’t for you.”
If you’re mad:
— IZZY (@_izzyofficial) November 14, 2018
Understand, that cover was about MY ex. Lol nobody else’s, nor about the main focus of Ariana’s song (in which she gave praise to hers.)
If you’re MAD mad:
You’re probably a female, and that video wasn’t for you. Hence “fellas, it’s our turn.”
Thank u, next.
Izzy followed up again on Thursday with a video formally apologizing. He said he realized “thank u, next” had a positive message but was trying to point out that some girls who sang the song “a little too loudly” may have ex-boyfriends who are more innocent than their explanations for the breakup would imply.
“I mean no harm, I mean no negativity. I’m just an artist trying to come up,” Izzy said, adding that, hey, even negative publicity is good publicity to an aspiring artist.
To @ArianaGrande , her fans, and anyone else who felt offended, bothered, or upset about my cover video… pic.twitter.com/FUNnsdBfbp
— IZZY (@_izzyofficial) November 15, 2018