“Lizzobangers” is Lizzo’s first album, a rap record built on jokes, politics and sheer force of personality. It runs 13 tracks and 39 minutes, and it moves fast from start to finish.
Opening With Borden
The album opens with “Lizzie Borden,” a track about the axe murderer that sets the tone: dark humor mixed with menace. It’s a strong start, and it announces what kind of artist she is right away.
“W.E.R.K. Part II” follows, and it’s the record’s mission statement — a song about working that turns into a celebration of self-worth. It’s loose, funny and confident.
“Wat U Mean” and “T-Baby” keep the energy high without adding much new ground. They’re solid, but they’re filler next to the songs around them.
Be Still Through Hot Dish
“Be Still” slows things down just enough to let her lyrical control show. “Faded” picks the pace back up, and “Hot Dish” brings back the jokes.
“Make Way” is a minor track, pleasant but easy to forget.
“Batches & Cookies” is where the album starts to find its footing again — a song about family that carries real warmth under the jokes.
Pants vs Dress and the Finish
“Pants vs Dress” is the standout of the back half. It’s a sharp, funny track about gender roles that also hits hard socially, and it’s the clearest example of why critics praised her pointed lyrics.
“Go” and “Bloodlines” aren’t bad, but they don’t quite land the way “Pants vs Dress” does.
“Bus Passes and Happy Meals” closes the album on a lighter note, tying the whole thing together with a joke about practical living.
What Works Best
The album’s best moments come in this order:
- “Lizzie Borden”
- “W.E.R.K. Part II”
- “Pants vs Dress”
Critical Reception
The album earned a Metacritic score of 85 out of 100. Critics praised it as a confident, energetic debut with sharp social commentary. The Guardian described her rhymes as “joyfully nonsensical” and “lethally pointed.” MusicOMH called it “a triumphant album by an extraordinary artist and woman, whose girl-empowering lyricism and social consciousness puts her at the top of the underground and alternative hip-hop community.”
The Verdict
“Lizzobangers” isn’t perfect. Some tracks coast on momentum rather than craft. But the best songs — “Lizzie Borden,” “W.E.R.K. Part II,” and “Pants vs Dress” — are sharp, funny and politically engaged in equal measure. This is a debut that knows exactly what it wants to be, and mostly delivers on it.
- Lizzie Borden2:39
- W.E.R.K. Part II3:05
- Wat U Mean2:44
- T-Baby3:16
- Be Still2:13
- Faded2:50
- Hot Dish3:40
- Make Way2:46
- Batches & Cookies3:23
- Pants vs. Dress2:33
- Go3:44
- Bloodlines3:45
- Bus Passes and Happy Meals3:15
