Twerking is mainstream now ... but do you know where it came from? Superstar Lizzo traces booty shaking to a traditional West African dance and tells how Black women across generations kept the rhythm alive, from blues and jazz singers to modern rap and hip-hop performers. With her characteristic energy, she shares how twerking empowered her to love her own body -- and explains why understanding its origins helps protect Black culture from erasure and misappropriation. (And, yes, she twerks on stage.)

 Lizzo: The Black history of twerking -- and how it taught me self-love

The Black history of twerking -- and how it taught me self-love

Through twerking, Lizzo calls for the celebration and preservation of Black heritage, underscoring its revolutionary power.

Twerking's roots in West African mapouka, celebrates joy and spirituality; a dance of resistance and empowerment for Black women.

By exploring twerking's cultural significance, the dance is highlighted as a powerful expression of Black heritage and personal empowerment.