Watch Lizzo and Open Mike Eagle Team up for “Extra Consent”

Pop powerhouse Lizzo and rapper Open Mike Eagle have teamed up for the latest installment of the latter’s Comedy Central series, The New Negroes.

Titled “Extra Consent,” the video (dir. Lance Bangs) finds the two post-date, ready to get it on and trading verses about consent. Each episode of The New Negroes is closed out by an original song and video made by Open Mike Eagle and another musical artist. “Extra Consent” is the fourth video in the series, taken from the episode airing this Friday, May 10, at 11 p.m. ET.

“It was amazing working with Lizzo on this song. She brought an incredible visceral energy to balance my cerebral approach to the subject matter,” Open Mike Eagle said of the collaboration in a statement. “When I brought her the song I asked her to respond to my verse with whatever her real reaction would be if she were in that situation. It was very important to me to have a strong female voice to provide perspective on this song given that historically women have been the gender group most affected by the notion of clarity around consent. Apologies in advance to anyone for whom this is a sensitive subject.”

While intended lightheartedly, it’s worth noting that the nature of the video echoes a chorus of real-life reactions that can’t be dismissed in a post-#MeToo era: the exaggeration and subsequent trivialization of the simple request that is merely asking someone if they’d like to go further.

“I got a unique fetish / Get off on getting permission,” OME raps after informing Lizzo of the various emergency exits in the room, as well as the panic button at the foot of the bed. Such parody is reeled in by the ever-sex-positive Lizzo, who thanks OME for his extra care but lets him know that reading her body language will do.

Even as satire, the lyrics walk a fine line between being comically critical and boosting the volume of the men in comment sections who cry, “Jeez, can’t even hug/compliment/look at a woman these days.” Consent isn’t a kink or a drawn-out chore. Consent is simple: Do you want to hook up? What are you into? Is this still okay for you? And remember, if asking for consent kills the mood, the person probably wasn’t that into you to begin with.

Check out the video for “Extra Consent” below and decide for yourself. We’ve included footage from both artists’ Daytrotter Sessions further down.