"So Legit" is an unreleased song by Lana Del Rey, self-produced and recorded in either 2009 or 2010. It is not registered to any known music registration service.
Background[]
Lyrically, this song is about singer and former labelmate Lady Gaga. Gaga and Del Rey performed at many of the same New York City venues early in their careers, and were both discovered by music manager and talent scout Bob Leone in 2000 and 2006, respectively. Leone entered both artists into different songwriting competitions in 2006, and acted as a mentor and advocate to each of their burgeoning careers.
Gaga's career gained major momentum in 2008 with the release of her debut single "Just Dance", and Del Rey likely recorded "So Legit" sometime in 2009 or 2010. In July 2009, Del Rey made a Facebook post referencing Gaga, stating: "when will people be over her? I am a Hater".[1]
The track leaked on July 23, 2013; the original file name is titled "So Legittt". Shortly afterward, Leone publicly discussed the song with the Daily Mail, claiming that Gaga had left him "ruined" after failing to properly compensate him for helping with her music career. He suggested that Del Rey's lyrics reflect the fury she had towards Gaga regarding the situation, saying: "She was very upset at the way I had been treated. We've spoken about it. She feels it wasn't right."[2]
In 2014, Del Rey told Rolling Stone:[3]
- "[Lady Gaga's] manager, Bob Leone, was a confidante of mine, and he gave me a two-month scholarship to a songwriting class and put me on a list of Monday night lineups at the Cutting Room. [Gaga and I] played a couple of shows together, but never met."
Controversy[]
Del Rey addresses Gaga by her real name and repeatedly insults her throughout the song, mocking both her personal and professional life. Media outlets such as The Guardian,[4] Metro,[5] Le Figaro,[6] and HuffPost[7] were quick to write about what they each publicized as a Lady Gaga diss track, promptly fueling the controversy further. The song and controversy were also discussed by radio personality Robin Quivers on an episode of The Howard Stern Show.[8]
When asked by Rolling Stone about the leaked song itself, Del Rey responded with, "That was a misunderstanding". She laughed after the interviewer inferred that the song wasn't meant to be heard by anyone in the first place.[3]
Cross-references[]
- A mention of "switching it up" can be found in "Put Your Lips Together".
- Brooklyn is also mentioned in "Brooklyn Baby", "Ghetto Baby", "Living Legend", and "True Love on the Side".
- Del Rey refers to the "downtown scene" in "Art Deco", "Salvatore", and "Dum Dum".
- Coke is mentioned in songs like "Dangerous Girl" and "Girl That Got Away".
- "Punk rock" is mentioned in "Blue Jeans".
- To be "born bad" is also mentioned in "Kinda Outta Luck" and "Never Let Me Go".
- Direct reference to "Magic in the Air".
- Magic is also referenced in the titles of "Black Magic Stars" and "Trash Magic".
- The song is a diss track, similar to "All About Ethel".
Lyrics[]
You were the freak king of the piercing shop
All the girls thought that they could sing
But they're really not shit, I don't get it
You're lookin' like a man and you're talkin' like a baby
How the fuck is your song in a Coke commercial? Crazy
I don't get it, your taste once exquisite
What happened to Brooklyn? What happened to New York?
What happened to my scene? What happened to punk rock, rock?
You called me the queen of the downtown scene, babe
How the fuck would you go switch it up and then replace me?
I don't get it, I'm so legit
Tell me, was it 'cause I wasn't platinum and jewels?
That perhaps you thought I was a little bit of an uncool kid
Was that it?
Stefani, you suck, I know you're sellin' twenty million
Wish they could have seen you when we booed you off in Williamsburg
You're hurt? I know my words don't hurt ya
Oh, girl, I see you walkin' 'round in your pearls
Thinkin' that you're number one
You're so funny, 'cause honey, you're not
What happened to Brooklyn, the last frontier?
They said you can make it anywhere if you can make it here
But where? No magic in the air
What happened to Brooklyn? What happened to our scene, baby?
Have we all gone Gaga crazy?
Remember when the streets used to be dangerous?
And we were born bad
And we were born bad
Punk rock, punk rock
The boys used to punch each other in the face and girls were walkin' 'round wasted
Everyone had a good night, come back in sunlight
Punk rock, rock, rock
References[]
- ↑ Tumblr screenshot archive of a post from Del Rey's now-defunct Facebook account. Retrieved December 12, 2025.
- ↑ Boyle, Simon (August 24, 2013). "Penniless and living with his elderly mother, the mentor cruelly dumped by Lady Gaga after he helped transform her into world superstar". Daily Mail. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2401543/Bob-Leone-ex-manager-Lady-Gaga-penniless-living-elderly-mother.html. Retrieved December 20, 2023.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Hiatt, Brian (July 24, 2014). "18 Things You Learn After Two Long Days With Lana Del Rey". Rolling Stone. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/18-things-you-learn-after-two-long-days-with-lana-del-rey-170579/. Retrieved December 20, 2023.
- ↑ Michaels, Sean (July 25, 2013). "Lana Del Rey lashes out at Lady Gaga on leaked track". The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/jul/25/lana-del-rey-lashes-lady-gaga. Retrieved December 20, 2023.
- ↑ Lee, Ann (July 24, 2013). "Lana Del Rey tells Lady Gaga she ‘sucks’ in So Legit". Metro. https://metro.co.uk/2013/07/24/lana-del-rey-tells-lady-gaga-she-sucks-in-so-legit-3896189/. Retrieved December 20, 2023.
- ↑ Turcan, Marie (July 24, 2013). "Lana Del Rey attaque Lady Gaga en chanson [Lana Del Rey attacks Lady Gaga in song]" (in French). Le Figaro. https://www.lefigaro.fr/musique/2013/07/24/03006-20130724ARTFIG00276-lana-del-rey-attaque-lady-gaga-en-chanson.php. Retrieved December 20, 2023.
- ↑ "'So Legit,' Lana Del Rey's Purported Lady Gaga Diss Song, Leaks Online". HuffPost. July 25, 2013. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/so-legit-lana-del-rey_n_3652223. Retrieved August 16, 2025.
- ↑ "For the week of 07/29/2013 to 08/02/2013". MarksFriggin.com. July 30, 2013. https://www.marksfriggin.com/news13/7-29.htm#tue. Retrieved August 16, 2025.