Highsnobiety

Justin Bieber has had so many distinct eras that you could fill an entire book on the subject. Someone who's been an A-lister since 2008 will obviously go through plenty of stylistic switch-ups and Bieber is no exception.

As of February 24, with the release of Bieber's feature on Don Toliver's "Private Landing," fans are hailing the revival of Lightskin Justin Bieber.

So, for all my fellow boomers and white folks, who (or what) is Lightskin Bieber?

Your Highsnobiety privacy settings have blocked this Twitter post.

"Lightskin Bieber" (or Bizzle) is a term that jokingly refers to a specific period of time — generally accepted as 2012-2014 or so — when Bieber was transitioning from squeaky clean Radio Disney star to (slightly) edgier pop singer, getting tatted and hanging out with Soulja Boy (who may have been the first to call Bieber "Bizzle").

This is also a reference to "lightskin face," a squinty-eyed selfie pose that Bieber quite frequently indulged in around 2012.

Your Highsnobiety privacy settings have blocked this YouTube video.

To be clear, Bieber is so white that he's literally Canadian; the term Lightskin Bieber is obviously a tongue-in-cheek reference to his adoption of Black cultural codes ranging from rapping to custom grillz.

Bieber has long enjoyed the benefits of privilege (who else could own an illegal monkey, get arrested for DUI, or get filmed saying the N-word without fearing actual repercussion?) and is no stranger to cultural appropriation but Lightskin Bieber is a tongue-in-cheek reference to the less problematic times when Bieber borrowed from Black culture.

Your Highsnobiety privacy settings have blocked this YouTube video.

Lightskin Bieber is instead more a state of mind than an actual person, and he resurfaced on the Don Toliver track with a few murmered bars ("She wanna come this way / Heat it up, microwave") between his typically sing-songy verses.

Bieber's appearance on ""Private Landing" especially recalls moments like Bieber's feature on Travis Scott's "Maria I'm Drunk" from 2015's Rodeo, where the pop singer mixed his wispy rapping with hooky sung refrains.

Your Highsnobiety privacy settings have blocked this Tiktok.

So, though Bieber ain't dressing like he did when he was 18 (it's all luxury brands and YEEZY inspiration), he's at least getting the sound back, according to fans.

Your Highsnobiety privacy settings have blocked this Tiktok.

On TikTok, the apparent return of Lightskin Bieber has been welcomed with open arms; the term immediately began trending in the wake of the Don Toliver song (wonder what Hailey thinks).

Your Highsnobiety privacy settings have blocked this Tiktok.

The #bizzle hashtag alone, for instance, has nearly 448 million views, though that may be at least due to Bieber stans' propensity to use nearly every Justin Bieber hashtag imaginable on their posts.

Your Highsnobiety privacy settings have blocked this Tiktok.
Your Highsnobiety privacy settings have blocked this Tiktok.

Now that Lightskin Bieber music is back, though, are we not due for Bieber to return to his off-the-head baseball caps and longline T-shirts?

Your Highsnobiety privacy settings have blocked this Tiktok.

Or at least a new Drake collab? Bring the hair back, at least.

Your Highsnobiety privacy settings have blocked this Twitter post.
Your Highsnobiety privacy settings have blocked this Twitter post.
We Recommend
  • Amidst Breakup Rumors, Hailey & Justin Bieber... Dress Like Opposites
    • Style
  • Justin Bieber Might've Accidentally Revealed His New Streetwear Brand
    • Style
  • Can Someone Check On Justin Bieber?
    • Style
  • Justin Bieber Unlearned Shirts & Started Dressing Better
    • Style
  • Wearing Bieber Merch to Dine With the Biebers: Cool or Cringe?
    • Style
What To Read Next
  • Now's All About Looking Sporty & Rich – No, But, Like, Literally
    • Style
  • Shop Our Favorite Casual Shoes Here
    • Style
  • Alessandro Michele & Valentino Are Official
    • Style
  • Maha's Jade-Equipped adidas Sneakers Are Gems (EXCLUSIVE)
    • Sneakers
  • Thundercat: Bassist, Singer, Gamer, Fashion Designer (EXCLUSIVE)
    • Style
  • Sneakers Keep Catching Flats (Soles, That Is)
    • Sneakers
*If you submitted your e-mail address and placed an order, we may use your e-mail address to inform you regularly about similar products without prior explicit consent. You can object to the use of your e-mail address for this purpose at any time without incurring any costs other than the transmission costs according to the basic tariffs. Each newsletter contains an unsubscribe link. Alternatively, you can object to receiving the newsletter at any time by sending an e-mail to info@highsnobiety.com

Web Accessibility Statement

Titel Media GmbH (Highsnobiety), is committed to facilitating and improving the accessibility and usability of its Website, www.highsnobiety.com. Titel Media GmbH strives to ensure that its Website services and content are accessible to persons with disabilities including users of screen reader technology. To accomplish this, Titel Media GmbH tests, remediates and maintains the Website in-line with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), which also bring the Website into conformance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

Disclaimer

Please be aware that our efforts to maintain accessibility and usability are ongoing. While we strive to make the Website as accessible as possible some issues can be encountered by different assistive technology as the range of assistive technology is wide and varied.

Contact Us

If, at any time, you have specific questions or concerns about the accessibility of any particular webpage on this Website, please contact us at accessibility@highsnobiety.com, +49 (0)30 235 908 500. If you do encounter an accessibility issue, please be sure to specify the web page and nature of the issue in your email and/or phone call, and we will make all reasonable efforts to make that page or the information contained therein accessible for you.