SZA Reveals Autism Diagnosis 

BY Aron A.
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SZA
Feb 4, 2024; Los Angeles, CA, USA; SZA accepts the award for best R&B Song during the 66th Annual Grammy Awards at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Sunday, Feb. 4, 2024. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY/USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
In a post shared to her burner account, SZA says she was formally diagnosed with high functioning autism and Asperger’s syndrome.

SZA’s transparency is not only why she’s one of the most adored artists of our time but precisely why she’s as relatable as she is. Over the years, she hasn’t shied away from discussing her journey and the hardships she’s faced, both in her professional and personal life. 

Most recently, SZA took to social media where she disclosed her autism diagnosis. “Finally took the time n got formally diagnosed .. Asperger's / high functioning autism / smarter than u n****s so stop playing in my face cause pattern recognition told me and I WILL get to the bottom if it thanks,” she wrote. “Pretty sure this is why I'm taking Ai so personally btw lol. And also why I'm in every comment section."

Accompanying the disclosure was the paperwork from her evaluation that detailed how she “presents with a history, patterning of scores, and behaviors on examination that are quite consistent with Autism Spectrum Disorder."

“Solana has a qualitative impairment in reciprocal social interaction, as both self-reported and observed by this examiner. Her mother also noted these traits when Solana was a child, although they were not as evident,” the paperwork continues. “Solana also has marked sensory defensiveness. She is sensitive to feel of clothing, sound, taste, and touch. She has developed numerous admirable coping strategies for 'passing' when in social situations. This takes an enormous amount of energy for her and leaves her feeling quite anxious."

SZA Calls Out AI

One of the more recent examples of SZA calling out AI occurred in June when she slammed Suno and Diplo for having equity in the company. She already expressed disgust with how her music is being fed to AI software but this particular post detailed how Black creatives are getting exploited by AI. “We make up 13% of the American population yet influence the world w our sound and perspective. I AINT HEARD A WHITE AI SONG YET…We have no protection in legislature medical or creative. The easiest to steal from,” she wrote.

About The Author
Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.

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