Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s latest X-rated song, WAP, which translates to Wet Ass P*ssy is courting lots of controversy, and strangely, some praise.
The video for the rap song, which dropped last week, has sent tongues wagging with many people calling it lewd, immoral and inappropriate.
Atlanta singer CeeLo Green recently criticised the women for the song, noting that there should be a “time and a place” for such acts. He went a step further and called their tactics “shameless.”
“A lot of music today is very unfortunate and disappointing on a personal and moral level,” he said. “There was once a time when we were savvy enough to code certain things. We could express to those it was meant for with the style of language we used. But, now music is shameless. It’s sheer savagery.”
He later apologised and walked back his criticisms after facing a barrage of insults online.
Some of Cardi B’s fans, however, are in love with her latest offering. They believe the video and the song are empowering women everywhere.
Perhaps it’s empowering a certain type of woman. But, it’s not empowering this woman.
I’m not a prude by any stretch of the imagination, please believe that. But, I don’t know how hearing two women boasting about their saturated nether regions is empowering.
When you are empowered, you feel stronger and more confident. You take control of your life. There was nothing about this song that made me feel more confident.
The song opens with the lines, “Whores in this house. There’s some whores in this house.” What the heck?
Honestly, if I were Megan Thee Stallion, the minute I heard that intro, I would have declined to be featured on that song. Unless, of course, she agrees that she is a whore.
I don’t know any woman out there who wants to be referred to as a whore. I don’t care if they are strippers or prostitutes. No woman wants to be degraded. Whore is not an empowering word. It is an insult.
If a man were to approach either of these female rappers and call them whores to their faces, they would not blush and say thank you. But, when you introduce yourself to the world as a whore, expect to be treated as a whore.
WAP Fails To Empower Podcaster, NadzBee
It appears I’m not alone in my thinking. Entertainment host and podcaster, Nadine ‘NadzBee’ Brown, in her Midnight StoryTime podcast, shared her views on the video, likening it to a Willie Wonka Whorehouse. Let’s stop for a minute to appreciate the alliteration.
Brown said after watching the video her initial response was, “meh, same old, same old.”
“Two female rappers talking about popping their asses, talking about their p*ssies. I mean, yawn,” she said.
“After looking at the internet I realised that a bunch of folks are making quite a big deal about it. They are discussing several things. The first thing they are discussing is female empowerment as it relates to the video. And then, they are also discussing Cardi’s one liner that says, ‘I don’t cook, I don’t clean, but I got this ring.’ The third one they are discussing is blackness as it relates to Kylie Jenner.”
I did not feel empowered not in the least by this song. Women, the things that empower you these days. I don’t want to sound condescending, but to each his own. This reminds me of when that sex show came out from 50 Shades of Gray. I didn’t feel empowered. First of all, women have been singing about their p*ssies and going half naked since even before the 80s. I respect Cardi’s and Meg’s work ethic. You cannot say anything about that. Cardi went from the stripper pole all the way to the Grammys status. So, how many of us can do that. There are still many people trying. “
I applaud those women for their seemingly meteoric rise in the industry, but this isn’t about personal achievements and accolades. This is about the message they are putting out for public consumption.
In my opinion, if a woman wants to know what female empowerment looks like, she needs to turn to rapper Queen Latifah and her video for Ladies First or U.N.I.T.Y. or rapper Lauryn Hill’s Doo Wop. These are songs and videos that make me feel capable of doing anything and standing up for myself and being all that I was created to be.
Sorry Cardi and Megan, a song about a soaked vagina just doesn’t do it for me.
You can hear NadzBee on her podcast, Midnight StoryTime on Spotify every Friday night. You can listen to NadzBee’s podcast on WAP down below.
XOXO,
This Bahamian Gyal
I totally agree with you on this it is distasteful and slackkkkkkk !!!!! I personally don’t feel no way Empowered by this song. My feelings are not only it’s hard for men to take certain women seriously but now they (cause it ain’t me…dude will get punch in the face if he calls me a WHORE!!!!!!) Can rightly degrade us ever more. Her accomplishments shows young women not that you can make it in the world but you can be slack and sell and lazy and a man will still marry you. NOOOOO!! I told my daughter right away if I see you tic tock or play this song her head will get tear off!!! I control what she listens to but then again I give those woman a ZERO!!!!!
Hey there! I absolutely agree with you. This didn’t make me feel in the least bit empowered. Someone told me today that if anything, this set women back. I told a friend that the next time Cardi B goes to do an interview, the interviewer should say, “My next guest is a known whore, give it up for Cardi B.” I hope she doesn’t get mad when that happens because she opened this box. That video, if applied to a different song, could have been magnificent. It was just distasteful and not empowering in the least.
Just to be clear, are you saying that the song should be banned? And are you coming at this from a Christian view? And no, it doesn’t set women back. She’s just being honest and her sexual desires and is taking control of the narrative. Men have been doing that for a long time, yet whenever a woman does it, individuals like you shame them and act disgusted as you seemingly don’t like when women are straight forward about their desires.
Hello. Firstly, I’d like to thank you for reading my blog post and taking the time to reply. It is appreciated. I don’t recall anywhere in my blog post where I said the song should be banned. I believe in the freedom of speech so long as it’s responsible.
I, as a woman, do not like the song. Not one bit. It has nothing to do with a “Christian” view. I just think it is too vulgar. It is possible to think something is vulgar and not attribute it to Christianity. Cardi is who she is. And she should feel free to be just that. I am who I am and I will do the same. I do not like the song. It’s just too raw for my taste. And trust me, I’m no prude. I will NEVER refer to myself as a whore. And I would be upset if someone – man or woman – referred to me as that. Even escorts don’t want to be called whores. That’s why they refer to themselves as escorts.
A woman can be straightforward with her desires without being lascivious. If you like the song and feel empowered by it, continue being empowered. Maybe those lyrics empower you. I do not feel empowered by that song or those lyrics. Thanks again and have a great day!
I also salute you for cautioning your daughter NOT to listen to this song or even perform to it on TikTok. Parents truly have to be vigilant. Thanks for reading!
I wouldn’t even f*ck to this song. Sorry to be so blunt. Ther are so many ways to describe ‘p*ssy’. Maybe I would have appreciated this song as a woman if more time was spent honing those lyrics instead of opting for a dumbed-down version of everything female. The song isn’t empowering, it’s a setback. If you’re gonna say this shit, say it in a way that makes a man work for it. Once you have his mind spinning then maybe you won’t have to work your body so hard to keep his ass.
Just my five cents.
LOL. I understand completely. I don’t think Cardi B nor Megan Thee Stallion grasp the concept of innuendo. It truly was a setback. I hope real men don’t look to this song and think they can speak to women in this manner. I think this song backfired on Cardi and Megan.
You killed it! I guess being a hoe is the new “empowerment” lol
What about a profession or a career ??
Smh 🤦🏻♀️
Ha ha. Thank you so much, Stefania. Same thing I said!!! How is being a hoe respectable? What kills me is that many women who I respect were praising this song. I don’t know if they were afraid to stand up and say they didn’t respect the song or what. But, I was totally turned off my this song and by the women who were calling it empowering. Oh well. I guess I’m different. LOL. Thanks again, boo!
Empowerment has never been Cardi B nor Meg thee Stallion’s M.O. The only thing they have ever really rapped about is their vaginas. I think the reason everyone has their panties in a bunch is because it is the punchline. But if we look back at all their songs they always rap about the same thing selling coochie to the highest bidder. But I think the reason THIS woman is not empowered is becuase this song doesn’t speak to THIS bracket of woman. (by THIS woman I mean all women that are not empowered by this song including myself and the writer) It empowers a different type of woman. Let them be great.😂
Ha ha. I think you’re on to something. Perhaps we are expecting too much from these ladies. They cater to a certain crowd. Luckily, I am not their intended audience. I just don’t get what talking about your soaked vagina is going to do? Is that supposed to make a man want you? It’s trashy. Anyway, if some women out there feel “empowered” by this song, then fine. All I’m saying is, don’t get upset when someone man or woman calls you a whore. Accept it and wear it with your “empowerment badge of honour.” Thanks for stopping by and commenting!
I personally have not heard the song but just looking at the photo clip of it I’m not impressed. like many of you said above this is for a “certain types of women” and that’s it! And yes Roe, Ms Lauren Hill and Queen Latifah are the best examples of female empowerment. As a young man listening to them, I’ve learnt how to respect both the women and their craft. Growing up as the youngest in my household I was exposed to many eras of music and honestly like CeeLo said those artist expressed certain content like this in such a creative way, that only when I got older I now understood what they truly were saying. It’s just so sad that Mr Green recanted his statement, my thing is this don’t put it out if you mean it, to only take it back when the critics attack you because of your truth, that I don’t respect. At the end of the day Cardi’s not a role model she’s being exactly who she is hate it or love it. We live in a time when if you don’t like something turn it off.
You know something, I agree with you regarding CeeLo. To me, if you said it and MEANT IT, then stand by your truth. Most times when people speak out initially, it’s the truth. When they feel the heat of the critics, they back off. This is why I respect people like Dave Chappelle so much. He speaks his truth and doesn’t back down. The problem is, there are some impressionable young boys, who will grow up to be men and – if this is all they are exposed to – they will think women like being referred to as whores. I do not like the song at all, so I don’t listen to it. Thanks for your reply.
I am ok with women expressing their sexual wants, but li feel this song glorifies the already scary notion that sexual violence is normal. I don’t see sexual pleasure here…it is more of giving men good sex so they give you money. If it was two women rapping about their clitori and orgasms…I would be into it. But like you say, being called whore in a sample said by a man over and over…the problem of black women being over sexuality too early in life…I mean Cardi B. herself says parents should censor their kids from songs like this yet kids will see it and think wanting choking in the bedroom is normal. Or that sex is only for getting cash not orgasm or intimacy. It just seems like female empowerment under a male gaze still. Like all the same tropes, only women saying they like it vs. men using them as objects. They are ok being objects…so it is ok if you spit or choke them. I get some people have kinks but not as much as pop culture puts out there and that is dangerous to our youth. Well and actually adults who try to date later in life and keep getting unwanted choking by guys who see porn and think choking is what all women want and they do not have to communicate about it beforehand. Add reality TV. And vapid culture with a Kardashian thrown in…ugh.
Hello BlueRose. Thanks for reading my blog post. It seems to be having a resurgence due to what is happening between Cardi B. and Candace Owens.
I have said before that I don’t like this WAP song or some of Cardi’s lyrics. I find them to be too lascivious. I have no issue with what people do in the privacy of their bedroom. Everyone has their likes/dislikes. And what intrigues some people might turn someone else off. It’s important to find the right partner who is on the same level sexually.
I certainly would never be comfortable with anyone referring to me as a whore and I definitely would not cut a record with someone with a man calling me that. You are sooo right about the female empowerment “under a male gaze.”