 Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion are two of the hottest females in the rap game. Cardi hit the scene in 2015 as a cast member on the VH1 reality series Love & Hip Hop: New York. After two seasons, the Bronx native left the show in order to focus on her music career. Cardi’s career progressed courtesy of her mixtape releases. She also experienced success collaborating with artists such as G-Eazy, ASAP Rocky, The Migos, and Bruno Mars. Her career reached new heights with her debut studio album ‘Invasion of Privacy.’
A product of Houston, Texas, Megan Thee Stallion started writing rhymes at the age of seven. Her biggest hip hop influence was her mother, Holly Thomas. From 2001 to 2007, Holly Thomas rapped under the name Holly-Wood. As an artist, Megan developed a social media fanbase when she started posting videos of her rap battles. The release of multiple mixtapes helped her fanbase grow. Her mixtape and EP success landed her a spot on the XXL 2019 Freshman Class magazine cover. Megan stayed consistent throughout the year as she released hit after hit. She continued the trend in 2020 with the release of her hit songs ‘Savage’ and ‘Girls in the Hood.’ Megan has an aggressive delivery, and her sexuality is always put on display through her lyrics and live performances.
It’s obvious that decade after decade, the sound of music may experience a slight change. Throughout the years, the one element that remains constant is the use of sexually charged lyrics. Some artists may cleverly disguise the intimate tone of their music while others are direct with their use of erotic content. Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion joined forces for the single ‘WAP.’ The song and video immediately became the number one topic of conversation on social media. ‘WAP’ debut #1 on US Spotify and US Apple Music. ‘WAP’ which is the abbreviation for (Wet A** P*ssy), is a song that consists of a beat, a bass line, and a sample from DJ Frank Ski’s 1993 club track ‘Whores in This House.’ During the course of the song, Cardi and Megan take turns spitting provocative verses. Their deliveries are different, but their use of sexual metaphors are on the same clever level.
The video for ‘WAP’ has been sitting on top Youtube’s trending page since its release on August 7th. Currently, the video has over 53 million views. As you enter the property, it’s obvious that wetness is the narrative of this video. Water is squirting from a Lil Kim influenced statue, and water is also flowing on the porch and down the stairs. As you enter the luxurious mansion, once again, water is flowing on the floor. We’re greeted by Cardi and Megan as they strut down the hallway wearing custom off the shoulder bodysuits with a train, feathered gloves, high heel shoes, and 90’s influenced hairstyles. The video includes a tour of the pastel-toned mansion, tigers, leopards, snakes, twerking, and both Cardi and Megan showing their flexibility as they executed a cheerleader style split. The video also features cameos from Normani, Rosalia, Rubi Rose, Sukihana, and Mulatto. The most controversial cameo was the 20 second Kylie Jenner demonstration. Cardi B fans were very upset in regards to Jenner being a part of the video. Jenner has been previously accused of appropriating Black culture. Fans felt instead of using Kylie, they could have used Saweetie or a number of other Black artists. Fans also stressed the point if they wanted to use a Caucasian female, they would have preferred Betty White over Kylie Jenner.
Aside from the Kylie Jenner cameo and a few politicians giving their unwanted opinions, ‘WAP’ is a song and video that lived up to the hype. Cardi B’s debut album ‘Invasion of Privacy’ was certified as a triple-platinum album. Cardi won a Grammy and 4 BET awards courtesy of her debut. When an artist achieves a high level of success with a debut album, the sophomore slump becomes something they fear. With the immediate success of the single ‘WAP,’ it may be safe to say Cardi B will leapfrog the sophomore slump.
