Cardi B, the rapper behind such hits as “Bodak Yellow” and “WAP,” is never one to shy away from expressing her sexuality, and the music video for her new single “Up” continues that trend. In the video that dropped on Friday, Cardi croons from a clamshell while making out with her back up dancers while caressing a vibrator. If conservatives were upset about “WAP,” this certainly is not an olive branch.
Cardi B came out as bisexual in 2018 after criticism around her song “Girls,” which seemed to portray female bisexuality as something to arouse straight men. “I know i have use words before that i wasn’t aware that they are offensive to the LGBT community,” Cardi tweeted at the time. “I apologize for that. Not everybody knows the correct ‘terms’ to use. I learned and i stopped using it.”
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“Listen to GIRLS by Rita Ora ft me, [Bebe Rexha], [Charli XCX],” she continued. “We never try to cause harm or had bad intentions with the song .I personally myself had experiences with other woman, shiieeet with a lot of woman ! I thought the song was a good song and i remember my experience.”
Cardi B has fought back against people criticizing her for expressing her sexuality in her music in the past. When fans pointed out that she turned off “WAP” when her two-year-old daughter, Kulture, came into the room. “So ya daughter cant listen to it but everybody else’s daughter can?” someone tweeted at her. “AW OKAY! Exactly what I been saying you have an agenda to push with that trash a– label your [sic] with. DISGUSTING.”
“Ya needs to stop with this already!” Cardi responded. “I’m not [JoJo Siwa]! I don’t make music for kids I make music for adults. Parents are responsible on what their children listen too [sic] or see. I’m a very sexual person but not around my child just like every other parent should be.”
Cardi B explained in the past that she didn’t think that being overtly sexual and being a role model were mutually exclusive. “I know I’m a b—- that made it through because I work my ass off, not because luck fell on my thighs,” she said to Billboard. “I want to show people that you can do positive things, but you can also be yourself. I’m a very sexual person. I love sex.”
