The release of the song WAP, by Cardi B, has caused one of the biggest pop culture controversies that 2020 has seen thus far. The song is composed of explicit lyrics that predominantly refer to female sexuality or otherwise connote desire on behalf of the two singers, Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion. Although this may seem irrelevant in terms of the sexualised persona that rap music as a whole has embraced since the 1990s, the song was received negatively by vocal groups of men.
This criticism came in spite of the fact that not only has the rap industry been male-dominated since its inception but that the lyrics of rap songs by men often explicitly discuss women’s bodies from a male perspective. WAP isn’t attacking the integrity of the rap genre, it is simply reclaiming its possession of female bodily autonomy from the mouths of men.
Why is it that women discussing their own anatomy is deemed to be crude or offensive but the same lyrics from a male artist are lauded by listeners? Seemingly, these men are irritated that they’ve been reminded that women are, in fact, the sole owners of their bodies. Why is it that 2Pac is remembered for his mysterious murder but not for his immense respect for women? Why can Eminem rap about violently abusing women and then blame it on his alter ego to avoid any criticism? Aside from dominating the charts, WAP has exposed the rap industry for what it is: inherently misogynistic and afraid of the very women that it profits from.
Missy Elliott is living proof that sexually explicit songs by female artists are not a new concept, they are just still considered to be taboo. Why should women remain quiet when men sexualise and sing about our bodies every day? As much as fragile men might protest, WAP gives the current generation of rap artists an important message: women are the rightful owners of their anatomy and there’s no shame in profiting off our own bodies when men have been claiming careers through degrading us for decades.
Written by Alex Mulhare
Artwork by Zara Masood
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