What’s up?
It’s Sussan Mourad here with Clevver News and it’s only been about a week and a half
since Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion nearly broke the internet and dropped their song
WAP, and it’s continuing to make waves in Hollywood!
It seems people either absolutely love it or absolutely hate it.
And now, one male comedian is being called out for his take on the song and music video.
By now, I think we all know what WAP stands for and have heard the song enough times to
know that if it was a movie, it would probably be rated R or even X.
In addition to the lyrics, the music video, which has already been viewed around 100 million
times on YouTube, is equally explicit.
So while some people have been calling Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion out for the content
of the song, others are defending them saying it’s a female empowerment anthem and you
don’t have to listen to it if you don’t like it.
There have been thousands and thousands of tweets defending the song like this one that
says “the whole controversy about wap makes me so angry bc men literally sing/rap about
mistreating women, some songs are literally about r*pe but if a woman openly talks about
her sexuality it's inappropriate and offensive, fuck off”
But others have still been outspoken about how they think the song is quote “degrading,”
setting a “bad example,” and “vile.”
And now comedian Russell Brand took to Twitter and YouTube to weigh in on the song in a new
video.
He sat down for a discussion about whether WAP was quote “a feminist materpiece or
porn.”
“When I watched the video I was spellbound by its potency and power.”
Russell compared WAP to equally explicit rap songs by male artists, like many others on
Twitter were doing.
But people weren’t thrilled with his thoughts on this topic.
TOSS - 1:09 - 1:22 “Essentially, it’s an emulation of a template that already exists
and was established by males.
Is it equality if the template has already been established by the former dominator.
The answer is no.”
Russell went on to discuss gender roles like how traditional male values include quote,
“duty, service, loyalty, bravery, and courage” while traditional female values include “nurture,
caringness, and equality.”
Russell also compared the music video to the leadership style of Former Prime Minister
of the UK, Margaret Thatcher.
He said quote, “Was Margaret Thatcher a feminist icon?
No, because the values that she extolled, espoused, and conveyed were male values.
She was a woman-man.
She was a very, very powerful person, a brilliant politician.
But her premiership did not lead to more opportunity for women, more success for women.”
Russell's comments sparked outrage online for a variety of reasons including many people
accusing him of trying to mansplain feminism and others said it was ironic of him to criticise
women for celebrating their sexuality when he has been known to do the same in his stand
up comedy.
One person tweeted saying quote, “the amount that I DON'T want to hear cis man Russell
Brand offer a recycled black feminist critique of anything, let alone WAP, is like...
OFF THE CHARTS.”
Another person said “DUDE, WHY DO YOU EVEN NEED TO WEIGH IN ON THIS ITS NOT ABOUT YOUUUUUUUUU”
This fan tweeted saying “The fact that all these men are coming out to express outrage
about WAP and mansplain why it is not feminist, just proves how very feminist it actually
is.”
And this person pointed out that quote, “The "is WAP feminist empowerment or degrading
porn?"
debate does seem to be based on the strange assumption that all culture produced by women
must be one of those two things.”
But others responded to Russell’s video agreeing with him writing things like “He’s
not wrong.”
And “I agree with Russell.
I mean, their fans are predominantly female but the video is almost exclusively directed
at the male gaze.
Meghan and Cardi in a brothel?
Exaggerated thickness in the butt and thighs.Yet another impossible physical ideal and so out
of step with our new world.”
And other fans landed somewhere in the middle writing things like “I liked the beginning
but I think you're falling into the same trope, when you then go on to refer to certain human
values as "female values" and others as "male values."
those are all human values.
females are different is all, we're not a mirror image, or the leftovers of men.”
And while Russell hasn’t spoken out on this topic again directly, he’s been retweeting
some of the people who agree with him keeping the conversation going on Twitter.
So clearly the internet is torn on this one and it’s unlikely we’re ever going to
get to a place where everyone agrees on WAP.
But I don’t think Cardi or Megan care one bit as the song was already certified gold
after just one week and everyone is still talking about it.
If you want more on Cardi B and how WAP inspired her to join Only Fans, click right over here
for another Clevver video.
Also, let us know down in the comments below what you think of Russell Brand’s thoughts
on the song.
I’m your host Sussan Mourad, bye guys!