Earlier
this year, Cardi B inked a deal with Atlantic records following the
success of Gangsta Bitch Vol. 2. Fast forward to last month
and her contagious record “Bodak Yellow” made history by topping
the Billboard Hot 100, making her the first female rapper in 19 years
to reach No 1. But if you dig a little deeper, Cardi B’s
achievement is actually even more momentous.
Her
astonishing rise to fame has been described as both a modern
fairytale and the millennial manifestation of the American dream.
From social media influencer to A-lister, Cardi B has sent
reverberations through the music industry. Of course, relishing in
her success isn’t just about whether you like “Bodak Yellow” or
whether you’re an advocate for breast and bum augmentation. It’s
about celebrating women – those with or without privilege or
pedigree – and Cardi B is on top because of pure talent. She is a
woman on a mission writing her own narrative and making a way in
society for modern-day feminism.
Just
a girl from the Bronx, Cardi B began her ascent to fame as a college
drop-out. Aged 18 she became a stripper, then rose up with Instagram
to become a reality star and most recently a mainstream rapper. She
has made a name for herself with her unapologetic behaviour and uses
social media to speak out on a variety of issues, based on real life
experiences.
Feminism
isn’t a subject that is talked about in hip-hop, but plenty of
artists have fought for and made music to support the fight for
women’s rights. From Queen Latifah to Nicki Minaj, Cardi B is the
latest female rapper who isn’t afraid to label herself as a
feminist. And when it comes to her music, she represents the
underdog, encouraging female empowerment.
“When
you hear my lyrics, you hear the shots that I throw at people,” she
tells XXL referring to Gangsta
Bitch Vol. 2.
"I throw shots because I always been the underdog. I got
rejected so many times and I say it in my lyrics constantly. 'My ex
told me I was never gon' be sh*t/Lookie, lookie now, lookie now,
n*gga I'm that bitch,' I always got to prove myself, even now. I put
that in my music because that’s something that still bothers me."
She
has been praised by both fans and critics for her willingness to
speak up and openly defend what being a true feminist means to her.
But it has not come without criticism. She has been under severe
scrutiny by haters for representing feminism in the ‘wrong way’
because she was a stripper.
“I
inspire women to make money. I’m not encouraging women to be a
stripper. I’ma tell women to find a niche and make the best out of
yourself and make money out of it.”
Unlike
other artists, Cardi B finds her inspiration from the women she has
been surrounded by, the women that she has seen struggle and her mum
in particular.
“My
mom, she’s the best woman ever, the best mom in the world. But she
was dependant on my dad and when he left, I saw how hard she had to
work to take care of us. I knew I didn’t want to work that hard for
a little bit of change.”
What
Cardi B may not realise is that she has become the inspiration for
thousands of people globally. Labelled a ‘feminist shero’ by
fans, her frank and honest lyrics about her experience with domestic
violence, inspires other survivors and proves that there can be life
after leaving a violent situation.
In
Gangsta
Bitch Music Vol. 1, the
skit ‘Her Perspective’ is a very raw representation of the
traumatic experiences survivors of abuse endure on a daily basis.
This, along with her commentary in other songs, raises awareness of
the realities of how domestic violence can play out in the real
world. She touches on this when discussing how becoming a stripper
empowered her to move on, a good example of her sex worker inclusive
feminism.
Perhaps
a college drop out, Cardi B proves that you don’t need a degree in
politics to have an informed opinion about the political landscape.
From discussing the 2016 US presidential elections, she has used her
platform to comment on current affairs and does what the American
rapper does best – speak out against the status quo.
I love Cardi B, precisely
because she represents so much of what society has told us to hate
about women.
Sexists will call her a
slut, that she sleeps around and climbed in her career by
over-sexualising herself and that her music is trash.
Feminists will say she uses
her body instead of her mind to get ahead, that she empowers women in
the wrong way, because she was a stripper and that she uses the word
“bitch” much too often.
But
to love Cardi B, you’ve first got to love womanhood in all its
shapes and forms – even the womanhood that is considered the worse,
because it’s the one with makeup, weaves opposed to natural hair,
the one that abides to patriarchy and the male gaze according to what
is supposed to be respected in a woman. In order to love Cardi B, you
got to give the woman some credit, for being a bad-ass modern
feminist.
Post a Comment