"Bring a Bucket and a Mop"
Subverting Cultural Expectations to Celebrate Women’s Embodied Power in Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s “WAP”
Julia Edelman
READING THE VISUAL
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Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s sexually-charged “WAP” (“Wet-Ass Pussy”), both its lyrics and accompanying music video, features two Black women performing in a colorful mansion flooded with water and filled with statues of ample buttocks, roaming wild animals, snakes, and an indoor pool. Premiering in August 2020, in the midst of that summer’s Black Lives Matter protests, the video highlights performances exclusively from other famous women of color, with the exception of white reality television star Kylie Jenner opening a door. The publicly available YouTube version of “WAP” censors the words “wet-ass pussy,” replacing them with “wet and gushy,” but the explicit and self-objectifying lyrics––too risqué even for YouTube––evoke sex positivity and celebration of women’s bodies and power. Cardi and Megan further objectify themselves through visual images, as the singers appear in their video in what is essentially a museum of women’s bodies clearly made to be looked at for pleasure. Especially for Black women and especially in the world of rap music, women’s embodied power has been denied. Cardi and Megan similarly denigrate themselves, yet they use self-subjugation as a mode of sexual pleasure. I argue that, in opposition to much female objectification in rap music, Cardi and Megan objectify themselves as a means to an end––and that end is ultimately a feminist one that highlights their own power. In their 2020 music video for their song “WAP,” Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion upend our cultural expectations by presenting self-objectification as a tool for attaining sexual power.
Cardi and Megan objectify themselves throughout the video. Within the first few seconds, the property gates open to reveal a revolving statue of two naked women, mirroring Cardi and Megan down to the smallest details, such as the statues’ hairstyles, with water flowing from their breasts, legs spread open, and tongues stuck out. The statues of the women ask us to read the women themselves as inanimate physical objects, but Cardi and Megan’s objectification does not strip them of their agency. Rather, I argue that the statues bolster Cardi and Megan’s quest for sexual power. By portraying their naked bodies as larger-than-life objects of visual consumption, Cardi and Megan emphasize their significance as sexual beings worthy of commemoration. Cardi and Megan further objectify themselves through golden sculptures of buttocks and breasts, also with water flowing out of them. The camera quickly pivots from focusing on the sculptures to the women’s own buttocks and breasts, clarifying the link between the sculptures and the rappers. The sculptures themselves reveal to the duo that, as sexually powerful figures, they deserve to be cast in valuable metal and mounted on the walls for all to see. This objectification visibly buttresses Cardi and Megan’s sexual confidence as seen in their impressed facial expressions as they interact with the sculptures, which translates into pride in their own bodies. Cardi’s sexual power grows even more as a result of her lyrical self-objectification. In the third verse of “WAP” and in a nod to the song’s title, Cardi refers to her vagina as “punani Dasani.” Cardi’s linguistic objectification assigns newfound importance to her vagina, as it is not only objectified as a bottle of water––a consumable good––but a necessary one, as water is essential to human existence. Cardi’s objectification makes her so powerful as a sexual being that men not only desire her but need her to survive. Further, Cardi could have replaced “Dasani” with “water,” which would have still successfully illustrated her vagina as wet. However, Cardi’s use of “Dasani,” a specific bottled water brand worthy of capitalization as a proper noun, reinforces her sexual value.
Primarily, I use the term “objectification” to describe a scenario such as this one, but “subjugation,” a closely related idea, is also present in the video. While sometimes I use “subordination” and “submission” interchangeably with “subjugation,” I contend that “objectification” is a different concept. For instance, recall the statues outside the property I discussed previously. The statues not only objectify the women but also subjugate them, as the statues are highly sexualized, shown squatting towards the ground with their tongues out. Cardi and Megan themselves are similarly squatting and on their knees multiple times throughout the video. The women’s and the statues’ poses call to mind oral sex, implying their submission to men who would presumably be standing in front of them. Crucially, the women’s submission does not imply a lack of freedom or agency. Rather, as Michel Foucault asserts, power can only be exercised over those who are free to make their own decisions (790). For Foucault, power congeals in relationships between and among people and institutions. It is not a thing to be held by one or a few entities; it circulates throughout the social world (791). I propose not only that Cardi and Megan are free subjects, as freedom is a necessary qualification for power to be exerted, but that, since power is constituted by those who exercise it, Cardi and Megan play an active role in establishing their power by deciding to be submissive. One such way is by linguistically denigrating themselves during sex acts. Cardi raps, “I wanna gag, I wanna choke / I want you to touch that lil’ dangly thing that swing in the back of my throat.” As the object of a man’s desire, the rapper implies that her role is to please a man with her oral sex skills, even at the cost of gagging and choking as a man’s penis reaches her uvula. Notably, Cardi is not forced to perform oral sex and does not resent her subjugation but actively seeks such reactions. By emphasizing her talent in bed and her desire to show off her skills, Cardi presents herself as submissive as a tool to assert her power.
While Cardi and Megan objectify and subjugate themselves by means of language and image, they are not beholden to sexual obligations but, rather, enforce their own agency. Judith Butler examines the “performed” character of gender identity, arguing that gender is a construct performed into being, as there is no essential nature of gender. Nevertheless, gender is not something one chooses to perform fully on their own, nor is it something one’s social world forces upon them. Rather, gender is a complex interplay between the two (526). Even though gender is not something one can invent, as historically contextualized conventions limit possibilities, Butler emphasizes that to perform gender, one must interpret it and therefore enact agency. By Butler’s definition, Cardi’s self-objectification does not foreclose the opportunity for agency. In fact, when Cardi and Megan assert their agency, they are often simultaneously objectifying and subordinating themselves. Cardi enacts agency by determining to perform her gender sexually and submissively, but her powers of agency do not end there. In the aforementioned lyrics in which Cardi describes pleasuring her man with oral sex, she emphasizes her own desires, repeating “I wanna” and “I want you to.” Cardi’s power lies in exercising control over her sexuality by intentionally choosing to become submissive and linguistically affirming her agency. Megan similarly exercises agency by constituting her gender through performative acts and linguistically asserting control over her sexual interactions. Megan tells her partner what she wants him to do while performing oral sex on her, rapping, “Gobble me, swallow me.” She further instructs him to “Quick, jump out” during sex so that he does not ejaculate inside of her. Megan’s commands bolster her sexual power by not only illustrating her agency but also implying that the feeling of having sex with her is so enjoyable that it would hinder her partner’s ability to perform coitus interruptus. Megan’s statement also implies that she does not want to get pregnant, clarifying that she is not having sex for the purpose of procreation but rather because she values her own sexual pleasure.
Moreover, in scenes in which cinematic techniques contribute to their objectification, Cardi and Megan––already having asserted their agency––force the camera to see them as people capable of making decisions rather than as mere sexual objects. Throughout the video, the camera often shoots the rappers from above in a downward angle, which has the effect of focusing on traditionally sexualized features of their bodies. This camera angle also subordinates them, as it positions them below the camera/viewer. Laura Mulvey coined the term “male gaze,” a cinematic technique that encourages the viewer to imagine themself as a heterosexual man and view women in media as sexual objects. Mulvey contends that, under the male gaze, women’s appearances are designed to display and draw attention to themselves (62). The camera work, in addition to costume choice and body language in “WAP,” replicates the hypersexualization of all women that Mulvey discusses, thereby replicating the male gaze. In one scene, Cardi contributes to her own visual sexualization, wearing a cheetah print bodysuit with cutouts for her breasts and a thong bottom, blatantly drawing attention to her breasts and buttocks. As Cardi, in costume with her body on display, alternates between standing, a physical position of power, and sitting and lying down, physical positions of subordination, she maintains eye contact with the camera and the implicitly male viewer above her. Even when turned around so that her buttocks face the camera, Cardi looks over her shoulder and directly into the camera. Cardi therefore establishes her face, and by extension her brain and intellect, as the site of her power and forces the camera to recognize her agency rather than solely focus on disembodied body parts. Megan partakes in a similar process of participating in the male gaze as an active figure rather than the passive woman Mulvey describes by subjugating herself while establishing her face as the locus of her agency. On her hands and knees and with her back arched, Megan underscores her agency by staring up into the camera in a sexual manner while, at the same time, shaking her buttocks––all of which contribute to her sexual power.
Once Cardi asserts her agency, she is then able to take part in a play between dominance and submission, even within a single sexual encounter. Such a relationship––in which both partners can slide between and gain pleasure from dominance and submission––is the one the song ultimately ends up privileging. Foucault asserts that the methods by which one embodies power vary, and that, in order to exercise power, one must continually act upon previous actions (792; 789). Since avenues for attaining power are not fixed, Cardi and Megan not only occupy positions of both dominance and submission but gain sexual power from each. However, neither position of power is absolute, and Cardi and Megan must vacillate between the two to ensure that both positions remain powerful. For example, Cardi raps, “I don’t cook, I don’t clean / But let me tell you how I got this ring.” By implying that her husband proposed to her because she is talented in bed, Cardi maintains gendered power inequalities by suggesting that men’s goals are to have sex with and subjugate women. However, in so doing, Cardi also dismantles long-standing socially constructed gender stereotypes of women as working in the domestic sphere, devoting themselves to household tasks like cooking and cleaning. Further, Cardi not only occupies distinct positions of subjugation and domination but often blurs the line between the two. In the above lyrics, Cardi possesses such power over her man that he proposes to her because of her talents in the bedroom, yet that action, by its very nature, is subjugating. Butler’s notion of gender performativity suggests that individuals can transform social relations by finding malleability within an inherently oppressive hegemonic order to assert an agency that upsets its very foundations (525). Therefore, by recognizing the preeminence of women’s sexual objectification and subjugation––and then determining how to perform such objectification and subjugation with self-glorification––Cardi and Megan employ the practices of the hegemonic order to chart a path toward greater sexual agency.
“Therefore, by recognizing the preeminence of women’s sexual objectification and subjugation—and then determining how to perform such objectification and subjugation with self-glorification—Cardi and Megan employ the practices of the hegemonic order to chart a path toward greater sexual agency.”
Moreover, Cardi not only subjugates but objectifies herself while simultaneously exercising dominance over her sexual partner. For instance, Cardi issues commands for her man, repeating, “Bring a bucket and a mop for this wet-ass pussy / Give me everything you got for this wet-ass pussy.” Cardi’s understanding of her sexual importance is evident within her instructions, as she states that sex with her requires her man to “[g]ive [her] everything” he has. Cardi expresses that she is so powerful as a sexual being that, while she need not provide anything other than her body, her partner must put maximum effort into their sexual encounter. Additionally, by objectifying herself, Cardi emphasizes her sexual desirability by affirming her vagina’s lubrication. Cardi’s self-objectification further eschews socially constructed gender roles by not only again implying that she will not engage in household work but also insisting that her man will clean up the mess she made.
Megan is similarly aware of her sexual prowess, both as a submissive and dominant figure. While Megan refers to her man as “Your honor” in the fourth verse of the song, reinforcing her subordinate position, just a few lines later she confidently asserts her dominance over him and simultaneously sexualizes herself: “I could make ya bust before I ever meet ya.” Megan’s self-subordination allows her to clearly state her power over her partner, as she expresses her belief that she does not even have to physically interact with him to cause him to orgasm. Megan continues to occupy the dominant position when she brags that she has “[n]ever lost a fight,” yet in the same line slips into subordination as she says she is “lookin’ for a beatin’.” Even when Megan’s partner exercises physical control over her body, she maintains sexual power, as she emphasizes that she is seeking out such treatment. Notably, Megan not only dominates her partner but asserts ownership over his genitalia by mimicking motions that spell her name during intercourse: “When I ride the dick, Imma spell my name.” While both submissive and dominant positions are positions of power and pleasure, Megan insists that, as the one on top during sex, she is the one exercising the most control over both her partner’s body and her own. Further, Megan not only makes clear that her partner is also submissive at times but emphasizes that she is the one dictating his position. While Megan is often on her knees throughout the video, she states that she will “Put him on his knees, give him somethin’ to believe in.” Megan, who wields so much power that she likens herself to God, implies that her partner is physically beneath her and performing oral sex on her. While Megan is the dominant figure in this interaction, she is not the only one gaining pleasure. Her partner enjoys his imposed subjugation, as he worships Megan.
Cardi and Megan further assert their dominance by likening themselves to wild animals. The history of Black women’s sexuality helps explain why Cardi and Megan’s animalistic sexuality bolsters their quest for sexual power. Foucault argues that in order to study power relationships, one must be aware of the historical and social factors that have produced those relationships––factors that have arisen due to historically and socially related reasons and not because of some inherent quality of power (791). Patricia Hill Collins provides this essential background for Black women’s power relations, arguing that Black women have long been associated with wild, animalistic sexuality, and Black performers have taken advantage of such cultural views to promote their art and benefit financially from it (376-77). Collins refers to this advantage as “Black women’s agency or self-determination” (377). Megan makes use of her “Black women’s agency,” as she asserts her dominance and resulting sexual power by stating that she resides at the top of the animal kingdom and can physically eat her partner: “In the food chain, I'm the one that eat ya.” Megan advances her animalistic dominance by appearing alongside and dressing as a white tiger as she sings these lines. On the other hand, Megan’s partner is at the bottom of the food chain and caters to and pleases Megan; as a “bottom feeder,” he nourishes himself by performing anilingus on Megan. Cardi similarly exercises the “self-determination” to which Collins refers. In the scene in which Cardi is dressed in cheetah print and appears alongside live cheetahs, Cardi’s association with the wild animals boosts her sexual power and dominance, as the cheetah is the fastest animal in the world and could easily overpower any man. Cardi and Megan put their animalistic sexuality at the forefront of their song and messaging of their music video, and the two women rappers significantly benefit financially from their choice, as “WAP” secured four weeks as number one on the streaming charts (Trust). Cardi and Megan are obviously committed to the financial security of other women as well, as evidenced by the giveaway they hosted, in which they awarded monetary prizes to women in need (@theestallion). This anecdote indicates how Cardi and Megan’s message is not only lip service; their actions reveal their values as well.
Although women may be limited by sexual objectification because it shapes their aspirations toward becoming desirable under the male gaze, not all forms of objectification are harmful. In fact, Cardi and Megan’s sexual desirability functions as a tool to access greater freedom, as it is a quality Cardi and Megan inherently possess to market themselves and their music. While sex and sexuality have remained part of the public discourse, such public discussion has primarily focused on its regulation. Sex and sexuality have therefore long been taboo topics, so sex-positive dialogue has been sparse and relegated to private discourse. The “WAP” music video takes place entirely behind the gates of a private property, a subtle effort at making fans more comfortable with the song’s explicit discourse around sex and sexuality by placing it in the private setting of a home. Yet, a closer examination of the context of the video reveals how Cardi and Megan do not conform to the idea that sex-positive discourse is inappropriate for public discussion. Instead, Cardi and Megan chart a path toward women’s sexual liberation by discussing their sexual power on the world stage. To date, “WAP” has over 393 million views, and the visual consumption of the video requires one to see that ever-growing number. Cardi’s self-objectification and discussion of her WAP are also not exclusive to “WAP.” In her 2017 breakout hit, “Bodak Yellow,” Cardi raps, “My pussy feel like a lake,” analogous to her “WAP” lyrics, “This pussy is wet, come take a dive.” Importantly, Cardi’s objectification is not only a tool for gaining sexual power in heterosexual relationships, as Cardi, who is bisexual, uses her platform to destigmatize LGBTQ sexuality. Also in “Bodak Yellow,” Cardi emphasizes that, as a sexually powerful and desirable figure, she could easily steal your “boo” or your “babe.” The following year, in “Girls,” Cardi shuts down heteronormative sexual and economic standards as she states she does not need anyone else to satisfy her sexual or economic needs: “I’m too sexy, I seduce myself … Seven-figure, never need a n****.” Cardi’s self-objectification and open discussion of sexuality not only helps insert sex into popular, non-regulatory discourse but also helps dismantle negative racial stereotypes about Black women, which Collins argues are all but erased in the public conscience by their ubiquity (377).
“WAP” begins with a voice bellowing “There’s some whores in this house.” “Whores” is an empowering term for Cardi and Megan, who go on to celebrate their sexuality throughout the song and music video. Cardi and Megan are both extremely popular Black women rappers, and society has tried to pit them against one another, as if only one Black woman rapper can reign superior. Cardi and Megan do not give in to this pressure, however, and instead unite at the peak of their careers to rap about sex. Charles Holmes, describing right-wing backlash against the song and music video, states that, “According to conservatives, ‘WAP’ threatens the very future of women everywhere.” Holmes goes on to poke fun at this notion, arguing that the only way the song “threatens” the future of women is by destabilizing right-wing oppressive views of society, including sexist views of women. I agree with Holmes and argue that “WAP” actually serves the purpose of celebrating and prioritizing women's sexuality and sexual pleasure.
Works Cited
Butler, Judith. “Performative Acts and Gender Constitution: An Essay in Phenomenology and Feminist Theory.” Theatre Journal, vol. 40, no. 4, 1988, pp. 519-531.
“Cardi B - Bodak Yellow [OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO].” YouTube, Uploaded by Cardi B, 24 June 2017, www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEGccV-NOm8.
“Cardi B - WAP feat. Megan Thee Stallion [Official Music Video].” YouTube, Uploaded by Cardi B, 6 August 2020, www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsm4poTWjMs.
Collins, Patricia Hill. “Black Sexual Politics.” Feminist Frontiers. 8th ed., edited by Verta Taylor, Nancy Whittier, and Leila J. Rupp, McGraw Hill, 2008, pp. 375-88.
Foucault, Michel. “The Subject and Power.” Critical Inquiry, vol. 8, no. 4, 1982, pp. 777-795.
Holmes, Charles. “The Conservative Crusade Against ‘Wet-Ass Pussy.’” Rolling Stone. 11 August 2020, https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/wet-ass-pussy-ben-shapiro-conservative-backlash-1042491/.
Mulvey, Laura. “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema.” Feminism and Film Theory, edited by Constance Penley, Routledge, 1988, pp. 57-68.
“Rita Ora - Girls ft. Cardi B, Bebe Rexha & Charli XCX (Official Video).” YouTube, Uploaded by Rita Ora, 6 June 2018, www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExJmET8boVw.
@theestallion. “To all everyone supporting #WAP we see you!! we’re partnering with Twitter and Cash App to celebrate all the powerful women out there by giving away a total of $1 million dollars. how can some $ help you or a woman you know right now? drop your $cashtag and use #WAPParty.” Twitter, 19 Aug. 2020, 11:03 a.m., twitter.com/theestallion/status/1296115578726383616.
Trust, Gary. “Cardi B’s ‘WAP’ Tops Billboard Hot 100 for Fourth Week, The Weeknd’s ‘Blinding Lights’ Makes History in Top Five.” Billboard. 21 September 2020, www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/9452973/cardi-b-wap-number-one-fourth-week-hot-100.
Julia Edelman is from Los Angeles, California. She studies sociology, marketing, and writing in the College of Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis.