Cardi B hits back at ‘queerbaiting’ claims: ‘It pressures artists to talk about their sexuality’
Cardi B attends “The Road to F9” Global Fan Extravaganza at Maurice A Ferre Park on 31 January 2020 in Miami, Florida. (Getty/Dia Dipasupil)
Rapper and songwriter Cardi B has hit back at claims of “queerbaiting” she’s faced following the release of the video for her song “Wild Side”.
The rapper made the comments in relation to a recent Rolling Stone article about queerbaiting which included a reference to her music video with singer Normani. The article noted a social media user accused the women of queerbaiting as the two are pictured embracing while naked in the video.
Cardi B, who is currently expecting her second child, replied directly to the Rolling Stone article on Twitter and questioned if the authors knew she was “trying to hide a whole baby bump” while shooting the video.
“Also, I’m married to a man, but I have express soo much about my bisexuality and my experiences wit girls,” the rapper tweeted. “All of a sudden ‘queer baiting’ is the new word [and] people use it to the ground.”
Uuummmm @RollingStone queer baiting? You do know we was trying to hide a whole baby bump right ?Also I’m married to a man but I have express soo much about my bisexuality and my experiences wit girls .All of a sudden “queer baiting” is the new word & people use it to the ground ! https://t.co/M3kn4NyJBs
— Cardi B (@iamcardib) July 23, 2021
The “WAP” rapper denounced the term itself in a later tweet and stated she believed it could “pressure” people into divulging details about their sexuality before they’re ready.
“I feel like it pressure artist to talk about their sexuality or their experiences that they don’t feel comfortable speaking about,” Cardi B wrote.
“If a artist kiss a girl on a video does that means she gotta show videos [and] text wit wit other women?”
I don’t like this new “queer baiting” word.I feel like it pressure artist to talk about their sexuality or their experiences that they don’t feel comfortable speaking about.If a artist kiss a girl on a video does that means she gotta show videos & text wit wit other women?— Cardi B (@iamcardib) July 23, 2021
Cardi B previously addressed the topic of queerbaiting in 2018
The New York-born musician faced criticism after she featured on the “Girls” track alongside Bebe Rexha, Charli XCX and Rita Ora. In the music video, Ora and Cardi B can be seen kissing one another and holding hands.
The song received a wave of backlash from LGBT+ artists and fans for “fuelling the male gaze while marginalising the idea of women loving women”. One queer musician branded the track as “downright tone-deaf”.
Rapper Cardi B performs onstage during the 92.3 Real Street Festival at Honda Center on 11 August 2019 in Anaheim, California. (Getty/Scott Dudelson)
Cardi B revealed that she had multiple “experiences” with “a lot” of other women while defending the “Girls” track in 2018. She wrote on Twitter that she thought the “song was a good song”, and it made her “remember my experience”.
“We never try to cause harm or had bad intentions with the song,” the rapper added.
