That’s a WAP: How the Cardi B anthem captured the spirit of 2020

Sign up to Roisin O’Connor’s free weekly newsletter Now Hear This for the inside track on all things music Get our Now Hear This email for free Get our Now Hear This email for free SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Certified freak, seven days a week.” This was the simple rhyming couplet that kicked off the explicit No 1 hit of the summer, Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s “WAP”. As The Onion editor Taylor Garron put it: “We as a society have yet to experience ‘WAP’ in a club context… it may be too powerful.” Then, naturally, come the culture wars. Although Cardi B mocked Shapiro after he slowly read out the lyrics on his show and called them “vulgar”, part of the song’s intrinsic appeal is undoubtedly tied to its ability to cause outrage. Enjoy unlimited access to 100 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music Sign up now for a 4 month free trial Sign up Enjoy unlimited access to 100 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music Sign up now for a 4 month free trial Sign up While it’s easy to underestimate the political power of a pop song that is in essence about getting very turned on, in actuality the phenomenal success of “WAP” provides a unique snapshot into a year characterised by crisis, lockdowns, culture wars, an increased reliance on social media, and shifting creative industries.