Let’s hold CeeLo Green to the same standard he suggests for Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion, and Nicki Minaj
Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion did an exceptional job with their unabashed sex-positive jam, “WAP.” Wanna know how we can tell (aside from screaming “MACARONI IN THE POT” at every opportune moment)? Because every hand-wringing, insecure talking head with half a platform can’t help but comment on it. This tendency isn’t new; this is just the kind of thing that happens when female rappers decide to take ownership of their sexuality—you know, similarly to what male rappers have been doing freely for decades, unchallenged by their peers?
To wit, Far Out magazine posted an interview with “Closet Freak” and “Necromancer” singer CeeLo Green, who shared his insights regarding his new album and the state of music today. “There’s a disconnect,” Green said. “It almost sounds unnatural: it sounds digitized and robotic.” While we could certainly take a moment to dig into how this opinion is rarely coupled with a substantial search for all of the quality music available at our fingertips, that’s not the major point here. What sparked some serious curiosity were his opinions that seemingly centered squarely on female rappers—specifically, Nicki Minaj, Cardi B, and Megan Thee Stallion. Green felt compelled to comment on the often adult nature of their songs, which he believes are symptomatic of a serious issue: “A lot of music today is very unfortunate and disappointing on a personal and moral level. There was once a time when we were savvy enough to code certain things. We could express to those it was meant for with the style of language we used. But now music is shameless, it is sheer savagery.”
“We are adults. There should be a time and a place for adult content,” the “Fuck You” performer continues. “You have the ‘Heads of State,’ like Nicki Minaj or someone who is up there in accolade: success, visibility, a platform to influence. Nicki could be effective in so many other constructive ways, but it feels desperate. Attention is also a drug and competition is around.” As for the “WAP” duo: “Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion, they are all more or less doing similar salacious gesturing to kinda get into position. I get it, the independent woman and being in control, the divine femininity and sexual expression. I get it all… it comes at what cost?”
It should be noted that he most likely shared his opinions well before “WAP” premiered. He is also right about one thing: If you have a highly visible platform, it’s best to use it responsibly. Green himself certainly had a viable platform back in 2014 when he spoke of a court case involving a woman who initially accused Green of sexual assault. While Green pleaded “no contest” to supplying the woman with Ecstasy during a date in 2012, he vehemently denied all accusations of rape. Though he could have used his platform to highlight the importance of consent and respecting boundaries, he instead argued on Twitter that “If someone is passed out they’re not even WITH you consciously! so WITH Implies consent.” He later apologized for the comments before deleting his Twitter account altogether—and again in 2015 while promoting an album—but by that time, the damage had already been done.
So the moral of this sad story is: Shaking your ass to “WAP”—which has already accrued over 70 million views on YouTube in a matter of four days—is a way better use of your time than turning to CeeLo-damn-Green for advice on morality.