May 16, 2018
Cardi B Defends Rita Ora's 'Girls,' Says She's Also Had Same-Sex 'Experiences'
READ TIME: 2 MIN.
Rapper Cardi B is defending Rita Ora's new single "Girls," which she is featured on, after the track, which also features Charli XCX and Bebe Rexha, was criticized for exploiting bisexuality and for queer-baiting.
The "I Like It" rapper followed suit, echoing Ora's Monday statement, where she apologized for the song for possibly offending the LGBTQ+ community and revealing she's had relationships with both men and women. Taking to Twitter Tuesday, Cardi wrote she and her collaborators "never try to cause harm or had bad intentions with the song."
Also like Ora, she then revealed she's had same-sex "experiences."
"I personally myself had experiences with other women, shiieeett with a lot of woman [sic]!" she added. "I thought the song was a good song and I remember my experience."
She added:
"I know i have use words before that i wasn't aware that they are offensive to the LGBT community. I apologize for that .Not everybody knows the correct 'terms' to use.I learned and i stopped using it."
In "Girls," Ora sings: "Sometimes, I just wanna kiss girls, girls, girls / Red wine, I just wanna kiss girls, girls, girls" and "I ain't one-sided, I'm open-minded / I'm fifty-fifty and I'm never gonna hide it / You should know, eh / You should know, ay." For Cardi's part, she raps: "Now I could be your lipstick, just for one night (one night)" and later, "I steal your bitch, have her down with the scissor."
When discussing the song before its release, Ora admitted to being inspired by Katy Perry's controversial debut single "I Kissed a Girl."
After "Girls" was released, singer Hayley Kiyoko, who is openly lesbian, took issue with it and shared a statement, calling it "tone deaf" and that the lyrics "do more harm than good for the LGBTQ+ community." Additionally singer Kehlani, who recently came out as queer, also took aim at the song.
Neither Charli XCX or Bebe Rexha have responded to the controversy and criticism over "Girls."
Listen to the song below.
