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You thought it was over? Think again! Record-breaking “WAP” collaborators Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion are back with a new single titled “Bongos.” The song officially hit all digital download and streaming platforms on Friday, Sep. 8.
Obviously, “Bongos” serves as the first collaboration between the two rap queens since 2020’s “WAP,” but don’t make any rash assumption about the new song. “I wonder how people are gonna react to this vibe because they’re really, like, expecting ‘WAP,’ like, ‘oh, here they go again talking this and that,’” Cardi said. “We are talking a little, you know, about some p—y, but not like ‘WAP’ type of stuff.”
Cardi first announced “Bongos” via social media on Monday, Sep. 4. She shared the track’s cover art, which features her and Megan sucking on lollipops while posing in elaborate multi-colored wigs and skimpy swimsuits. The song’s announcement came less than two weeks after the Bronx rapper told Vogue México y Latinoamérica, “I’m not going to release any more collaborations, I’m going to put out my next solo single.” While it is still unclear if “Bongos” will appear on Cardi’s forthcoming sophomore studio album, fans can bask in the song’s “intricate… beautiful” accompanying music video.
“Bongos” is the latest in a string of Cardi B collaborations this year. Prior to this, she scored Billboard Hot 100 hits alongisde Latto (“Put It On Da Floor Again,” No. 13), Fendi DaRappa (“Point Me 2,” No. 82) and husband Offset (“Jealousy,” No. 55). The new collaboration will also serve as Megan Thee Stallion’s first release of the year. The Houston rapper has been taking sometime for herself to focus on her physical and mental health following her shooting at the hands of Tory Lanez and the lengthy trial and media circus that followed.
“WAP” debuted atop the Hot 100 on the chart dated Aug. 22. The song debuted with 93 million official on-demand U.S. streams in its first full week of availability, the greatest total for any song in history. The culture-shifting collaboration — which spurred thousands of FCC complaints after the two artists performed it at the 2021 Grammys — ultimately spent four weeks atop the Hot 100.
On the Hot 100, Cardi B has earned five No. 1 singles, including “Bodak Yellow,” “Girls Like You” (with Maroon 5) and “Up.” Invasion of Privacy, her debut studio album, peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and has spent over 220 weeks on the ranking. Megan Thee Stallion has earned five top 10 titles on the Billboard 200 and three top 10 singles on the Hot 100, including the No. 1 single “Savage” (with Beyoncé).
Stream “Bongos” here:
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Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion have won a court ruling tossing out a lawsuit that accused them of stealing the lyrics to their smash hits “WAP” and “Thot Shit” from an earlier track called “Grab Em by the P—-.”
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In a decision issued Tuesday (Aug. 29), a Manhattan federal judge ruled that the lyrics Cardi and Megan were accused of copying in their songs — “p—- so wet” and “n—-s wild’n” — were simply too unoriginal to be covered by copyright law.
“The lyrics over which plaintiff asserts copyright protection are no more than common phrases, employed frequently in popular culture and other Hip-Hop songs,” U.S. District Judge Andrew L. Carter wrote.
“The concept of using ‘p—- so wet’ as a rhetorical device in a song is neither original nor unique to plaintiff,” the judge wrote. “Likewise, defendants have provided examples of at least three songs pre-dating [‘Grab Em’] which use some variation of the phrase ‘n—–s wild’n.’”
The ruling dismissed a lawsuit filed last year by Denise Jones, a rapper who performs under the name Necey X, against Cardi (Belcalis Marlenis Almanzar), Megan (Megan Pete) and Atlantic Records. Jones, who sued without the aid of a lawyer, claimed that the stars chose to “copy and paste” her lyrics into their songs.
But in Tuesday’s decision, Judge Carter said Jones not only lacked valid copyrights in those lyrics but that Cardi and Megan’s own words were not “substantially similar” to those in “Grab Em” — the key requirement for proving copyright infringement.
“Defendants’ lyric, ‘why you in the club with n—-s wild’n,’ poses a question to the rapper (or to the audience), while plaintiff’s lyric refers to the rapper’s effect on a single individual,” the judge wrote. “Thus, the phrase is used in different ways and has different meanings such that an ordinary listener would not identify defendants’ lyric as being appropriated from plaintiff’s song.”
The lawsuit also included additional claims beyond copyright law, including that Cardi and Megan had stalked and harassed Jones. But Judge Carter quickly dispatched those allegations as well.
“Plaintiff makes generalized allegations about fearing for her safety from alleged stalking and harassment by the ‘cartel’ that she equates to the music industry at large, but plaintiff neither identifies any negligent conduct on the part of defendants or any special duty to avoid causing emotional distress,” the judge wrote.
Jones did not return a request for comment on the ruling Friday.
Released in August 2020 by Cardi with guest vocals by Megan, “WAP” was a smash hit, spending four weeks atop the Hot 100. “Thot Shit,” released a year later by Megan, was partly inspired by the backlash that “WAP” had received from conservative critics; it reached No. 16 on the Hot 100.
Cardi B took to Twitter on Wednesday (June 28) to reflect on her controversial 2020 Megan Thee Stallion collaboration, “WAP,” and the political debate that it sparked. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news “Y’all remember when the FCC almost sued me cuz I performed WAP at the […]
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