Cardi B is back on top.
“WAP,” the Grammy Award winning rapper’s sexually explicit collaboration with Megan Thee Stallion has debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 charts and also broke a streaming record in its first week of release.
Released Aug. 7, the song drew 93 million U.S. streams within six days. According to Nielsen Music/MRC Data, the tally is the most for any track in its first week of release.
The song, produced by Ayo the Producer Keyz, is Cardi B’s fourth Hot 100 chart topper. Previous mainstream hits include “I Like It,” with Bad Bunny & J Balvin and her appearance on Maroon 5’s “Girls Like You” in 2018, and her 2017 breakthrough hit “Bodak Yellow.”
Megan Thee Stallion celebrated her first Hot 100 No. 1 with the Beyoncé-powered remix of “Savage” earlier this spring.
The coveted chart blends all-genre U.S. streaming, radio airplay and sales data.
“WAP” has sparked by controversy among music fans for its provocative and arguably profane lyrics.
On one hand, some have argued that it’s regressive, derogatory and exploitative. Others have countered that with conversations about how it represents female empowerment and sexual liberation.
There have also been discourse on social media about the how the criticism is sexist and has never been directed at male performers who have a long – and celebrated – history of delivering raunchy rap music.
“I think the song is nasty, but I was thinking [about all the controversy], wow, like, I don’t know,” Cardi B, who has never shied away from explicit lyrics in her music, told CNN’s Lisa Respers France last week. “I’m just so used to it.”
Nevertheless, the song is a huge hit at radio.
As a matter of fact, according to Billboard, “WAP” drew 11.6 million radio airplay audience impressions in the week ending Sunday.
The Colin Tilley-directed video music video, which set off a social media firestorm – for featuring cosmetics mogul Kylie Jenner – has generated over 103 million views on Cardi B’s official YouTube channel.
On Monday, the Bronx-born ex-stripper and reality TV star took to Instagram to share joy about the news on Instagram with a profanity-laced video where she also sang a refrain from Michelle Williams’ 2014 gospel hit “Say Yes.”
“I don’t even know how to thank you ,I wish I can give you a big ass hug!!!” Cardi B wrote, in part. “Thank you to my fans Megan fans,Thank you the world for listening .Im just soooo thankful I can’t even type it .Imma get like a bad b—h and tell ya later. Love ya WAAAAAAAPP”
