TOO HUMBLE
Cardi B dropped "UP," her highly anticipated follow-up single to her hit song "WAP," featuring Megan Thee Stallion. On her Youtube premiere show, Cardi B described "UP" as more "gangsta" and her talking her shit because, in her own words, she's too humble. Obviously, she also heard all the cackling about her not being able to succeed without a feature, so this song serves as her way of shutting the naysayers UP; no pun intended.
VISUALS
The visuals for this song were cool. One thing about Ole Girl is that she is going to deliver a full video with multiple shots and looks. However, when I compare this music video to her past ones, it does not jump to the top. But what did jump out was Cardi B trying to be Left-Eye from "No Scrubs," in one scene, LOL.
Another thing, it so clear to me that Ole Girl cannot dance. I noticed this awhile back, but every time I see her trying to do choreography, it jumps out to me. Now, she can work a pole. Her Silhouette Challenge was good, but off the pole, she awkward. There is something always off about her movements to me.
No matter how I feel about Cardi's dancing, she, along with Megan and Doja Cat, are showing the female rappers that they gotta do more than make "bad bitch" faces in videos.
WHAT'S "UP" WITH THE SONG?
Now my thoughts on the actual song. If you had told me that this was the follow-up single to WAP, I would have laughed at you. This song sounds like a number 12 track on a twenty song album. It sounds like a filler track bumped up to a single because something fell through last minute.
I will not call the track trash because I do like the beat; however, it is underwhelming. The hook is not
catchy, Cardi's so-called Quotables are weak, and nothing makes the song stand out. Give this song to any of the other girls, and people would be whining about how it sounds like everything else, or it's annoying, etc. Also, Cardi said this song was "gangsta"...WHERE?
One of my biggest issues with the track is that Cardi B has shown no growth as an artist or rapper since Bodak Yellow. One of my biggest gripes with the Hip Hop media is they keep giving her a pass while dragging the other girls on the smallest shit. I think DreamDoll is a better rapper than Cardi B. Give this track to DreamDoll, and it will sound better because the rapping will be better.
Y'all know I can write a book on the lack of critique given to Cardi when it comes to her rhymes and rapping ability, yet people want her to win all the awards. But, this is about "UP," and I don't think it's a single-worthy track.
CHARTING???
I really have to see the propaganda used to push this song cause there is no way people can honestly be impressed with this track without some narrative surrounding it. I already saw some of the usual suspects promoting the song. So, Cardi has her people in place.
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