From W.A.S.P. to ‘WAP’: The Weird History of Moral Panics Over Lyrics

Conservative politicians and media figures absolutely freaked out over Megan Thee Stallion and Cardi B’s Numbe One hit “WAP” last week, in the latest of a long series of panics over boundary-pushing lyrics in rap and rock. The new episode of Rolling Stone Music Now, with Brittany Spanos and Rob Sheffield joining host Brian Hiatt, digs into the facts behind the “WAP” controversy (Cardi B’s support of Bernie Sanders and other Democrats is a big factor, as is sexism, racism, and election-year opportunism) before looking back at many of the dust-ups that preceded it.

The discussion ranges from the F.B.I.’s efforts to find obscenity in the Kingsmen’s “Louie Louie” to the legal battles over 2 Live Crew’s As Nasty as They Wanna Be to Tipper Gore and the PMRC’s wacky war against W.A.S.P., Prince, Madonna… and Cyndi Lauper.

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