Photo by Theo Wargo/GettyImages for Billboard
Most celebrities might shy away from their personal voice for the sake of their brand, but that's not quite the way Cardi B was built. Cardi B's got a lot of opinions. Her rhetoric usually defies what's physically possible, like never getting cold and getting butterflies in places other than her stomach. But when it comes to current events, the Bronx rapper isn't one to mince feelings. Shortly after the release of the (NSFW) video "Twerk," her collaboration with City Girls, the American history buff shared her feelings on the recent government shutdown, which is now the longest in American history."I just want to remind y'all because it's been a little bit over three weeks, Trump is now ordering, as in summonsing, federal government workers to go back to work without getting paid," she said on her Instagram. "I don't want to hear y'all motherfuckers talking about, 'Oh, but Obama shutdown the government for 17 days.' Yeah, bitch. For healthcare," she says. "Our country is in a hellhole right now, all for a fucking wall."Cardi B managed to make one of the most important PSA's about the government shutdown compact enough for Instagram's algorithm. Before the debates ensue, Cardi's choice to actively take a stance on how she feels about the effects of the shutdown—not only the country, but its workers is important. Culturally, we're witnessing how the choices of an artist can (like wearing a hat or choosing to play a halftime show) are inherently political. Cardi B, who turned down this year's Super Bowl, deserves all the credit for shining a light on a cause that's forced 800,000 workers out of a job. Now, TSA is playing "Sicko Mode," food is being regulated less, and tax season might come later than you think. The reality is not everyone realizes how serious a government shutdown is, but here's to hoping her 39 million followers put their Google to use.Kristin Corry is a staff writer for Noisey. Follow her on Twitter.
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