The Cardi B Uproar Shouldn’t Be About Family Values
The backlash over her endorsement deal with McDonald’s misunderstands the place the singer holds among her fans, many of whom are young parents.
Making her own rules.
Photographer: MICHAEL TRAN/AFPMcDonald’s Corp. finds itself at the center of the latest controversy over a celebrity deal. In this iteration, it’s about whether rapper Cardi B represents the kind of family friendly values that the fast-food chain claims to stand for.
And what kinds of family values are being compromised in this promotion for burgers and fries? According to the Wall Street Journal, franchisees cited “the artists’ lyrics” and the “lifestyles” of her and her rapper husband Offset.
For me, the problem isn’t a question of family values, but the meal itself: who wants to spend $18 on a McDonald’s burger and fries? That’s more than a lot of people make an hour. More importantly, why did such an iconic artist agree to promote fast food to communities with high rates of hypertension and heart disease, and low access to healthcare? That deserves much more scrutiny than a debate about whether Cardi B represents family values.
The concerns raised by some of McDonald’s franchisees suggest a racialized and dated definition of family values where matriarchs are quiet and sanitized of their sexuality. If you take a harder look at younger families these days, especially families of color, it’s easy to see many Cardi B fans in the mix. The shock and outrage over this brand deal is steeped in the kind of racial ignorance and misogyny that animate so many battles in America's ongoing culture war.
It doesn’t surprise me that McDonald’s chose Cardi B and Offset as celebrity endorsers. Cardi B herself is a mom and is loved by families across the country, especially ones headed by younger parents. She’s such a part of the soundscape of families’ lives that some kids have gone viral rapping along with her songs. Many moms, including Cardi B herself, cover their kids’ ears over some of her more explicit lyrics or stop the music altogether. Parents make their own decisions about whether they let their kids listen to Cardi B’s music. But for many families, whether the kids know her songs by heart or not, Cardi B is a loved figure.