This Morning, 7 August, Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion released their new track ‘WAP’ along with a music video just in time for the weekend. Unsurprisingly, the song and the new video are both as extra and in-your-face as the two rappers. With surprise appearances from Kylie Jenner and Rosalia, here’s everything you need to know about ‘WAP’ and why it is the greatest celebration of women we’ve seen so far this year.

‘WAP’ stands for Wet Ass Pussy. The track is Cardi B’s new single for her upcoming second studio album, Tiger Woods. It’s the first collaboration between Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion as well as Cardi’s first release of 2020 since her solo single ‘Press’.

On 29 July, Cardi B teased the existence of new music with a promo for her website on Instagram, and on 2 August, uploaded a video to her Instagram suggesting there would be an announcement the following day. Finally, on 3 August, Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion both revealed the song’s name, cover art, and release date on their Instagram.

Yesterday, on 6 August, Cardi B revealed that the music video would be released alongside the song, and posted a teaser for the video later that day. Minutes before the release of the song, Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion did a live-stream on YouTube titled Live with Cardi B.

The music video for ‘WAP’ takes place in a luxurious mansion and starts with a shot of a fountain out front featuring two female statuettes, which is just a little teaser of what’s to come over the next 4:12 minutes. Hint: Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion have never been scared to show a little bit of skin.

“I just want to let y’all know, I wanna give y’all the heads up, the music video is going to be the censored version of the song, because the song is so nasty that YouTube was like, ‘Hold on, wait a minute, someone might be too Goddamn nasty,” Cardi B revealed on Instagram before the release, encouraging fans to listen to the full ‘nasty’ version on streaming services.

Many will have spotted cameo appearances from Kylie Jenner—we’re not joking, Normani, Rosalia, Rubi Rose, Sukihana and Mulatto. The video is full of two things: females and latex, and we’re so here for both!

Appearing on New Music Daily for Apple Music, Cardi B said: “I wanted a lot of different females, not just female rappers. Y’all going to see it on the music video as well, from models to influencers and everything.”

Speaking about the lesser-known artists featured in the ‘WAP’ video, including Rubi Rose, Sukihana and Mulatto, Cardi B said “These are the girls that I personally like. That I like their music. That I really feel they are going to go mainstream.”

Kylie Jenner can be seen in the video walking in the house’s corridors in a tiny leopard body while Rosalia appears dancing in a dark room in a dreamy red latex outfit towards the end of the song.

The song’s crude lyrics highlight Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s aim to make women feel empowered by their sexuality. The lyrics “There’s some whores in this house” celebrate the fact that women get horny too. Feeling like you want more? Do you want to get freaky? Well, ‘WAP’ tells you: just do what you want, get it, no shame.

Women are still underrepresented in the world of hip-hop, without a doubt. Female artists either stray closer to pop or to R&B, playing it safe. Cardi B doesn’t care about any of that. She proves once more to be an empowering voice for women, along with the impressive Megan Thee Stallion.

Both rappers are not afraid to sound loud and proud in a genre ruled by men who objectify women as a selling point for their music. This time, they’ve turned the narrative around. ‘WAP’ sounds, looks and feels like the start of a long-needed change in music.

It looks like Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion just saved 2020.

The Sunday Times’ annual Rich List is the go-to record of the UK’s richest musicians and this year, Rihanna’s name is on it for the first time ever, along with Sir Paul McCartney, Mick Jagger and Sir Elton John. The pop star, who now resides in London, surprised many, including Robert Watts, who compiles the list and told the BBC: “Very few people knew she was living in the UK until last summer. Now she’s well placed to be the first musician to reach billionaire status in the UK.”

With an estimated fortune of £468 million, just behind Sir Paul McCartney and Lord Lloyd-Webber, Rihanna claimed the third place on the list. Her earnings are mostly due to the Fenty Beauty cosmetics brand, where her reported 15 per cent stake is worth £351 million. Although Rihanna is mostly known for her music career, she has more recently focused her work on her fashion and makeup empire and hasn’t released an album since 2016.

Rihanna, who turned 32 last February, is a one of the youthful exceptions among Britain’s richest musicians. Also included in the top 40 highest-earners are Ed Sheeran and Adele, who are younger than our dear Riri, with fortunes of £200 million and £150 million respectively.

Further down the list, there are new entries for the new gen of pop stars, with Dua Lipa, 24, and George Ezra, 26, each said to be worth £16 million.

Ed Sheeran is also the UK’s richest young musician (aged 30 or under), adding £40 million to his overall wealth after completing a 255 date world tour last August. Harry Styles came second with a fortune of £63 million.

It is said that although Rihanna deserves her third place, she might soon be pushed down to fourth place by the Irish band U2, who doesn’t appear on the list due to COVID-19 delaying the publication of the paper’s Irish Rich List.

Fenty Beauty was designed to cater to a wider range of skin types and tones than other famous cosmetic brands. Meanwhile, Rihanna’s lingerie line, Savage X Fenty was made with every body type in mind and the brand’s runways celebrate diversity.

Thanks to the star’s endorsement, both brands received immediate success, but could it also be because both were pioneers in promoting a message of diversity and inclusivity too?

Rihanna’s fortune makes her the richest female musician not just in the UK, but the world, ahead of Beyoncé, Madonna and Celine Dion. One thing is certain, Riri’s doing something right.