There’s an old saying that we become whatever we fight against. In the case of music, it’s especially true; the artists who were once chastised for pushing the boundaries of social norms become the ones berating their successors for doing the same thing. Once upon a time, the English heavy metal band Black Sabbath left conservative observers clutching their pearls due to their dark content and “offensive” presentation. Now, ironically, one member of the band has some heavy criticism for one of today’s edgiest stars.
In a new interview with Kerrang!, original Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler explained the above-mentioned phenomenon, using his own feelings about Cardi B’s hit single “WAP” as an example. “Whatever new music comes out, it’s viewed as the devil’s music,” he explained. “I remember when Elvis came out everybody said he was Satan. And then in the ’60s and ’70s he became America’s national treasure. It happens with every new wave of music. Like metal, obviously. The Christians were going mental when Sabbath came about. And then when rap came about, people were up in arms about that and certain words that rappers were using.”
However, he says, he’s now fallen victim to this mentality himself, thanks to Cardi B’s ode to her genital juiciness. “I have to say, though, that Cardi B pisses me off with that ‘WAP’ song,” Butler continued. “It’s disgusting! But there you go. A friend of mine didn’t know what the song was about but his 10-year-old girl was singing it! I was like ‘What?!’ To put it on the album, fair enough. But to put it out as a single? That’s a bit much.”
Butler did leaven his criticism with a little self-deprecation. “Then again, I’m 71,” he joked. “A bloody old goat!”
“WAP” has drawn its fair share of critics outside of Butler though, from Ben Shapiro to some of the forefathers of rap. None of that stopped it from becoming one of the most successful singles of all time.
Cardi B is a Warner Music artist. .
