Cardi B is addressing accusations of plagiarism surrounding her new single, “Up.”
Not even 24 hours after premiering the song and music video for her track on Friday (February 5), a controversy sparked when two New Jersey rappers, Mir Pesos and Mir Fontane, blasted the Bronx native for allegedly poaching the hook from their 2020 song “Stuck.”
“@iamcardib we want my money,” Mir Pesos tweeted with a video demonstrating how “Up” sounds similar to his joint with Mir Fontane.
The Jersey artists claim the stolen lyrics in question that appear on the hook for Cardi’s new track (“If it’s up, then it’s up, then it’s up, then it’s stuck”) copies from their own hook on “Stuck,” which goes: “If it’s up, then it’s stuck / Up then it’s stuck, yeah.”
Considering Cardi’s hook also carries a similar repetition and cadence to that of Mir Pesos and Mir Fontane’s "Stuck," the accusation isn't so inconceivable.
In her defense, Cardi took to Twitter to deny jacking any lyrics and even offered what she saw as proof of her rapping the “Up” hook in a video with Megan Thee Stallion in August 2020.
“AUGUST 7th now go check buddy’s date,” Cardi tweeted, prompting Mir Fontane to retort, “We previewed ‘STUCK’ on August 6th at the end of this video and recorded it even earlier than that, Respectfully."
Even after the exchange, the “Press” star maintained her song was not inspired by the artists accusing her of plagiarism.
Responding to a doubtful fan, Cardi tweeted: “Naaa im the type of person that avoids problems & court days .If i get inspired by a song I wouldn’t mind giving a percentage or couple of thousand but I never Hurd if this man .I’m glad while I was recording this song in August I was playing wit the hook on this live.”
While it's unclear if either party has any right to lay claim to the originality of the phrase, Genius insists no foul was committed on Cardi’s end — because, apparently, “If it’s up then it’s stuck” is a commonly used in southern hip-hop music.
Hear both hooks above and decide for yourself.
Photo: YouTube