Seattle-based music critic, Ma’Chell M. Duma, unveils her latest book "Cardi B: Invasion of Privacy," offering readers an insightful journey into the rapper's impact and musical prowess. Reflecting on her journey from North Dakota and years in the music industry, she dissects each track in a series of essays, highlighting the socio-political impact and feminist themes within Cardi’s work. Enthralled by the boldness and originality of Cardi B’s music, she aims to offer readers a deep appreciation of the artist's cultural influence. To learn more about Ma’Chell M. Duma and her new book, read on.

Where are you based?
I’m currently based in Seattle, but am open to New York or LA. Make me an offer. Please.

What inspired you to start writing?
I’ve been an avid reader of classic, Rolling Stone style music journalism since I was nine or ten. I grew up in rural North Dakota and the only culture you could get in the 90s came via old school mail. All the music mags and Vogue. It soon became the only thing I cared about. The writer’s were almost exclusively white guys and it wasn't until college when I started reading a lot of feminist essays about pop culture through more diverse lenses that I realized there was writing that married the two. I came to writing late though, I worked in concert promotion and many different aspects of the music industry for years before a friend who was a writer suggested if I wrote down all the shit I talked I’d be a music critic. I love an artfully written opinion. When music criticism is done well, it is its own art form.

You recently released your book Cardi B: Invasion of Privacy. Could you provide some insights into what readers can anticipate from the book?
It’s a series of essays based on each track of the record. “Bickenhead” as a chapter is about the history of “Pussy” in pop music, for instance. I also try and hit everything you’d want to know musically. 33 ⅓’s as a book series is loose with what approach writers can take, but tight with the word count (famously 33,333 words). So there were things I had to cut I would have loved to explore, but I think readers can expect to come away with an appreciation for her work as an artist as well as its socio-political impact.

What motivated you to dedicate an entire book to exploring Cardi B’s music and its impact? What has her music done for the music industry?
The first time I heard Invasion of Privacy I didn't know anything about Cardi other than a couple of very funny tweets. I’m not a reality TV watcher and tend to fall into long listening patterns with artists so I was probably in a Janelle Monet/Dirty Computer hole. I knew she was a rapper, but hadn't listened yet. I was driving around one day when “Get Up Ten” came on via the algorithm and I pulled my car over. The only time in my life I’d ever had a song make me pull over was as a teen and when I heard “Smells Like Teen Spirit” back in the day. Everything from the immaculate production to her bravado spoke to me. The second I heard “They gave a bitch two options: stripping or lose. I used to dance in the club right across from my school” I was in.

What personally speaks to me musically are songs that are sexy, edgy, perfectly produced and most importantly, something I’d never heard before. I’d heard a lot of tracks about the strip clubs in Rap, but I had never heard the stripper in a song get to rap back. My work centers on sex positive feminism and music so I just fell in love right away. Her take on feminism is simply equity, which is correct, and when I found out she and I are both super Libras I knew I could spend years listening to this record.

Could you provide us with a detailed glimpse into your research and writing process for this book?
I try to find a narrative touchstone at the beginning of the chapter, take readers on a little journey, and circle back to where we started. The first step is sitting with a song/record or a video and looking at what it’s really about in a broader context, then searching for an interesting or weird niche. The chapter on “Thru Your Phone” had me stuck for a while. I’d already addressed infidelity in pop in the ‘Be Careful’ chapter and was looking for new angles when I stumbled on the fact the telephone and the phonograph have had running parallel lives as technologies and if they had not merged in to one device Cardi’s career as we know it wouldn’t exist. It was unexpected and turned out to be the right thing.

What unique perspective or insights do you hope to offer readers about the rapper’s life and career?
The book isn't autobiographical, so you won't learn anything about her personal life or marriage or anything she hasn’t stated publicly. It’s not the hot goss. No tea will be spilled.

As far as I’m concerned Cardi is Gen Z’s Madonna, so how Cardi influences culture and how it influenced her, was my primary focus. There are generations of other femmes work reverberating in her music, we chat about that too.

What do you think sets this rapper apart from others in the industry, and how does your book explore that?
Her fan base aka Bardi Gang are extremely loyal and practice collective feminist action to keep her songs charting. They organized listening parties via streaming to keep Invasion of Privacy on the charts long enough to surpass Laryn Hill’s debut record as the longest charting record by a female rapper. Whenever she drops a single they do the same.

Cardi is not “ a girl in the crew” the way so many other femme rappers and women in bands before her were often packaged. Her work is feminist in sometimes very overt ways, like she is never in a submissive position to a man in any of her videos. She is always physically on top. Even in videos with Offsett (Her partner) she tops him. The book has a lot of details like that.

We talk about how she was able to have kids in her peak and not have it deter her success. Almost all women in music have taken a career hit to parent. Instead of trying to put out a traditional album and tour with two littles she’s released an albums worth of steadily dropped singles since Invasion of Privacy and headlines Festivals. She makes her career work around her life, not the other way around.

One of my favorite things about Cardi is that she uses her platform to lift up other women. Her best work is often collaborative. Whether it’s Latto or Meg or Summer Walker, she elevates their work.

Ma’Chell M. Duma, photo Credit: Tina Ballew

Female rappers face various stigmas within the industry. Do you believe that artists like Cardi B are playing a role in reshaping these industry norms?
The biggest problem is that women don't have their own labels. Keeping women stimazed whether sexually or professionally is a way men can continue to run the show. In 2017 there were only three female rappers signed to major labels. The heads of those women-free labels included Drake, Rick Ross, and Jay-Z so they were able to dictate who their competition was as artists in a very unfair way. When women helm their own power structures we’ll see real change.

So, has Cardi destigmatized sex work for artists?
If a femme artist has a strong enough following via social media, regardless of how they attained it, they can forge their own way in art. If only a half of the people who follow a successful Only Fans page will also buy your music you have a built in fan base. A built in audience negates gate keeping.

In your research, how have femme rap artists navigated and challenged traditional gender roles and stereotypes within the hip-hop genre?
Pussy Rap as a genre is a response to the commodification of femme sexuality in Rap we’ve heard since its inception. It’s prevalent themes like contraception and sexual pleasure that decenters men is very new.

Cardi’s openness about stripping and her refusal to be shamed for it gives her the cred to speak on sexual topics without it feeling like a gimmick. In the video for her latest single with Megan Thee Stallion “Bongos” she drops the line “Eat this ass like a plum” while holding a liquor bottle as sponsored product placement and it’s not even controversial, it’s just Cardi. Not even Madonna at her peak could have pulled that off.

In one of your chapters you talk about the explorations of the Femme Gaze in Pop. Can you talk on this a little bit?
Cardi’s first official video for “Bariter Cardi” was directed by Petra Collins who is known for a softened, pastelled, very femme visual style. The video itself is very edgy so the juxtaposition is perfection. We take a look at photographers like Carrie Mae Weems who explored black womanhood and Melina Matsoukas the video director whose groundbreaking work with Gaga and Beyonce has changed the game.

You also talk about the Hip-Hop Matriarchy. Many think of male artists when they think about rap. How is this changing?
Women have dominated so hard for about five years and if you look at “current events” it seems men need to start beef to feel relevant. An artist like Drake has zero artistic limits i.e. money, studio time, and the level of musicians he can work with. I wish he’d focus his energy on anything else. Like what does Drake in space in the year 3000 sound like? Surprise us. Where is the imagination? This leaves a lot of space for femme artists to push what’s new and next. The most successful Rap songs of the last six years have been femme collaborations.

Looking back on the experience of writing this book, what was the most rewarding aspect for you?
33 1/3 as a series has traditionally been a white, male space. It has been moving in a better direction. I hope this addition to the series encourages more femmes to pitch records about femmes. Especially women of color. Kim, Trina Missy, NIcki, and Megan would all be excellent additions to the catalog.

Are there any upcoming projects you would like to share?
I’m just starting my second book, a look a femme occult themes- tarot, astrology, goddess worship and wicca- in pop music. I’ll also look at the careers of 13 femme musicians who have been called “witches” for whatever reason as well as women who are active practitioners. I keep getting pushed to podcast so maybe a pod about sexy songs? I’m developing that with some folks now.

It has been a crazy past few years, how have you been staying positive?
I work on my mental health as an active practice. Sound bathes have become essential. I was skeptical at first like “what is this LA bullshit?”, but eventually I tried it. As someone who has always had physiological reactions to music, I was able to achieve what some folks call astral projection almost immediately. It’s the same feeling of calm dissociation you get with valium without the drugs and it lasts all day.

What is your motto in life?
I just saw an old clip of Cher reminding us “Men are dessert, A luxury, but not a necessity” and that has been right up there as of late.

I also recently tattooed a lyric from Cardi’s song “I Like It”, “I do what they say I can’t” on my ribs. It’s a daily mantra.

To learn more about Ma’Chell M. Duma, please follow the links below:
Instagram: @jelly_bundy
@bardigangupdates

Ma’Chell M. Duma - Chorus, Cadence, and Cardi B