Carole Baskin Slams Use Of Big Cats In Cardi B WAP Music Video

Carole Baskin has slammed the use of big cats in Cardi B's music video for new song 'WAP'. You can watch the video here (though probably shouldn't if you're not working from home anymore):

The video - which also features Megan Thee Stallion and Kylie Jenner - has caused quite a stir since it was released on Friday (7 August), with over 64,000 people signing a petition to have Jenner's cameo edited out.

However, it's the appearance of exotic cats that has attracted criticism from Big Cat Rescue founder and CEO Baskin of Tiger King fame.

In a statement shared with Billboard, she said: "My guess is that most people won't even see the Photoshopped cats in the scenes because the rest of it is so lurid.

"I was happy to see that it does appear to all be Photoshopped. It didn't look like the cats were really in the rooms with the singers. In fact, probably most of the rooms were Photoshopped in via green screen.

"That being said, you have to pose a wildcat in front of a green screen to get that image and that doesn't happen in the wild."

Atlantic Records

She went on to conclude the cats were probably acquired through a 'big cat pimp'.

She said: "It can't happen in sanctuaries like ours where cats have plenty of room to avoid a green screen (or would shred it if offered access and could die from ingesting it).

"That tells me they probably dealt with one of the big cat pimps, who makes a living from beating, shocking and starving cats to make them stand on cue in front of a green screen in a studio. That's never good for the cat.

"The worst part is that it glamourises the idea of rich people having tigers as pets. That makes every ignorant follower want to imitate by doing the same. After tigers are too old for pay to play sessions by people like Joe Exotic, Bhagavan Antle, Marc McCarthy, Mario Tabraue and others, they become a liability instead of an asset.

Netflix

"While I think most are destroyed behind closed gates at that point, some end up being given away to people who want to have a tiger to show off. That never works out and the cats either die or end up dumped in sanctuaries or, worse yet, breeding mills. Either way, it's always abusive to the cat."

LADbible has contacted Cardi B's reps for comment.

Topics: tiger king, Cardi B, Music, Carole Baskin, Animals, Cats

Jake Massey

Jake Massey is a journalist at LADbible. He graduated from Newcastle University, where he learnt a bit about media and a lot about living without heating. After spending a few years in Australia and New Zealand, Jake secured a role at an obscure radio station in Norwich, inadvertently becoming a real-life Alan Partridge in the process. From there, Jake became a reporter at the Eastern Daily Press. Jake enjoys playing football, listening to music and writing about himself in the third person.

@jakesmassey