Cardi B sparked a social media debate after using an explicit sexual analogy to describe customer retention for her new haircare line, “Grow Good,” during a Beautycon panel at the ESSENCE Festival of Culture. The rapper compared the desire for repeat customers to the quality of a sexual encounter, stating that customers would “double back” to her products if the quality remained high. While some attendees and online viewers criticized the vulgarity of the comparison, others defended the rapper’s raw delivery as consistent with her brand.
The incident occurred during a beauty and hair panel held hours before the artist’s scheduled performance debut at the multi-day festival. During the discussion, Cardi B focused on the business necessity of customer retention, arguing that she didn’t want customers just to try her products once; she wanted repeat customers who kept investing because the products were so good.
To illustrate the concept of repeat business, the rapper used a blunt comparison. “Everybody would be happy to f*ck some p*ssy. But if the p*ssy ain’t good, you not gonnna want to f*ck it again,” she told the audience. She then linked the analogy back to her business venture, stating, “So I see my product as good p*ssy. ‘Grow Good’ is some good p*ssy! They gotta double back, they gotta double back on the product!”
Why did Cardi B’s “Grow Good” comments cause a divide?
The reaction to the analogy split largely along generational and stylistic lines. A segment of the audience expressed displeasure with the choice of language in a professional panel setting. One YouTube user commented that the rapper “didn’t have to go vulgar” and could have remained “classy” while still being herself.
On TikTok, user Virgosgroove0830 noted that while they appreciate the rapper’s “realness” and “rawness,” there is a “time and place” for such language. The user specifically suggested that the “aunties”—older women in the audience—were likely not prepared for the explicit nature of the analogy.
Conversely, other viewers argued that the language was not offensive and fit within the history of provocative female rap. A 43-year-old TikTok user defended the comments, citing the influence of artists like Trina, Lil Kim, and Khia. Another user, identifying as a 69-year-old resident of New Orleans, stated they agreed with Cardi B, adding, “Remember we were young before.”
The business strategy behind “Grow Good”
Beyond the controversy, the panel highlighted Cardi B’s approach to entrepreneurship. The primary focus of her remarks was the importance of customer retention to her business, specifically that she wanted repeat customers who kept investing because the products were so good.
By emphasizing “doubling back,” the rapper addressed the critical metric of repeat purchase rate. Cardi B’s insistence that her product be viewed as “good” enough to warrant a return visit suggests a focus on product performance.
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