Cardi B Responds to ‘Up’ Plagiarism Accusations

Cardi B’s “Up” is already stirring controversy.

Just hours after dropping her new single, the Grammy-winning rapper is facing plagiarism accusations. New Jersey rappers Mir Pesos and Mir Fontane claim Cardi ripped off the chorus to their 2020 song “Stuck.”

Mir Pesos took aim at Cardi by posting a clip of her new video alongside their own. “@iamcardib we want my money,” he demanded.

On “Up,” Cardi raps, “If it’s up, then it’s up, then it’s up then it’s stuck,” while Mir Pesos and Mir Fontane’s “Stuck” features a similar hook: “If it’s up, then it’s stuck / Up then it’s stuck, yeah.”

A clip of “Stuck” was first posted on YouTube on Aug. 6, while the full video followed in September. Cardi was first seen reciting the “Up” lyrics during a YouTube livestream with Megan Thee Stallion on Aug. 7. However, she denies that her song was influenced by “Stuck.”

“Naaa im the type of person that avoids problems & court days,” she tweeted. “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.”

Fans were quick to defend Cardi against the plagiarism accusations, arguing that the phrase is part of southern regional slang and was used before both artists recorded their songs.

Genius notes that nearly 100 variations of “it’s up, it’s stuck” have appeared in songs by artists including Lil Baby, Kevin Gates, YoungBoy Never Broke Again, and Travis Scott, who used the phrase in his JACKBOYS song “Out West.”