Every Rap Song That Mentions Monica Lewinsky

Monica Lewinsky. Photo: Photos: Getty Images

During her very well-received TED Talk last week, Monica Lewinsky mentioned that she’s been referenced in almost 40 rap songs by artists like Beyoncé, Eminem, Lil B, Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj, and Jeezy.

As it turns out, while Lewinsky does appear prominently in lyrics by all of those artists, she’s drastically underestimated the total number. Using data provided by Genius, the Cut discovered that some variation of her name has been dropped in about 128 songs (excluding most remixes) — and there are probably more. Lewinksy is most commonly rhymed with whiskey, and at least two songs are entirely about her: G-Eazy’s “Monica Lewinsky” and the crudest, “Splashin’ Over Monica” by Mr. Live.

Some songs use the scandal as a historical touchstone, as when Celph Titled raps, “Shit was good when Billy Clinton was gettin Lewinsky pussy.” But mostly, references to Lewinsky in hip-hop have one of two meanings. The first is global shorthand for all things fellatio and can be found in English, Polish, German, Spanish, and French rap songs. “The cigar” makes only a single appearance, but at least 70 songs use her name as a verb related to oral sex: i.e., to Lewinsky, to give Lewinsky, to get Lewinsky. Sometimes her name is synonymous with coming, both as a verb and — when paired with face, dress, or gown — a noun. See: Beyoncé, in “Partition,” whose sex partner “Monica Lewinsky–ed all on her gown.”

The other use of Lewinsky is as a derogatory term for an inferior person — either an insult against lesser emcees (referred to as “Lewinskys” or accused of sucking like Monica) or a stand-in for a prostitute or willing sexual partner. Songs casually use Lewinsky to refer to the women who throw themselves at prominent men in clubs, to insult women who kiss and tell, or to label the “obvious sluts,” who are power-hungry. One song, “It Has Been Said,” by Aaron Omar, even uses Lewinsky as a virgin/whore moral lesson, warning listeners to avoid becoming a Lewinsky: “You should be a Michelle Obama.” And of course, there’s the now-infamous Chris Rock mock interview, in which he used Lil Kim samples as Lewinsky’s answers to demonstrate just how crass Lil Kim was (its own kind of inverse slut-shaming).

Monica-as-a-metaphor gets more interesting when it touches on cultural power imbalances. Rapper 2 Chainz equates having a “Monica Lewinsky” sidepiece as the ultimate power symbol: “I’m on the top floor / Presidential suite / Monica Lewinsky; presidential freak / Look at my rolley; presidential piece.” Because it’s not enough just to be the president — you must also get to dominate a woman in the Oval Office.

But it is Nicki Minaj’s use of Monica Lewinsky that manages to transcend the clichés. Minaj refers to herself as “Nicki Lewinsky” in 12 of her own songs. In her typically bombastic style, “Still I Rise” declares, “Sex game kinky / niggas call me Pinky / Fuck with presidents / I am Nicki Lewinsky,” insinuating that no man, no matter how powerful, can resist her. When Minaj calls herself “Young Money Monica,” she’s copping the name as a sexual disrupter, as a woman who knows the power of her own sexuality and can harness it for great wealth and, ultimately, power. It took nearly 20 years, and a woman, to truly do the metaphor justice.