An American Sign Language interpreter signing “WAP” at Lollapalooza has pretty much eclipsed the actual performance from Megan Thee Stallion and Cardi B, with a video clip going viral on TikTok and Twitter in the days since their festival appearance.
Predictably — given the song’s lyrics, and its track record for raunchy live performances — the video of interpreter Kelly Kurdi signing along features some pretty NSFW actions, particularly over the lyrics: “I don’t wanna spit, I wanna gulp / I wanna gag, I wanna choke / I want you to touch that lil’ dangly thing that swing in the back of my throat.”
A video filmed from the crowd quickly amassed millions of views after it was uploaded on TikTok this week, with a viral tweet racking up hundreds of thousands more views. Kurdi herself has addressed the clip on social media, pointing fans to the OG creator of the “WAP” interpretation, Raven Sutton (who posted an ASL interpretation of the track to Instagram shortly after its release last year).
“Thanks for the love on my page from hearing people but I’m just an interpreter passionate about providing access to a community I love and have learned everything from,” Kurdi writes in an Instagram post, tagging other deaf ASL teachers and influencers, and sharing tips on how to make your content more accessible.
“If you’re still wondering why deaf and hard of hearing people go to concerts,” she adds, “follow these pages and learn something new. Seeing an interpreter at a concert shouldn’t be shocking. Seeing a deaf interpreter on tour with every artist should be the norm!”
Watch the video of Kurdi’s “WAP” interpretation, and read her statement, below.
