Cardi B isn’t a fan of Balut eggs (at least for now), but her reaction to trying one has gotten some praise for being “respectful.”
Balut eggs are fertilized duck eggs popular in Asia — especially in the Philippines — that have become a popular food item for TikTokers to try.
While wearing a burnt-orange updo and stunning blue eyeshadow, Cardi B presented a bowl of Balut eggs she made in a TikTok post on Wednesday.
“I got it; let’s try it and rate it one to 10,” Cardi B said as the camera dramatically zoomed into her face. The signature tagline and edit belong to food content creator Keith Lee, who rose to fame on TikTok for his quirky and wholesome food reviews of small businesses.
Cardi B proceeded to try it with lemon and salt. And let’s just say she definitely did not like it.
“I think I overcooked the duck,” she said before putting the cooked yolk in her mouth. She immediately spit it out.
Cardi B explained that the duck tasted like raw chicken but said she liked the liquid inside the egg. However, she said she would be open to trying it again if made by a professional.
“I’m not even going to rate it a 1 through 10,” Cardi B said. “I’m just gonna say it’s not for me, but I’m so glad I tried it.”
Commenters took notice of Cardi B’s openness to trying the dish and compared her response to music producer Benny Blanco‘s review of Jollibee — a popular Filipino fast-food chain. Blanco’s review received criticism after he repeatedly filmed himself gagging on the food.
“See benny blanco? If you don’t like it, you don’t have to disrespect it. Cardi B literally just said, ‘it’s not for me.’ She didn’t even rate it because she thought she cooked it wrong,” one commenter said.
“Im filipino and just… ain’t no way but love how brave & respectful you are,” another person said.
Representatives for Cardi B and Blanco did not immediately respond to a request for comment from BI sent outside regular business hours.
Asian cultures often face stereotypes surrounding their food. Notably, the presentation of Eastern cuisine became a focal point on James Corden’s “Late Show,” which featured a segment called “Spill your Guts or Fill your Guts.”
The segment, which asked celebrities to reveal a truth or eat food deemed unappetizing, featured Asian cuisine being described as “disgusting” or “horrific.” Activists eventually began a campaign to remove the segment or change the food options. Corden removed the Asian food options in 2021.
“My whole point is that James Corden is a white person and is actively using ingredients from Asian cultures and profiting from it and showing it in such a negative light,” Kim Saira, one of the activists, told The New York Times. “There’s a way to not like foods and still be respectful about it.”
The stereotypes live on in the form of TikTok taste tests, where many creators share videos gagging over Asian cuisine with millions of likes.
“It’s absolutely rooted in racism and Sinophobia,” Robert Ji-Song Ku, the author of “Eating Asian America: A Food Studies Reader,” told the Daily Dot.
What set Cardi B’s review apart from the dozens of videos of influencers who have reviewed Asian cuisine, people thought, was that Cardi B didn’t call Balut eggs disgusting. Instead, she just said it was not for her and returned to doing what she does best: making money moves.
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