Margaret Cho’s New Music Video Celebrates Asian Womanhood

Comedian and author Margaret Cho is all about empowerment, so it’s no surprise that she went all-out for the end of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, which takes place every May. Cho teamed up with rapper Awkwafina to create the music video “Green Tea,” which pokes fun at stereotypes while celebrating Asian women.

“I remember watching Margaret Cho with my grandmother on TV,” Awkwafina said in a statement. “She was my hero, not only because she was funny, but because she showed me that it’s OK to be yourself, that it’s OK to be a brash yellow girl, and to be a strong and brave woman.”

“To [collaborate] with her is a dream come true,” Awkwafina added.

The song makes fun of common Asian stereotypes: The singers wear short school uniform dresses and kimonos and occasionally rap in an exaggerated accent. The traditional Chinese New Year dragon costume even makes an appearance. Awkwafina said she hopes the video will empower other women “to embrace their quirkiness, their sexuality, their inner-child and their creativity with passion.”

Cho said making the video was as fun as it looks on screen: “It was incredibly natural and easy—as if the song had been already written and we were just channeling it!”

You can watch the video (warning: it has profanity and sexual language) and read more about the song on AngryAsianMan.