Cardi B’s Trademark Application for Her Catchphrase is Not ‘Okurrr’-ed by the US Patent and Trademark…Yet

If you are a celebrity, it’s just natural for you to think of all kinds of ways to make money. After all, there will come a time when the spotlight won’t shine on you anymore, so, while it is still your heyday, it is just wise that you invest on things that could earn money from for you in the future. Even for newbies like Cardi B, who is just less than five in the music industry, there are more money moves that are left to be explored.

Denied Request

In March, the Bodak Yellow hitmaker made headlines after news circulated that she applied through the Washpoppin Inc. for the trademark of her signature catchphrase “okurrr” – which varies on the situation or context but is generally a word or sound that is the same with a plain OK.

This was almost synonymous with Cardi B because she popularized it so much that it seems impossible to mention the word without imagining the artist saying it.

Cardi B also used the catchphrase in her cameo during the Super Bowl Pepsi commercial

So it just made sense that she applied for a trademark. According to the filing, this registration was for a couple of merchandise like paper goods and a clothing line. So, when fans got wind of possible “okurrr” products, a lot of them rejoiced and crossed fingers that it will be green-lighted. Months later, it was revealed that the US Patent and Trademark denied her request citing that the word has long been a common expression used.

Who Said it First?

While we may probably associate the word to Cardi B, it was previously used by other celebs, too. Fans of the E! show Keeping Up With The Kardashians know that Kourtney Kardashian, Khloe Kardashian, and Kendall Jenner all mentioned “okurrr” on several occasions in different episodes, meaning the sound has been well-used and recognized even before the trademark application.

It was also used by drag queens, the report stated – RuPaul’s Drag Race contestant Laganja Estranja who repeatedly said the word during the sixth season and whom others credited as the original.

Others credited RuPaul’s Drag Race contestant Laganja Estranja as the original person who said “okurrr“

According to reports, fans of the rapper had also applied for the trademark even before their idol did, but were obviously denied as well. Plus, the officials at the agency explained that expressions and terms that are used to convey “informational messages” cannot be registered. In order to determine if a word has this function, it would depend on how the public understands it.

What Does It Mean?

While the word has long been in the air, it wasn’t as mainstream as when Cardi B used it. Most of us were baffled as to what the word meant, while some were just unsure if they heard it right.

As the Grammy-award winning rapper explained in a short interview with Jimmy Fallon at his night talk show in April 2018, “okurrr” is another way of saying “OK” since the latter is overrated. She even explained how to say the word and compared the sound to a pigeon chirping on a cold New York City.

During her short stint as a co-host on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Cardi B explained what “okurrr” really means

Well, maybe Cardi B can trademark “Eeeeoooww,” one of her other catchphrases which, according to her, can be used when something good happens but is not exciting enough.