Bad news for fans hoping to wear Cardi B merchandise emblazoned with “Okurrr”: The rapper’s application to trademark her signature catchphrase was reportedly unsuccessful.
According to court documents obtained by The Blast, Bardi’s trademark application was denied by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on the grounds that the phrase falls under the category of “widely used commonplace expressions”. Officials even listed a few examples of the Kardashians’ association with the phrase over the years.
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The trilling catchphrase “is a slogan or term that does not function as a trademark or service mark to indicate the source of applicant’s goods and/or services”, and is not differentiated from other similar trademarks, the documents state.
Cardi’s company Washpoppin Inc. filed to trademark “Okurrr” on March 11, with the stated intention to use the phrase on merch like t-shirts, hoodies and posters.
The rapper defended herself after facing backlash for the application: “Every single time I go to a corporate meeting, these folks be like, ‘Oh my god, can we please hear you say ‘Okurrr’?’ … You think I ain’t gonna profit off this shit?! Bitch, white folks do it all the motherfucking time, so you gonna be mad at me cos I wanna get some motherfucking money?”