'STANK B*TCH': Wab Kinew’s explicit rap video resurfaces amid political double-standard debate

CALGARY — A music video featuring Manitoba NDP Premier Wab Kinew performing a song filled with sexually explicit lyrics has resurfaced online, just days after similar material prompted Nova Scotia’s energy minister to resign his post.The video, for the song Stank B*tch, dates back to 2005, when Kinew performed with the Winnipeg hip-hop group Dead Indians, years before he entered politics.The roughly three-minute video shows Kinew and several other indigenous men wearing mullet-style wigs while performing in what appears to be a Winnipeg neighbourhood beside piles of discarded furniture and garbage..“I don’t give a f*ck about all these other cliques, and I give less than that for these one-night chicks,” Kinew raps in the video.“That’s why y’all hear that your p---y ain’t sh*t, right after I said that a p---y ain’t sh*t.”Other verses contain graphic sexual descriptions and derogatory references to women, as well as a homophobic slur.Kinew, who became Manitoba’s first First Nations premier in October 2023, has previously faced scrutiny over misogynistic and homophobic lyrics and social-media posts from before his political career.He apologized for his earlier conduct while running for office in 2016 and has described his past struggles with alcohol, violence and criminal convictions in his 2015 memoir. Kinew has presented his subsequent career in broadcasting, education and public service as evidence that people can change and rebuild their lives.However, the resurfacing of the “Stank B*tch” video has renewed questions about whether politicians from different parties face different consequences for offensive material created before entering politics..On Wednesday, Nova Scotia Energy Minister Marco MacLeod (Pictou West) resigned after music he recorded in 2013 under the name Meadowville made waves online, revealing misogynistic rap lyrics that included words such as “sluts" and “hoes,” along with references to illicit drug use.Women’s organizations such as Halifax-based Adsum for Women and Children called for MacLeod’s resignation, saying they were “sickened” by the content of the material..MacLeod initially apologized and met with women’s advocacy organizations before announcing his resignation on September 2.“I’ve met with women’s groups and individuals who have taken the time to share their experiences and perspectives,” MacLeod said in a Facebook post.“Although I am very sorry for the actions that led me here, I am appreciative of the learning that has come from this experience. I am grateful to the groups who have shared their time with me, and humbled by the folks who have spoken so openly to me about their personal experiences.”Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston accepted MacLeod’s resignation and resumed the role of energy minister, a positionhe held from October 2025 until handing it over to MacLeod during a May cabinet shuffle.During a press conference on Thursday, Houston was asked by a reporter whether there was a systemic problem in the Progressive Conservative Party of Nova Scotia following MacLeod’s resignation and former Justice Minister Brad Johns’ 2024 resignation over his statement that he did not believe domestic violence was an epidemic..Houston argued that politicians are human and should be judged on whether they accept responsibility for their actions.“Did you ever see Wab Kinew’s rap songs? Is there a problem with the NDP?” Houston asked.“Did you ever imagine there’d be a Liberal Party leader of Nova Scotia that had a couple DUIs? People are human. Even politicians are human. The best you could expect of somebody is that they take accountability.”Kinew’s office has not yet issued a public statement on the resurfacing of his hip-hop video or in response to Houston’s comments.The video sparked a divided reaction online, with some commentators pointing to Kinew’s acknowledgement of his past run-ins with the law and subsequent rehabilitation, while others questioned why MacLeod left cabinet over song lyrics while Kinew went on to be elected premier despite similar material that could be deemed offensive.“Am I the only one confused by the inconsistency in consequences?” one commentator asked on X.“Or are there subtle differences in lyrics/themes that warrant the different political consequences?”.Tracey Wilson of the Canadian Coalition for Firearms Rights wrote: “I just fully expect this kind of trash from our politicians now.”

'STANK B*TCH': Wab Kinew’s explicit rap video resurfaces amid political double-standard debate

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