What's The Real Meaning Of Balut By Doja Cat? Here's What We Think

We have entered a new era of Doja Cat, with a new aesthetic, a new look, and new music. The Grammy-winning musician has released four tracks off her upcoming album, "Scarlet," and the latest release, "Balut," has an interesting meaning.

Doja's rise to stardom has been years in the making. She released an EP in 2014 and an album in 2018 that sparked interest among fans and those in the music industry. However, it wasn't until the release of her album, "Hot Pink," that the track "Say So" became a major hit on the singles charts. Doja released her third album, "Planet Her," in 2021, and it produced hit track after hit track. People loved that she mixed rap with pop, but when it came to the musician's upcoming album, she took a turn ... musically.

In April 2023, Doja shared her dislike for her previous albums in a series of now-deleted tweets, saying they were too much of that pop sound, per Teen Vogue. She tweeted, "i also agree with everyone who said the majority of my rap verses are mid and corny. I know they are. I wasn't trying to prove anything I just enjoy making music but I'm getting tired of hearing yall say that i can't so I will."

With Doja's new singles out, the song "Balut" leans heavily into the rap genre she teased, but what do the track's lyrics mean?

Doja Cat is sick of the criticism, and she vented about it in her song, "Balut." At first glance, you may think the musician's newly titled track refers to a Filipino delicacy — duck eggs incubated for about two to three weeks before they are boiled. But Doja's not singing about bird eggs, but rather about another kind of bird.

Before it was known as "X," the social media platform was officially called Twitter and featured a blue bird as its logo. In an Instagram story, Doja explained how "Balut" refers to all the toxicity Twitter has created, per GMA Network. She said, "It's a metaphor for Twitter stans and the death of Twitter toxicity. The beginning of 'X' and the end of 'tweets.'" Doja explained that the new song refers to a "bird being eaten alive," though as several Twitter users have pointed out, it's actually duck embryos — not live birds — that people are consuming when they eat balut. 

AB for that reference, many fans feel the rapper is talking about herself. In one of the choruses of "Balut," Doja seems to go off on those who criticize her. She raps, "I'm the s***, you a real piece of s*** / I am needed, you a real needy b**** / I'm competing, you are incompetent." It wouldn't be a stretch to think that Doja is referring to herself as the "bird being eaten alive," because she has faced an onslaught of online backlash.

Doja Cat's relationship with Twitter and her fans is complex. For years, the "Say So" singer has been the center of backlash that somehow always goes back to Twitter. In 2018, Doja was under fire after a 2015 tweet resurfaced where she used a homophobic slur, per Billboard. The internet quickly called out the singer for what she said, and initially, she doubled down on her comment. But as she received more backlash, she went ahead and apologized on Twitter.

The trend #dojacatisover resurfaced in 2020 after a video shared on Twitter showed the musician allegedly appearing in a "racist chat room," per Insider. While some online users tore Doja down, others found evidence that apparently cleared the musician. Doja addressed the allegations and explained that she never participated in any racist chatter. In a now-deleted Instagram post, she shared, "...I shouldn't have been on some of those chat room sites, but I personally have never been involved in any racist conversations. I'm sorry to everyone that I offended."

In July 2023, Doja faced criticism once more after she told Twitter fans she didn't love them. Her statement caused a lot of heat as fans unfollowed the superstar. As we can see, Doja and Twitter have not had the greatest relationship, and seeing as "Balut" talks about the "toxicity" of the social media platform, it's safe to say the song is pulling from her experiences.