Maxine Waters Praises Megan Thee Stallion's 'Audacity' for 'WAP'

"WAP" -- the sexually explicit hit song by Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion -- is a symbol of women taking charge and speaking their minds ... to Rep. Maxine Waters, anyway.

The Congresswoman and MTS recently hooked up online, and Waters seemed to surprise the rapper when she was asked what music encourages her ... and she brought up "WAP."

After hilariously telling Meg not to worry, several times, Rep. Waters said when she first heard the track she thought ... "Now that's audacity. That is audacity."

During the online chat, for Harper's Bazaar, Maxine also said Cardi and Meg should be commended, not criticized, for spearheading a feminist movement in hip-hop.

After all, Waters says that's what the men who were "in charge" in this music genre -- like Tupac and Dr. Dre -- did for years, and she points out that she's always been a First Amendment defender.

Now, compare Waters' take on "WAP" with that of conservative host Ben Shapiro ... who notoriously blasted the vulgarity of the song's lyrics when it was released and claimed it was an affront to feminism.

Who ya got?