Cardi B’s new album, Am I the Drama?, comes out on September 19th. She covers the latest issue of Billboard to talk about music, her first headlining tour (next year) and the state of American politics. In early 2024, Cardi said repeatedly that she wouldn’t get involved in the presidential election cycle and she wasn’t particularly inspired. Then Kamala Harris became the nominee, and Cardi immediately changed her mind and went out campaigning for Kamala. I appreciated that – even when I thought Cardi was being short-sighted about Joe Biden, I liked that she quickly saw the stakes and gave her full-throated support to VP Harris. Anyway, some highlights from Billboard:
Her first headlining tour is scheduled for next year: “A lot of people say I got comfortable because I make money, but the most money I make is when I go and do shows,” says Cardi, who tweeted in 2022 that she’d netted $1 million for a 35-minute show at a private event during Miami’s Art Basel. “I could rush and put out music like it’s nothing and then pick up millions of dollars per show, but it’s not about that. I want the music to be great. I want it to be amazing.”
The obsession with women MCs feuding: “No lie, these b–ches be catty. You can’t prevent a b–ch from being shady. Sometimes b–ches want to see what you’re about. They want to test you and they want to test your gangsta. A lot of the b–ches will come in this game and feel like they can challenge you. Some b–ches like to die young. In this game, you need to really know who you’re challenging.
Whether she would do the Super Bowl Halftime show: “Of course. I got asked to do the Super Bowl and I denied it. I feel like soon, if I get to do it, I’m going to have more hits. I’m going to be more experienced and I’m going to eat that up.”
How motherhood has changed her: “It turned me into a real woman. I was like, “What makes a woman? Her body? Her cooking?” It’s her maturity and her thinking. If I didn’t have kids, I wouldn’t sacrifice so much. This summer, I haven’t even put my feet in a pool. I do everything for my kids. I’m the only provider and you know what? Ain’t no complaining about it. I love them so much and they ground me. Sometimes I be so exhausted and it’s not even about work, it’s just life. If you think when you get rich you’re going to stop working, you’re never going to stop working. My mom used to be a freakin’ cashier and she used to work every single day. To this day, I still talk about how hard my mom worked. I had a very rough childhood, but my mom always made sure we ain’t go to no shelter. I want my kids to be like, “My mom made sure I had everything that I wanted.”
Whether she tries to mentor the younger women in the industry: “Have your ever read [Sister Souljah’s novel] The Coldest Winter Ever? (Laughs.) At the end of the book, the main character, Winter, was in jail. She cut a b–ch — or some s–t like that — then they let her out to go to her mom’s funeral. She saw her sister going in her same footsteps and wanted to give her advice. Before she gave her advice she was like, “You know what? F–k it. Let her go through what I went through. Let her learn on her own.” Sometimes you got to let b–ches learn on their own. I have to because there were so many b–ches that I’ve sat down and given advice from the heart. Like, if I see people bullying you because of whatever the f–k, I’m going to go in your DMs and give you advice. But sometimes I got to really hold myself [back] and say, “No, b–ch. Don’t do it,” because these b–ches turned their backs on me, f–ked my man, talked about me and somebody told me about it.
She hopes her kids are politically active: “You always have to be aware of what’s happening to the world and what’s happened before, because things really do repeat themselves. Maybe not something drastic like a world war, slavery or the Holocaust, but there’s always shady s–t going on. I just want them to always be aware of what’s going on and what could happen. But there’s something about politics that gets me in a rabbit hole. I remember wanting to say something so bad this week, but I was like, “I can’t.”
Why she bites her tongue about politics: “I have to bite my tongue. I really, really had to bite my tongue, but you know the reason why I’ve been so silent about politics? It’s because when I used to complain the past four years, I know for a fact that people watch my stuff. I know it. I know the White House watches my stuff. I have a big platform. I know they listen to what I say. I might not say it the prettiest way, but I know they listen to what I’m saying. There’s a president that knows I’ve never supported him and it’s like if I say something, he’s not going to care. I tried to give people warnings and it is what it is. What I can do? What I can say?”
America is in a bad place: “People made fun of my accent. People made fun of my speech [at a Kamala Harris rally days before the 2024 presidential election]. I was, “Aight. Y’all gonna see what’s funny.” S–t ain’t funny right now, isn’t it? It’s really tough out here. S–t is really rough out here for everybody. I tried to warn ya. All I’m going to say is America is in a very bad place. No matter who’s in charge, it’s going to stay like that because we’re paying for bad karma. Why [are we] paying for bad karma? Because we have been involved in something morally illegal, morally that God hates, morally that is disgusting. I’m not going to speak about it. Y’all should know why. All I’m going to say is we’re going to be paying for a very long time because there’s no bigger leader than God. We’ve been doing immoral stuff. We’ve been supporting and endorsing immoral, evil things. Not one person is going to pay for it; the whole country is going to pay for it.
I’m not sure if she means the Biden White House was watching her or whether she’s referencing the MAGA cult, honestly – there was some chatter among Democrats when Cardi was, like, hanging out with Bernie Sanders. But the MAGAts hate her and they’re constantly mocking her and criticizing her, so… I just don’t know. I actually agree that we’re witnessing karma unfold on the whole country. As for what she says about mentorship… I know for a fact that she has mentored and advised several younger artists, but there are also rumors that at least one of the younger girls slept with Offset. So I can see how she feels more cautious about who gets advice and who doesn’t.
Photos courtesy of Cover Images, cover courtesy of Billboard.
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- Today singer Cardi B gave evidence during a civil trial over allegations of attacking and spitting on security guard in 2018 Featuring: Cardi B Where: Los Angeles, California, United States When: 27 Aug 2025 Credit: Dutch/BauerGriffin/INSTARimages
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- Today singer Cardi B gave evidence during a civil trial over allegations of attacking and spitting on security guard in 2018 Featuring: Cardi B Where: Los Angeles, California, United States When: 27 Aug 2025 Credit: Dutch/BauerGriffin/INSTARimages
Gaza.
Gaza, slavery/racism, pedo stuff…I mean, so much to choose from.
You know where I stop reading? The part where she says having a child is what makes a woman. Fuck that absolute bullshit.
You might want to read that again, KC.
‘What makes a woman? It’s her maturity. Her thinking.’ That’s the direct quote. Not what you changed it to. Her answer was good.
Agree—I actually really appreciated her answer in that one.
Reading is fundamental- she never said that KC.
Karma? Nope. Those of us who warned everyone aren’t getting karma. We’re getting punished. For others’ stupidity.
I think she’s referring more to all of US history. Not just the current f-ups, but the long, long history of immoral f-ups. That’s why we’re all paying karma for it.
I absolutely agree that there is a long history of United States’ fuckery that needs to be atoned for. The problem is that the same people who have borne the brunt of America’s stupidity and pathology throughout history continue to do so now.
Adding a bunch of the dumbasses who voted for the leopards eating faces party and are now getting their faces eaten isn’t really enough of a rebalancing. And the politicians and business people who are behind all of this ugliness still end up on money (and with money) and with their names on buildings and NOT fed to volcanoes as sacrifices to the gods for the misdeeds of humanity.
What’s interesting is that for African Americans and Mexican Americans, nothing has changed. First to be laid off, over policed, ICE raids… this is new for everyone else. That’s why black people have been so “comfortable” sitting out; they’ve never stopped doing this to our communities.
Cardi B is a national treasure. I agree with her about karma/US without the god parts.
I love that she referenced The Coldest Winter Ever. I could not put that book down.
The whole interview is great. Now I need to listen to some of her music.
I agree with her 100%. In fact, I find myself surprised at how fervently I agree with her. She’s a prophet. She’s telling people things they don’t want to know, but truly need to hear. The thing she highlights is economic self-sufficiency, and that’s the lynchpin for remaining sane because the truth is, what Trump and MAGA are all about, is maintaining economic dominance. Which translates into cultural and political dominance. And she’s subversive, because bringing her perspective to an audience, finding that audience and enabling them to take space in our culture, has yielded her political clout, of a kind, and financial independence. But she’s savvy enough to separate her peace of mind from the mess. I respect her urge to let people absorb the damage, whilst refusing to lecture them. To score points. And I respect her choice not to play saviour, for whoever expects her to play that role. It’s like that old saying, you know what we do to saviours, we crucify them. She’s established a safe space for herself and her kids, and the rest of the world has to figure this out as best we can. It’s not her job to fix it. It’s the same reason Kamala Harris opted not to pursue another political office, and Meghan decided to dip out of the UK. You don’t owe it to people to change their minds. It’s like that book urged, “let them.” Carve out your own path.
Parkrunmum I love what you wrote here! Yes to everything you just said. I love that even though her diction/grammar isn’t perfect, she stepped up to the podium and spoke from her heart unafraid. This took incredible bravery because MAGA is dangerous, violent, and unhinged. She’s smart. She’s savvy. She is thriving in an industry full of predators and rapists.
The idiots who laughed at her are the ones clutching their shark tooth necklaces screaming “This is not what I voted for!!!” Yeah who’s really the dumb one? Can’t even spot a conman and a Russian asset even after he leads an insurrection and attacks his own Capitol.
I really like her and she’s right she tried to warn everyone. This interview is a whole mood!
I acknowledge what you say about her being a prophet but I can tell you the very poor and disenfranchised who survive and do everything to give the next generation a better chance they are full of wisdom. It’s also a lot easier to knock them off of the little they have built for themselves so you won’t hear them yell the truth far and wide. I’ve been poor in US and in the Caribbean. I can tell you they know so much more and see things so much clearer but there is no protection for them to speak up. And what watch their families lives ruined because they speak about oppression, white supremacy and how little rights and freedom normal people have. Bob Marley was brave, burning spear, these types of prophets were brave to song about it and try to uplift the people. Corruption and oppression are always right there ready to pounce. There’s the sin of greed and power and I am not a Christian, I couldn’t ever align myself with what the churches have done and become. Read about The New Jim Crow, listen to the antiracism educators. Don’t get in your feelings and need to be the one talking, listen, listen deeply, that is my message for the US. If you get a little bit of power and influence and money, turn around and invest in the community around you. Check on food supply, housing, trades programs, mental health services and tell your local leaders what your priorities and values are.