Cardi B gains confidence from fans wanting to hear new music
Cardi B says her confidence comes from fans demanding her music as she prepares to drop her long-awaited second album Am I the Drama?.
Cardi B says her confidence comes from fans wanting her music - and she’s ready to deliver with a brand new album.
The WAP rapper confirmed her long-awaited second album Am I the Drama? will finally drop on September 19, seven years after her Grammy-winning debut Invasion of Privacy.
The Bronx-born star said public demand is what keeps her motivated to deliver.
Speaking to Billboard, Cardi, 31, said: "I’m really one of those artists that people ask for their albums the most every year.
"I wouldn’t be confident if nobody asked me for my s***. Imagine nobody asking for an album of yours? Imagine nobody asking for your music? That’s why I’m so confident.”
The new album will feature 23 tracks, including her No.1 hits WAP and Up, though she confirmed that these older songs won’t count toward first-week chart numbers. Two singles have already been released - Outside and Imaginary Playerz, the latter sampling René and Angela.
Despite years at the top of the charts, Cardi B still hasn’t hit the road with her own headlining tour — a fact she admits is surprising even to her. While she's already raking in huge sums for one-off shows, the rapper says she's holding back until the music is right as she prioritises artistry over cash.
She said: “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.
“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.”
Seven years on from her debut, Cardi B - who has daughter Kulture, seven, son Wave, four, and Blossom, 11 months, with her estranged husband Offset - says she’s grown as both an artist and a woman, learning how to navigate fame, family life and the pressures of the music industry.
She said: "I’ve experienced a lot. The good and bad of fame, the hate, jealousy, drama, balancing my career with my personal life and growing up and maturing. I’ve learned to control my emotions and understand how life works and how to play chess better."
Often named alongside Nicki Minaj and Megan Thee Stallion as part of rap’s so-called "Big Three,” Cardi says she still deserves that spot even with her hiatus.
She said: “Because I do my job well and I take my time with my music — clearly you can see that. So many [rappers] come and go, and I’m still here. You can downplay my accent, but I put a lot of thought into my work. I don’t half-a** anything I do."
But she insists she’s not chasing chart numbers with Am I the Drama?, adding that real success goes beyond sales.
Cardi added: “Winning a Grammy, the most prestigious award, you can never take that from me. But times have changed. Success for me will be people saying, ‘She put out a great album.’ If [at] 3 a.m. people are talking about the album, that’s going to be success for me because people can’t wait to downplay it. I even want the people who don’t like me to be like, 'Yo. That s*** is fire.' Yeah, eat your f****** fruits."
