Cardi B is Billboard‘s Woman of the Year!
It’s fitting, then, that the femcee covers the Women In Music 2020 issue.
Beyond posing it up for the striking spread, the rapper sat down for an insightful interview.
Ever candid, Cardi opened up about her new album, motherhood, navigating the industry without a “traditional manager,” the success of ‘WAP,’ her next female collaboration, and more.
Read after the jump…
On Success Of ‘WAP’:
“I just hoped it would debut in the top 20. It did better than I even thought it would. I was crying and shit. When I heard Megan’s verse, I’m like, “Oh, shit. Sounds even better now. Woo!” I had this song for almost a year. I said I’m a Libra, so you know I’m very indecisive. The guys around my team liked other songs because they’re more gangsta. When I linked up with Megan and it was time for me to send her a song, I was like, “This has to be the song. There’s no other song that makes sense for me to put her on. This girl is freaky-deaky — I know she’s gonna kill it,” and she did.”
On Her New Music & Incoming Album:
I have one song that is very personal and deep. It’s with another female artist, but even when I was recording it, I had to take a lot of breaks. I was looking at my engineer and he was looking like, “Yeah, Cardi, I feel you.”
When it comes to me writing or putting ideas of my personal life [in the music], I get really shy.
On Being Business Savvy Without A Traditional Manager:
“These past several months, I have become more business-savvy. I just hired somebody that runs a big business to hire other people to review my [deals]. I’m telling you, there’s gonna be bigger changes. A lot of these companies, they want to give you a couple million dollars to represent them, and it’s like, “OK, but what am I really getting out of it?” If 1% of my followers buy your product, you’re going to make triple what you’re paying me. I’m making sure I’m not selling myself short. I’m making sure people are reviewing sh*t right. It’s a lot of game that I have learned. Slowly but surely, I know I’m gonna get better. I know the value I bring to a company, and that’s one thing artists have to understand. I feel like in 2021 I’m gonna come up real strong.”
On Letting Her Daughter See Breonna Taylor Campaign She Was Involved In:
“I want her to grow up knowing how the world really is. My daughter came out of my p*ssy rich. She lives a different lifestyle than I lived. This girl gets in a pool every single day; I can’t swim because I barely went to the pool. There was only one community pool where I’m from. I want her to know that just because you have money, that doesn’t mean you’re super-privileged.
Even me with her dad [rapper Offset], we have had really bad experiences with police, and we’re rich and famous. I want her to know that you’re not going to be an exception. I want her to have compassion. I don’t want her to ever have the mentality of, “This doesn’t apply to me.””
On Whether She Sees Herself As An Activist:
“I don’t know if I’m an activist. I’m a Libra — we are the justice sign. I like fairness, and I have compassion toward everybody. This is the type of person that I’ve always been. When I was a stripper, I posted the same sh*t that I post now. I was doing marches in Harlem. But I don’t want people to think, “Oh, she’s an activist.” There’s people out here that really go off and beyond, like a Tamika [Mallory] or Shaun King, who go out of their way to really help. I feel like those are activists. I don’t want to take away from what they are. I just want to be a person with a platform that believes in good.”
On Struggling With The Idea Of Being A Role Model:
“Let’s say something is ugly, right? Everybody in the comments is saying it’s ugly, but you’re saying it’s pretty. If you have the unpopular comment, then you’re in the wrong. So you gotta be careful with what comes out of your mouth. You can’t even call people ugly nowadays! I’m not saying I want to call people ugly — you just can’t even be yourself anymore.
Am I a role model? I know I’m a role model because I know there’s a lot of women like me. At the end of the day, I know I’m a b*tch that made it through because I work my ass off, not because luck fell on my thighs.
I want to show people that you can do positive things, but you can also be yourself. I’m a very sexual person. I love sex, and I like to rap about it. I like to do it. I admire my husband’s penis. I love pussy, and I love my body, and I want to be able to express that. I’m just a naughty girl, and I’m not hurting nobody because I love my pussy and want to rap about it.”
The one thing Cardi has on these other rappers besides serving bops is serving LOOKS! Her stylist never misses.
Cardi is the reigning queen of rap!
Lol comedy…. Yall just say anything
A disgrace to call that thing a woman.
That’s mean
No thanks fraudi c is a flop
Yuck
The herps jumped out in these pics
Boo she still smells like tuna
More like Flop of the year
Lol b**** you wish
You can’t hate her she is loud and uncouth but a typical liberal she dresses it up so nicely and she has raw charm. I like what she said about her daughter and how she will raise her. Cardi is very self-aware it will help her in the future. Offset is baggage she needs to get rid of and she knows it.
She’s not the strongest rapper but she has a very strong personality and that helps her alot and carries her to success.
Her music videos are also good and she takes fashion seriously.
She’s also not over saturating herself, this was nicki Minaj’s biggest mistake, releasing songs every week , people couldn’t keep up with her.
Cardi doesn’t jump on every song offered to her she’s very strategic with her collaborations.
And Nicki didn’t have strong solo music like Cardi.
Nikki discography is weak even compared to Meagan let alone Cardib
that’s all it is. her personality is strong and likable. she dresses good, delivers good music, videos and fashion. she is a star. maybe not the best rapper but she got it
SHE FUCKI G HAS IT!! Ppl hate to say it but she’s a STAR! Like, just respect it.
And she can perform!! She’s a former stripper son she knows how to work that stage.
What u mean not the strongest rapper ??? Definitely stronger than Nikki by MILES. Press alone demolishes Everything Nikki has ever done sonically lyrically and cardi has BARS. nikki is not even a BARS rapper like meagan and Cardi. Cardi is QUEEN OF RAP
You are so fcking ignorant, I know you don’t like Nicki Minaj but I didn’t know you were an actual Ediot too.
Any person who constantly talks about money is tacky and is not used to money.
She’s not smart. You hit the lottery with rapping. Nothing more. Nothing less. You’re just like a those old 78 year old hicks who win the $580 M lottery. Got money but still dumb as rocks.
And what do you have being smart you probably smart and broke f***** hater
Muva Cardi is serving looks. that is something we can all agree she never disappoints in. I just want to know when is this album dropping. she coulda used the hype of WAP to drop an album but she is holding on. If we are waiting on the album we need single number 2 and then album. I see Rataj fans are in the comments hating
Can’t wait for the album and next single. I wonder who the collab she is talking about my guess is doja cat or summer walker cause they hot right now
I’m really surprised Mona Scott isn’t her manager or didn’t trick her into signing on of those I own you for life contracts like birdman made wayne, nicki and drake sign!
I think next summer (3 years after IOP) is the perfect time for Cardi to start S hitting again 💄💩👑 RIP NIKKI 💀🍾
Photo shoot is 🔥
Cardi gives the girls FASHION!! She is the most glam female rapper since Kim. These other h*** stay decked out in low budget stripper couture 24/7 no shade.
2021 belongs to Cardi. Stay mad b******.
Gworl calm tf down there are other rappers who also serve looks and have covered the likes of Harpers Bazaar..you’re acting like the dumbass barbs and bardi gang who are all about negativity not actually supporting the artists
I said what the f*** I said. You can choose to remain pressed about it. I could care less. What else is going on?????
Barbs should be worried about why their Q**** tried to pay her husbands r*** victim off, and sent her goons to harass once she refused. Cardi would never.
Speak on it!!…Them heaux’s don’t want to talk about that tho! How their fave is a sick and twisted lying bish! She literally ran with the lie about how the girl and Kenny used to date. The girl politely clocked her and made it known that it was a lie and that Minaj up here trying to pay her off to make that go away. The dude was convicted! Accept it! You married a man who r**** a woman!!!…and he killed someone as well! Just 🗑!!!
Great interview! Good for you Bardi
Looking very s**** hoish in a overpriced dress..