{"id":47004,"date":"2025-09-19T13:07:13","date_gmt":"2025-09-19T13:07:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/musicianvoice.com\/index.php\/2025\/09\/19\/9-takeaways-from-cardi-bs-new-album-am-i-the-drama\/"},"modified":"2025-09-19T13:07:13","modified_gmt":"2025-09-19T13:07:13","slug":"9-takeaways-from-cardi-bs-new-album-am-i-the-drama","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/musicianvoice.com\/index.php\/2025\/09\/19\/9-takeaways-from-cardi-bs-new-album-am-i-the-drama\/","title":{"rendered":"9 Takeaways From Cardi B&#8217;s New Album &#8216;Am I The Drama?&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\t<span style=\"margin: 0px;padding: 0px\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/t\/cardi-b\/\" id=\"auto-tag_cardi-b\" data-tag=\"cardi-b\">Cardi B<\/a>\u2018s long-awaited sophomore album,\u00a0<em>Am I the Drama?<\/em><\/span> has finally arrived and is thankfully well worth the wait. The Bronx-born MC\u2019s jam-packed album features a tasteful array of features, from pop powerhouse <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/t\/selena-gomez\/\" id=\"auto-tag_selena-gomez\" data-tag=\"selena-gomez\">Selena Gomez<\/a> to New York sexy drill maestro <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/t\/cash-cobain\/\" id=\"auto-tag_cash-cobain\" data-tag=\"cash-cobain\">Cash Cobain<\/a>, showing off Cardi\u2019s genre-spanning range. As with much of her career thus far, Cardi\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/music\/music-features\/cardi-b-real-life-album-rollout-1235429493\/?_thumbnail_id=1235428932\">real life is as much an element of this project<\/a> as its stellar production and songwriting. Throughout <em>Am I the Drama? <\/em>she opens up about her rather public split with her ex-husband, Offset, and she\u2019s got plenty of smoke for her numerous detractors. But the album isn\u2019t full of only clapbacks. Cardi B proves herself to be among mainstream rap\u2019s brightest stars, capable of adapting to a variety of genres. She teams up with Tyla for \u201cNice Guy,\u201d a breezy and steamy love ballad, and follows it up with the marauding bar-filled \u201cKillin\u2019 You Hoes.\u201d <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\tFrom her raps about Kamala Harris to her not-so-subtle jabs at her enemies, Cardi B delivers on <em>Am I the Drama?<\/em> Here are 9 takeaways from what is sure to be one of the best albums of the year. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Cardi B - Safe (feat. Kehlani) [Official Music Video]\" width=\"1200\" height=\"900\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/E_0y8bmIATM?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<h3 id=\"cardi-mentions-offset-on-several-songscardi-explores-her-highly-publicized-relationship-with-her-ex-husband-offset-on-several-junctures-of-the-album-she-throws-a-shot-on-magnet-rapping-got-my-baby-daddy-actin-like-my-baby-mama-but-she-gets-vulnerable-toward-the-end-of-the-album-s-first-half-with-three-songs-detailing-the-personal-toll-of-their-tumultuous-relationship-man-of-your-word-is-one-of-cardi-s-most-intimate-moments-ever-as-she-pours-her-heart-out-over-a-drumless-beat-rhyming-should-ve-held-back-from-you-instead-i-gave-you-a-son-but-also-candidly-rhyming-as-a-wife-i-should-ve-realized-when-you-was-hurt-but-instead-i-put-my-music-first-she-concludes-the-track-offering-an-olive-branch-by-wishing-him-the-best-on-the-lizzo-featured-what-s-going-on-she-references-one-of-her-classics-rhyming-i-told-his-ass-be-careful-with-me-i-guess-he-thought-i-wouldn-t-practice-what-i-preach-while-chronicling-more-romantic-woes-and-on-the-self-explanatory-shower-tears-with-summer-walker-she-rhymes-about-a-serial-cheating-spouse-and-surmises-for-all-of-this-might-as-well-be-alone-again-she-doesn-t-mention-him-by-name-on-these-songs-but-the-references-seem-so-close-to-the-shaderoom-headlines-that-it-s-hard-not-to-think-that-she-s-addressing-offset-andre-gee\" class=\"heading larva \/\/      \">\n\t\t<strong>Cardi Mentions Offset On Several Songs<\/strong><br \/><\/h3>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\tCardi explores her highly publicized relationship with her ex-husband Offset on several junctures of the album. She throws a shot on \u201cMagnet,\u201d rapping, \u201cgot my baby daddy actin\u2019 like my baby mama.\u201d But she gets vulnerable toward the end of the album\u2019s first half with three songs detailing the personal toll of their tumultuous relationship. \u201cMan Of Your Word\u201d is one of Cardi\u2019s most intimate moments ever, as she pours her heart out over a drumless beat, rhyming, \u201cshould\u2019ve held back from you, instead I gave you a son,\u201d but also candidly rhyming, \u201cas a wife I should\u2019ve realized when you was hurt\/but instead I put my music first.\u201d She concludes the track, offering an olive branch by wishing him the best. On the Lizzo-featured \u201cWhat\u2019s Going On,\u201d she references one of her classics, rhyming, \u201cI told his ass be careful with me, I guess he thought I wouldn\u2019t practice what I preach,\u201d while chronicling more romantic woes. And on the self-explanatory \u201cShower Tears\u201d with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/t\/summer-walker\/\" id=\"auto-tag_summer-walker\" data-tag=\"summer-walker\">Summer Walker<\/a>, she rhymes about a serial cheating spouse and surmises, \u201cfor all of this, might as well be alone again.\u201d She doesn\u2019t mention him by name on these songs, but the references seem so close to the Shaderoom headlines that it\u2019s hard not to think that she\u2019s addressing Offset. \u2013 Andre Gee<\/p>\n<section class=\"brands-most-popular \/\/ editors-pick-module lrv-u-margin-tb-2 lrv-u-border-a-2 u-box-shadow-5-5 lrv-u-padding-lr-1 a-span1 u-padding-b-1@tablet u-overflow-hidden\">\n<h2 id=\"section-heading\" class=\"c-heading larva  lrv-u-text-align-center u-border-color-black a-font-theme-primary-xxs lrv-u-color-black lrv-u-text-transform-uppercase u-letter-spacing-0063 lrv-u-padding-t-050 u-padding-b-0375@tablet lrv-u-padding-b-050@mobile-max lrv-u-border-b-2\">\n<p>\t\tEditor\u2019s picks<\/p>\n<\/h2>\n<\/section>\n<h3 id=\"less-singing-more-rapping\" class=\"heading larva \/\/      \">\n\t\t<strong>Less Singing, More Rapping<\/strong>\t<\/h3>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\tCardi had both a lot to prove and a lot of room to experiment on <em>Invasion of Privacy<\/em>, so she flexed some of her lesser-known singing skills on songs like \u201cBe Careful\u201d and \u201cThru Your Phone,\u201d fan favorites that bridged her hip-hop roots with her love of the many modern R&amp;B artists she\u2019s collaborated with, like Walker, SZA and Kehlani. This time around, Cardi is focused on her bars, showing off how she\u2019s grown and sharpened her own skillset as a rapper. Other than a quick reference to \u201cBe Careful,\u201d she largely avoids trying to hit the high notes the way her old and new collaborators can. \u2013 Brittany Spanos<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"she-s-a-bachata-baddie-on-bodega-baddie\" class=\"heading larva \/\/      \">\n\t\t<strong>She\u2019s a Bachata Baddie on \u201cBodega Baddie\u201d<\/strong>\t<\/h3>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\tCardi has always been proud of her Afro-Caribbean roots and the fusion of Latin and Black cultures she grew up around in the Bronx. So whenever she gets a chance to celebrate her heritage, she takes it. \u201cBodega Baddie,\u201d which she had previewed on TikTok before the album release, is rich with bachata influences. It\u2019s a surefire megahit with its pulsating dance-y beat and could be a massive crossover on Latin, rap, and pop charts. \u2013 B.S.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"cardi-claps-back-at-bia-on-pretty-petty\" class=\"heading larva \/\/      \">\n\t\t<strong>Cardi Claps Back at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/t\/bia\/\" id=\"auto-tag_bia\" data-tag=\"bia\">Bia<\/a> on \u201cPretty &amp; Petty\u201d<\/strong>\t<\/h3>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\tLast year, in the midst of everyone and their mother beefing, Cardi B threw shots at Bia on the remix to GloRilla and Megan Thee Stallion\u2019s \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/music\/music-news\/glorilla-wanna-be-remix-megan-thee-stallion-cardi-b-1235030059\/\">Wanna Be<\/a>,\u201d rhyming, \u201cHope she talk like that when I see her\/Bitch, please, don\u2019t nobody wanna be ya.\u201d She then took to Instagram Live to inform the rap world that she felt the Boston rhymer had dissed her on Dreezy\u2019s \u201cBitch Duh\u201d remix and was accusing her of biting behind the scenes. Bia clapped back with a diss called \u201cSUE MEEE?,\u201d where she got extra personal, referencing Cardi\u2019s kids while rhyming, \u201cThought your ass was for the culture, you just tryin\u2019 to ride the wave\/You should be home with your kids \u2019cause bitch, you speak like second grade.\u201d Things went silent after that, but the heat got turned back up on Cardi\u2019s \u201cPretty &amp; Petty,\u201d a three-minute Bia diss where Cardi raps, \u201cI\u2019d rather die on the surgery table before I gotta walk around lookin like you,\u201d and \u201cname five Bia songs with a gun to your head.\u201d Let\u2019s see what round two has in store for us. \u2014 A.G.<\/p>\n<section class=\"brands-most-popular \/\/ recirculation-modules lrv-u-margin-tb-2 lrv-u-border-a-2 u-box-shadow-5-5 lrv-u-padding-lr-1 a-span1 u-padding-b-1@tablet u-overflow-hidden\">\n<h2 id=\"section-heading\" class=\"c-heading larva  lrv-u-text-align-center u-border-color-black a-font-theme-primary-xxs lrv-u-color-black lrv-u-text-transform-uppercase u-letter-spacing-0063 lrv-u-padding-t-050 u-padding-b-0375@tablet lrv-u-padding-b-050@mobile-max lrv-u-border-b-2\">\n<p>\t\tRelated Content<\/p>\n<\/h2>\n<\/section>\n<h3 id=\"am-i-the-drama-has-several-flips-of-classic-songs\" class=\"heading larva \/\/      \">\n\t\t<strong><em>Am I The Drama?<\/em> Has Several Flips of Classic Songs\u00a0<\/strong>\t<\/h3>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\tIn her June 2024 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/music\/music-features\/cardi-b-sophomore-album-motherhood-offset-marriage-1235018536\/\"><em>Rolling Stone<\/em> cover story<\/a>, Cardi B spoke about wanting her music to be as timeless as icons like Beyonc\u00e9 and Madonna; one way to achieve that is by dialoguing with timeless music. She did that on multiple junctures of the album. Of course, there\u2019s the Jay-Z nod on \u201c<a href=\"http:\/\/v\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">Imaginary Playerz,<\/a>\u201d which samples his classic track of the (pretty much) same name. But she also samples another legendary J \u2014 Janet Jackson on \u201cPrinciple,\u201d which flips the pop icon\u2019s \u201cPleasure Principle.\u201d On \u201cWhat\u2019s Goin On\u201d with Lizzo, she explores the album\u2019s most unconventional sample, turning 4 More Blondes\u2019 \u201cWhat\u2019s Up\u201d into a glimpse of romantic turmoil on \u201cWhat\u2019s Going On.\u201d And on \u201cKillin You Hoes,\u201d Cardi borrows Trina\u2019s eponymous refrain from her 2008 song of the same name. Cardi was overt with these samples, as they all have names that heavily cue to the sample.\u00a0 \u2014 A.G.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"kamala-harris-gets-inducted-into-the-rap-lyric-pantheon\" class=\"heading larva \/\/      \">\n\t\t<strong>Kamala Harris Gets Inducted Into the Rap Lyric Pantheon<\/strong>\t<\/h3>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\tKamala Harris had <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/music\/music-news\/megan-thee-stallion-kamala-harris-rally-performance-atlanta-1235071043\/\">a fair share of rap stars<\/a> attend her 2024 presidential campaign rallies, including Cardi B, so it was only a matter of time until the politician\u2019s name was dropped in a verse. The former vice president gets a shoutout in the same line that Cardi B\u2019s ex, Offset, catches a stray in \u201cMagnet.\u201d As the Bronx-born artist spits about attracting only the finest things in life while sitting pretty at the top of the celebrity ranks, she lauds \u201call my hoes who wear the pants like Kamala\u201d and juxtaposes them against her \u201cbaby daddy acting like my baby mama.\u201d During a rally speech in Milwaukee, Cardi B took her turn to convince voters that Harris was the one to elect, saying, \u201cwomen have to work ten times harder, perform ten times better, and still people question us, how we got to the top. I can\u2019t stand a bully, but just like Kamala, I always stand up to one.\u201d Harris might not have gotten the chance to be the Leader of the Free World, but she did win the opportunity to be a catchy example of female leadership and, perhaps, a verified spot on Rap Genius. \u2014 Elise Brisco <\/p>\n<h3 id=\"after-many-rumors-beyonce-is-not-on-the-album\" class=\"heading larva \/\/      \">\n\t\t<strong>After Many Rumors, Beyonc\u00e9 is NOT on the Album<\/strong>\t<\/h3>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\tUnfortunately, for the sleuthing sector of the Beyhive, Beyonc\u00e9 is not present on Cardi B\u2019s sophomore album, \u2018Am I The Drama?\u2019 After weeks of speculation and conspiracy theories (fans took her Spotify interview with Kelly Rowland and a riddle on the C\u00e9cred account as clues), there is no Beyonc\u00e9 x Bacardi mash-up. However, the two exist in each other\u2019s orbit with Cardi being a special VIP guest at the Cowboy Carter tour over the summer and Beyonc\u00e9 sending a specially signed \u2018Renaissance\u2019 vinyl to the rapper, thanking her for her support. A shit-talking Beyonc\u00e9 on \u201cPretty &amp; Petty\u201d would\u2019ve been great, but the closest Cardi B gets to the Carters on this album is the approved Jay-Z sample in \u201cImaginary Players\u201d \u2014 E.B.\u00a0<\/p>\n<section class=\"brands-most-popular \/\/ recirculation-modules trending-in-article lrv-u-margin-tb-2 lrv-u-border-a-2 u-box-shadow-5-5 lrv-u-padding-lr-1 a-span1 u-padding-b-1@tablet u-overflow-hidden\">\n<h2 id=\"section-heading\" class=\"c-heading larva  lrv-u-text-align-center u-border-color-black a-font-theme-primary-xxs lrv-u-color-black lrv-u-text-transform-uppercase u-letter-spacing-0063 lrv-u-padding-t-050 u-padding-b-0375@tablet lrv-u-padding-b-050@mobile-max lrv-u-border-b-2\">\n<p>\t\tTrending Stories<\/p>\n<\/h2>\n<\/section>\n<h3 id=\"selena-gomez-goes-hip-hop-on-pick-it-up\" class=\"heading larva \/\/      \">\n\t\t<strong>Selena Gomez Goes Hip-Hop on \u201cPick It Up\u201d<\/strong>\t<\/h3>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\tSelena Gomez is giving a mix of <em>Thank U, Next <\/em>era Ariana Grande and <em>SOS<\/em>-era SZA with her airy vocals on \u201cPick It Up,\u201d whose twinkly, hip-hop-R&amp;B hybrid of a beat Cardi B previewed for us last spring as our June cover star. It\u2019s reminiscent of Gomez\u2019s own 2015-ish era of tapping into to trap and R&amp;B sonics, too. \u201cBack on my bullshit, I mean it\/I see your number\/Thank God I didn\u2019t delete it,\u201d she sings in a near whisper in the first few seconds of the song. The last time Cardi B and Gomez linked up on a track was 2018, and it had a wholly different vibe \u2013 that was when they collaborated on DJ Snake\u2019s housey-reggaet\u00f3n smash \u201cTaki Taki\u201d with Ozuna as well. \u2013 Mankaprr Conteh<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"summer-walker-and-cardi-b-are-kindred-spirits-on-two-tracks\" class=\"heading larva \/\/      \">\n\t\t<strong>Summer Walker and Cardi B are Kindred Spirits on Two Tracks<\/strong>\t<\/h3>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/music\/music-lists\/best-cardi-b-features-1234786917\/no-love-extended-summer-walker-with-sza-and-cardi-b-2022-1234787355\/\">Summer Walker and Cardi B<\/a> have shared an uncannily similar life in the spotlight, when you think about it. Both are lover girls who have trekked through the thick mud of public opinion as they maintained declaredly difficult relationships with prominent men in hip-hop, all while becoming mothers of three (soon to be four, for Cardi) and more popular and powerful in their craft. \u201cHit them bitches where it hurt,\u201d Cardi said to Walker of her detractors on \u201cBitter,\u201d the intro to Walker\u2019s 2021 album, <em>Still Over It<\/em>. \u201cAnd put that shit in your music and make money off it in your music. Fuck these hoes.\u201d So, when both women do just that and come out swinging on \u201cDead,\u201d <em>Am I the Drama?<\/em>\u2019s the first song, it feels like they\u2019re offering each other a victory lap \u2013 and a shoulder to lean on. Both artists are openly sensitive, too, which their second collaboration of the album, \u201cShower Tears,\u201d captures just as earnestly. \u2013 M.C.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/music\/music-features\/cardi-b-new-album-takeaways-am-i-the-drama-1235430641\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Cardi B\u2018s long-awaited sophomore album,\u00a0Am I the Drama? has finally arrived and is thankfully well worth the wait. The Bronx-born MC\u2019s jam-packed album features&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":47005,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-47004","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pop","article","has-excerpt","has-avatar","has-author","has-date","has-comment-count","has-category-meta","has-read-more","thumbnail-"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/musicianvoice.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47004","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/musicianvoice.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/musicianvoice.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/musicianvoice.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/musicianvoice.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=47004"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/musicianvoice.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47004\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/musicianvoice.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/47005"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/musicianvoice.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=47004"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/musicianvoice.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=47004"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/musicianvoice.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=47004"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}