It’s been over seven years since Bronx sensation Cardi B released her vibrant debut, ‘Invasion of Privacy.’ That album, packed with hits, firmly established her as a star and earned her a Grammy for Best Rap Album—a first for a solo female artist. Despite being crafted quickly after her smash single ‘Bodak Yellow,’ its rapid production was part of its charm. Cardi’s lyrics, detailing her newfound wealth (‘just checked my account, turns out I’m rich, I’m rich, I’m rich!’), combined with her energetic flow, painted a vivid picture of instant stardom.
While Cardi has remained active throughout the 2020s, dropping sharp singles, collaborating notably (and sometimes less so) with artists like Megan Thee Stallion, and delivering captivating guest verses, her follow-up album, ‘Am I the Drama?’, has been a long time coming. The 32-year-old artist, Belcalis Almánzar, attributed the delay to writer’s block, but her life outside the studio has been equally eventful. She navigated a high-profile, seven-year marriage to rapper Offset that ended, engaged in public disputes with various female rappers, and welcomed three children. Just last week, she revealed she’s expecting her fourth child with her N.F.L. star boyfriend, Stefon Diggs. Adding to the drama, she recently underwent a civil trial stemming from a 2018 incident where a security guard accused her of assault, ultimately being found not liable earlier this month.
During her recent trial, Cardi’s testimony clips, featuring her signature glamorous wigs, expressive facial antics, and spontaneous, memorable quotes, quickly became viral sensations. From her early days as a Vine creator and reality TV star, she has always masterfully leveraged the power of the shareable sound bite, blurring the lines between music and meme culture. In this unique way, her courtroom appearance served as the ultimate promotional single for her highly anticipated and often confrontational sophomore album, ‘Am I the Drama?’ She even swiftly released ‘Courtroom Editions’ of the album with photos from her testimony as covers.
The album’s second track, the energetic and confident ‘Hello,’ perfectly illustrates Cardi’s knack for turning public moments into musical hits. Its title directly references a standout quote from her trial: ‘Because I’m pregnant … Hello?’ With her unique ability to infuse even the simplest words and phrases (like ‘coronavirus’) with musicality, Cardi uses this track to reintroduce herself with a straightforward yet compelling hook: ‘Hello? It’s me.’
Across 23 tracks, which range from excellent to occasionally repetitive, Cardi explores various themes. She delivers steamy and explicit verses on ‘On My Back,’ featuring Lourdiz, and conveys vulnerability on ‘Shower Tears,’ one of two collaborations with R&B artist Summer Walker. Her opulent boasting shines on ‘ErrTime,’ where she declares, ‘I’m somewhere on the Amalfi Coast, tannin’ somewhere naked.’ However, Cardi is at her most captivating when unleashing her fierce, vengeful side, as heard on the menacing opening track, ‘Dead.’ Here, she warns, ‘I’m collecting body bags like they purses. I don’t even rap no more, I drive hearses.’
While Cardi offers subtle hints of her disdain on the sharp track ‘Magnet,’ she confronts her targets head-on in ‘Pretty & Petty.’ This unbridled diss track immediately identifies its subject: rapper Bia, who previously challenged Cardi on her 2024 song ‘Sue Meee?’ Cardi’s wit truly shines when she’s dismantling a rival, and on this track, she delivers playful taunts and absurd jabs (‘look, meatball, you Italian’) with masterful precision. Even after the music fades, she continues her verbal assault (‘told you, don’t ever mention my kids’), reminiscent of a boxer unwilling to stop after the bell.
Similar to many albums that experience significant delays, and those with an extensive list of producers, ‘Am I the Drama?’ feels a bit scattered, and not every track hits the mark. In contrast, the 13-track ‘Invasion of Privacy’ showcased a much tighter and more confident delivery. Towards the latter half of ‘Drama,’ songs like ‘Check Please’ and ‘Nice Guy,’ featuring Tyla, revisit familiar territory without much fresh insight. Guest appearances from Selena Gomez on the forgettable ‘Pick It Up’ and Janet Jackson (credited only for a sample on the rather uninspired ‘Principal’) seem unnecessary. The album’s weakest moment arrives with ‘What’s Goin On,’ a confused breakup anthem that squanders some of Cardi’s most emotionally potent lyrics on a questionable concept: Lizzo’s explicit rendition of the 4 Non Blondes classic ‘What’s Up.’
Nevertheless, at its peak, ‘Drama’ brilliantly highlights why Cardi remains an incredibly captivating and charismatic artist, even when she dials back the intensity.
On ‘Man of Your World,’ the album’s emotional core, Cardi openly reflects on her marriage’s collapse against a sparse, melancholic steel drum beat. Her expertly controlled vocals guide the listener from raw anger to a poignant sense of forgiveness, as she sings, ‘I really hope you find love, I hope you find a good spirit / I hope she satisfy your needs and everything that I didn’t.’ It’s a truly dramatic and impactful performance.
Album Details:
Artist: Cardi B
Album: ‘Am I the Drama?’
Label: Atlantic
A Note on Corrections:
An earlier version of this article, published on Sept. 24, 2025, contained a misspelling of a rapper’s given name. The correct spelling is Megan Thee Stallion, not Meghan Thee Stallion.
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