Cardi B has been constantly labeled as the “first female rapper” to achieve a diamond-certified single, two Billboard Hot 100 No. 1s without accompanying acts, and to win best rap album at the Grammys on her own. And she has no problem with it.
In her XXL cover story published online Tuesday (April 6), the “Up” rapper explained why she proudly embraces the “female” identification in any title she occupies.
“I feel like it’s so amazing to be a woman. I don’t give a f— if somebody call me a female rapper. A female entrepreneur. A female this. That’s what I am,” the 28-year-old artist said. “Like, I’m a whole female and I’m winning awards on n—as. And I’m making numbers on you n—as. I have a song on my album and I’d say, ‘Y’all n—as ain’t doing the numbers that my last sh– did.’ And I really could’ve said, ‘Y’all bi—es ain’t doing the numbers that my last sh– did.’ But it was like, not even y’all muthaf—as is doing my numbers. So, it’s just like, I don’t give a f—. Yes, I am a girl. With a p—y. With titties. And it’s just like, ‘Oh my God, she’s so pretty, but she’s so smart. She’s such a killa.’ I just feel so powerful being a girl that I don’t give a da– if you call me a female rapper or a female…Yes, I am a girl.”
Cardi recognized the power of being a woman while reading up on war history and learning about the Soviet Union’s female soldiers and their tactics to take down German male soldiers. But aside from the history lessons, she’s checking the math on her own business deals and making sure she gets paid what she deserves.
She previously disclosed her dreams to be a “billion-dollar woman” like Rihanna, the world’s richest female musician, and Cardi believes there’s extra value in being identified as a woman shattering these records and glass ceilings. “I’d rather be the first billionaire female than just, ‘Oh, she’s a billionaire,’” she added. But the “Bodak Yellow” MC knows she has to be very meticulous about her money moves, especially being a Black woman in an industry she believes to purposefully rip off people of color in their record deals.
“I’m a colored girl and I’m from the ’hood and sh–. And they might be like, ‘Oh, we could offer her a $2 million advance.’ And the company is gonna make out of you, probably f—ing $50 million, $100 million. And you settle for $2 million because they think that you’re so thirsty for that money that they just gonna give you the $2 million,” the Bronx native explained. “Sometimes you do see that race really matters and sh– because I’ve been seeing some influencers, that are not, you know, like me. Caucasian influencers. And they’re getting paid big money. I’m a whole artist. And there is other artists that I know how much they’re getting paid. I’ve been doing my research now, heavy. And it’s like, Da–, muthaf—as is getting ripped the f— off. And that’s why I’m like, Nah, I’m gonna get everything that I deserve.”
And she wants the same for her and her husband Offset’s two-year-old daughter Kulture. When asked if she wants Kulture to also enter the entertainment business and eventually win a Grammy like Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s nine-year-old daughter Blue Ivy, Cardi said she wants “so much things for her that I don’t even know what I want.” But she does know that the rapper wants her mini mi to be smart, business savvy, confident, unstoppable and humble.
Read her XXL cover story here.
