On her breakthrough Hot 100 topper “Bodak Yellow,” Cardi B informed us she had “money moves,” and she wasn’t joking. As of Monday (Aug. 2), the New York City rapper’s “Bodak Yellow” just sailed past 1 billion views on YouTube, which is an especially impressive feat given that she recently revealed the video cost a scant $15,000.
“Bodak Yellow” is Cardi’s third video to pull in at least a billion views on YouTube, if we’re including guest spots: She first achieved the feat as the featured artist on Maroon 5’s “Girls Like You” video, and then again in 2019 when her Bad Bunny and J Balvin collab “I Like It” joined the 1 billion views club on YouTube. All three songs previously topped the Billboard Hot 100.
Most recently, Cardi slid into the top 15 of the Hot 100 via her featured verse on Normani’s “Wild Side.” Normani stole the show in the music video for Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s “WAP,” and Cardi returned the favor by hopping on Normani’s Aaliyah-tipping “Wild Side” and appearing in the video, which boasts chains and killer choreography.
While “Bodak Yellow” originally came out in 2017, just last week saw a much older clip hit 1 billion views on YouTube. Thanks to the undying appeal of a RickRoll, Rick Astley’s 1987 smash “Never Gonna Give You Up” video – which came out decades before YouTube even existed – entered the elite 1 billion company on YouTube. While those two songs don’t have all that much in common, both “Bodak Yellow” and “Never Gonna Give You Up” are Hot 100-topping singles that launched careers.
