Vine and Instagram stars come a dime a dozen in the world of social media. The right dance or catchphrase can elevate one from thirsty internet individual to legitimate celebrity influencer. Some clever navigation and branding can bring even more notoriety. There isn’t anyone who exemplifies that this year better than Cardi B. The former stripper became a popular social media figure through her crass honesty and hilarious one-liners. Let some tell it, her “hoes don’t get cold” line became the stuff of legends. It made sense as to why she’d make herself a fitting cast member of the New York edition of Love & Hip Hop. Her introduction to a new audience has already made her a popular figure through clever wit blending the wise and ignorant. Like many members on VH!’s ratings powerhouse, viewers watch Cardi B maneuver in building a rap career as she manages drama, beefing with enemies “foreva” and the luxury business of club appearances.
Speaking with HipHopDX, the Bronx firecracker talks her time on LHHNY, multiple streams of income and upcoming Gangsta Bitch Music mixtape.
Cardi B’s Upcoming “Gangsta Bitch Music” Mixtape
“I don’t think there was an album, but I think my life and the little things I say. I feel like the music out is repetitive. Everybody is rapping about their glamorous ass life. Like when am I going to hear a rap song that I can relate to? I don’t do no drugs or drive a Benz. I don’t drive a Rolls Royce. I don’t make a million dollars or $500,000 a show. When am I going to hear something that I can relate to? I know I’m not the only one that thinks that. It’s just like, I want to put that out there. My mixtape is called Gangsta Bitch Music.”
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“The mixtape is coming out February 24 and I’m debating if I should put twelve or fourteen tracks on it. I feel like my music is going to make a girl from California or the Valley want to be a girl from The Bronx. I want them to feel like, ‘Oh they life is lit.’ You feel what a girl like me went through. A lot of people be like, ‘What did you go through? Just shaking your ass for money?’ No, it’s more than that. It’s me being underestimated. I put a lot on my music regarding me being so underestimated and how a lot of people hate on me. It’s like, for what reason? Why hate on me? It’s crazy, people support people who have a lot of money, but y’all don’t look up to people who came from the same bottom as them. You’ll hear that on my music. Then I have a lot about fighting cause that’s all I’m around. All my friends like to fight. I don’t know why I’m always forced into fights. I don’t look for it, right? [looks over to management team]. I don’t look for it. Everything takes time. I’ve been working for about a year-and-a-half on one mixtape. There are certain songs that I did a year and a half ago that I have to hear like 500 times so I can find what I don’t like. It has to be super perfect.”
Averaging 16 Club Appearances A Month
“I do about sixteen club appearances a month. It’s every weekend. I’m booked from like Friday to Sunday. Sometimes I’ll do Thursday or Wednesday. It’s ridiculous. When I host, all you have to do is show up, if you want to take pictures do that and drink. This is a party and I want people to enjoy themselves. I want people to see that I’m the same person you see on television. I’m going to shake my ass with you. I want to have fun. I didn’t come her to sit down and look cute. I want to see how different cities turn up. I want to see what you guys are about. I want people to ask me what was the city that went the craziest. I could tell you how because I tested the people. The most live I’ve seen are Baltimore, Washington, Boston, New York, Oakland. They give it up.”
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Cardi B Is Interested In The Peter & Amina Storyline, Too
“Honest truth, I really be like that Peter and Amina story gets me like always. Like where is it going to go? Like this is very interesting. I wonder how are they going to live like this. I have to know. It’s like a watch it. Then you have these girls like Mariah Lynn and the BBOD girls, I alway hear that they have beef, but I wonder when is it going to throw down. Little things like that. I like to watch myself, but I want to see what else is happening. I like to see everybody else’s drama too. It’s just interesting.”
Looking Up To Fabolous & Lil Boosie
“Yeah, a lot of rappers like Fabolous. I think he’s like the best rapper. He’s crazy. Uncle Murda, that’s my boy. I like Lil Boosie because he makes conscious music. He does conscious music that’s not boring. It’s like wow, he’s speaking some real shit and it sounds cool at the same time. I can listen to it throughout the whole thing and not feel depressed. It motivates me. Rappers like that.”
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Lessons Learned From Building Fans On Social Media Before “LHHNY”
“Every concept that I get would be a simple thing that I thought in my head. Like yo, I hate that I go through this. Can y’all relate to this? Little things that I and my friends talk about or have conversations about. I would try to have a fake conversation with my Instagram or let me tell everyone about my day. Little things like that. It’s crazy because, for my first video, I did it because I’m talking about things I normally talk about. I was talking to my little 600 followers and people would repost it. After that, I was surprised. Did People start following me? Like I know I’m voluptuous, but I wasn’t one of those girls who was modeling and trying to put herself supper out there because that’s a waste of time. I’m just surprised that me talking and being myself got me all the love. I never thought that it would make me popular”
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“Everybody wants to be famous. Everybody wants to be a celebrity. Everybody wants to go to the club every night. It’s so exhausting and a little bit depressing being in the spotlight with everybody judging you and not really knowing you. Judging you and people saying that I’m ugly, fix my teeth, fix your nose or your lips are annoying. Little things that I can’t even change. People constantly tell me that or say things like, “Look how you act, you must not have any parents.” That pisses me the crap off. Little things like that. Everybody sees the glamorous part about being popular and famous. It’s so many things too. Then you ask yourself why are these actors always trying to kill themselves or overdose, because it gets a little depressing sometimes. People just judge and you’re not even allowed to control your own mind sometimes. It’s crazy”
Goal For “Love & Hip Hop” Was To Always Make People Laugh
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“I watched Love & Hip Hop. Before the show, I didn’t watch it for like a year or two. I was always working and never really had the time, but when I found out I was going to be on the show, I was a little nervous. But, then again, I wasn’t nervous because I’m going to be myself. A lot of people think I’m funny. It’s crazy because you can’t please everybody because I don’t think I’m a cocky person or I don’t think I act like a bitch. My goal is to always make people laugh. I make myself laugh. Nobody can make me laugh like myself. Even if you come out that way, people still talk crazy about you. It’s like no way in pleasing people.”
Being Strategic With Rap Career & Thoughts On Other Aspiring “LHHNY” Femcees
“It’s been way before the show. What’s so funny is that I wanted to put out my music before the show because never wanted anyone to be like, “oh she because a rapper and everybody on the show thinks they’re a rapper.” It’s like me and my manager say, to do things, you have to really plan. It’s not about just putting music out. It is what it is, but I don’t know if the other girls on the show take their music seriously or put their money and time like I do. I take it serious and I’m not going to say that they’re not talented. What are your plans to put your music out there? Just Love & Hip Hop?”
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