Prior to any accolade, analytic or analysis of the full product, Cardi B went into the release of her debut album, Invasion Of Privacy, already a winner.
Her invincible 2017 single, “Bodak Yellow,” put her in a small circle in terms of chart-topping female rap records. Not only did she single-handedly add musical credibility to VH1’s controversial Love & Hip Hop soap opera, “Bodak’s” monstrous success broke barriers. She became the first female rapper to land her first three entries in the Hot 100 top 10 and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts but also the first female period to have five top 10 singles on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop chart at the same damn time.
Which makes the circumstances going into Invasion Of Privacy even more interesting.
Released virtually a year after “Bodak” dropped, it’s a clean slate from her previous non-major label sanctioned Gangsta Bitch Music albums. At 25-years-young, Belcalis Almanzar is now an international celebrity who dictates her own path through the game; one that’s not necessarily dictated by traditional Hip Hop standards. Yet, the album — especially the one that lays claim to inaugural status — still maintains its king hierarchy, whether it’s for labels to compile record sales through stream numbers or the two-hour award show schmoozing designated for that final reveal.
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Invasion Of Privacy is set in the present day where Cardi is the hottest in the game and supreme attractor of all things Gucci Gucci, Louis Louis, Fendi Fendi, Prada, et al. Despite possessing an undeniable entertainment factor packed with colorful and bassy beats, every song practically leans on the same topics, an apparent result of being pressured to be a hitmaker at such an early stage in her career. Rarely does a bar whiz by without reminding “these hoes out here” (or bitches!) how they aren’t on her level or how hard she worked to “get the bag.” The few times she steps out her killzone results in messy break-up anthems such as the languid “Be Careful,” a pop chart over-reach where strained vocals and vulnerability make for a mismatch.
To her credit, Cardi is fully capable of spitting bars with brazen energy. Her Boogie Down Bronx overtones are on full tilt on the opening of “Bartier Cardi” where she explodes, “Red bottom MJ/Moonwalk on a bitch/Moonwalkin’ through your clique/I’m moonwalkin’ in the 6/Sticky with the kick/Moonrocks in this bitch!”
The equally swaggy “Money Bag” is another aggressively fun performance that neatly checks all the Cardi persona boxes. Too bad the same can’t be said for the Chance The Rapper-featured “Best Life,” whose comeuppance motto can’t save it from criticism due to Chance’s wonky and annoying chorus and Cardi’s facepalm emoji bars: “I’m like Big Pop’ mixed with 2Pac, I’m like Makaveli/You need some Little Caesar’s pizza, I be Hot & Ready.” Eesh.
A huge chunk of “Bodak’s” storyline is the fact Cardi borrowed heavily from Kodak Black’s “No Flockin'” to create her own masterpiece; a practice continued throughout Invasion Of Privacy. While this approach to songwriting sheds light on her still developing talent, it’s also an area of expertise. On “Bickenhead,” she resurrects Project Pat and Three 6 Mafia’s 2001 battle of the sexes classic, “Chickenhead,” with a Bardi bop and bounce that’ll become an indefinite staple in clubs in the future. Similarly on “I Like It,” Cardi taps into the BX bodega lure with the sampling of “I Like It Like That” for a suave cat-calling jam that invites Bad Bunny and J Balvin along for the ride in an obvious effort to sample whatever “Despacito” ordered on the menu. And even though it sounds terribly like “Get Right Witcha’s” little brother, Cardi comfortably comes off as the fourth Migo on “Drip,” as she and her extended familia go to great lengths forecasting the temperature of all their ice.
Seeing that there’s no clear album direction other than creating heat, the debut ends on a rather uneven note. Following the petty “Thru Your Phone,” album closer “I Do” diminishes the uncanny talents of SZA to a formulaic chorus and leaves listeners with the messages of “bad bitches,” “broke hoes” and “Gucci” for the curtain call.
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With an album title in Invasion Of Privacy, it would have been remarkable for Cardi to flip the openness of her Instagram page into an audiobook and not succumb to the invincibility cloak that comes along with a rap star title. Still, when you combine this decent first outing and relentless work ethic, there’s no question Cardi is here to stay.
After all, she already conquered the one-hit wonder rep.
Worst album i’ve heard in any genre in the last 5 years by far… It don’t get any worse than this talentless hoe.
What a fuckin’ overreaction. Worst album in the last 5 years??? Kill yourself OLD HEAD.
I mean you really don’t have to be an old head to think cardi b is shit…
PAID REVIEW!! TRENT CLARK IS A SUCKA!
This album was very frustrating to listen to. To many times on this record, Cardi sounded like Nicki Minaj Lite. She didn’t sound comfortable delivering some of her verses. Her content got redundant and repetitive. Her last mixtape was better than this. To many reaches for shock value and topping the charts. It wasn’t horrible but it wasn’t good either. She has more potential than this.
Album of the Year! Fuck A Hater!!
Dumb
Assjuice
C L A S S I C
It’s so sad to see talentless people like this bitch and the homosexual migos, and all the other rappers? From Atlanta with colored dreads get national attention for fucking reason and there horrible. But the real MCs with talent can’t even sell records or book shows. It’s mind blowing.
Even MTO knows this shit is fraudulent trash yet HHDX praises it lol what else would you expect
Takeoff approves
Nothing but hits!!!
Awful
Yes
DOPE so much more substance to this than i expected, amazing chance and SZA features and unexpectedly didn’t get tiresome, nearly every song was different and enjoyable!!! Decent fucking effort! one of the AOTY so far!
You’ve lost your gotdamned mind.
Haha real funny, I can sense your sarcasm. But your right in your sarcasm, one of the worst albums I’ve heard in a long ass time. Makes me want young ma and Nicki to drop so we can hear some real female lyricism.
Wack as fuck..stop hyping it dx..its wack..
Exactly. But if they keep hyping it somehow people begin to like it. It’s garbage
Haterz . Once again. THE BIG QUESTION IS WHY DOES HHPDX DO THE SAME REVIEWS FOR EPS AND ALBUMS???? IM WATCHING WACK EPS SCORE HIGHER THAN CERTIFIED GOOD ALBUMS. SMH
You can’t call people haters for calling a wacj album bad. There’s no one worse than the cock guzzlers that hop on here and scream hater when people give their personal opinion on shit.
Unless she swallows my load like my name was Offset, I can’t give this more than 1 star.
Absolutely Terrible! At least Niki Minaj has some talent, I mean a little bit. Certainly she can at least craft a song as far as arrangement. When Niki drops her album, people will completely forget about cardi B. Personally, I think Rapsody is the only female rapper out there doing it the way it’s supposed to be done.
people really listen to this shit?
Not a good album at all but I kind of heard some slaps on it. The intro (Get Up 10) is decent AND I like it is a good (summer) banger.
Not Good!
disgrace to hip-hop !!
3/5
it was decent not what i expected i thought would be horrible but its not but u know people gone hate
I just don’t understand who could listen to these singles or any songs on this album and think it’s worth buying. I was kind of hoping it would be on nickis level but this shits no better than a migos or young thug album. Basically main stream trash with no lyrical talent.
I thought she went ham on “get up 10” or who ever wrote it.
Pathetic how a once reputable “Hip-Hop” site can co-sign this at any level….
I honestly thought it was gonna be absolute trash, but after giving it a listen it’s not even that bad lol. Compared to Nicki Minaj’s debut album with all those pop singles, this is much better in my opinion. Not the best album or even close to being really good, but it is not as bad as people are making it seem.
Why are all comments disabled on every Kandypens article? Previous article on Big Sean and Halsey Kandypens comments are disabled. Searched for Kandypens and every article you guys have stating some artist with Kandypens has comments disabled. Just curious.
Because they know kandy pens are trash and they dont want us to ruin their sponsorship deal
They paid for the article so that’s one of their stipulation. Disable comments. That shows you there that the system is rigged for clout.
You people are sheepoles. I don’t give a fuck if Barak Obama Co signed this album, it is pure garbage. It is obvious by now that hip hop dx was bought off. Just like your favorite music video channels, and your local radio stations. SMH…
It’s funny as hell. I never seen so many men mad at a woman as I have at Cardi B. Suspect. This album is actually tight. I was surprised.
God forbid people actually care for and respect the art and culture of Hip-Hop…. Nothing suspect about that at all.
I’ve lived and breathed hip-hop for my entire life. If she can rap, she can rap. The album is put together tightly. I know what the hell I’m listening too. I’m no goofy little kid. You can’t listen to that album start to finish objectively and say it’s trash. That’s BS. You’re going off the reality show image and everything that surrounds her.
Her delivery is TERRIBLE. And more importantly, SHE’S NOT A RAPPER. She’s not an emcee. She is someone who opened her legs to be on Love and Hip-Hop and then paid people to make her a “rap star”. There is absolutely ZERO RESPECT for that. She is a fraud. That’s the only image relevant to me. Her being an ignorant ratchet how is another topic..
Thank you. What ever happened to the basics such as “delivery”? I wonder if her Ghost writers delivery was this poor?
It’s not about men mad at women. It’s about talent versus hype
mindless garbage made for teenage girls
It’s dope. I gavr it a 4. It’s about hits now and Cardi B got hits all on this album
Dope
Nah fam
ALL OF THE INCLUDING CARDI B AND HHDX ARE ALL LUCIFERIAN FREEMASON SATANIC DEVIL WORSHIPERS
Havent heard the album but ima buy it at wal mart off the strength of bodak yellow. that shits fire and you couldn’t ask for more from the bitch. and to the the writer of this article : so what if she never took off her rapper cape. so what if she didn’t delve into her personal life. we don’t need more songs about hating your mom on this earth. I wanna hear about cardi going shopping getting fucked in a Cadillac. that izz her life.
Great Album
Sorry guys
Wait… I’m not the only one who thinks that this album is trash. What are we grading this up against? If we’re grading this with all the other new trash then it should get 5/5 trash level.
She’s not Rapsody, Jean Grea or say Snow tha product so we can’t judge her on her lyrical prowess. Shes like Puff Daddy. Her music is for entertainment. If you look at her content u realize she falls under what lyricists call “fast food” rap (products pushed by corporations and gate keepers for profit). Its just to give u a fix and not necessarily add any nutritional value to your being. The smart thing she’s done (writers help or not) is to study the game like a pusher and give the (addicted) masses just exactly what they are currently hooked on and at a slightly higher quality!
I made a mistake this is so bad
Paid review obviously, all you have to do is give HHDX alot of $$$$ up front and they’ll say your album is a classic and anyone who thinks otherwise is stuck in the 90s lmfao
Say what u want about cardi b but shes a hitmaker..She is taking all the hate in and overcoming it..Is she a lyrical miracle rapper ? No she’s not but she raps from her heart..rapping from your heart is way more powerful than complex bars..Tupac proved that..She just needs more substance
Word.. I really felt it when she said “Fuck him then I get some money”. Straight from the heart.
The greatest female rapper debut of all time.
bullshit
WORST RAPPER OF ALL TIME.
no bro that title belongs to Tekashi 69 and Kodak Black.
There are no female rappers in the game since Lauryn Hill
So Rah Digga, Rapsody, Jean Grae, Eternia, Ill Camille, Nitty Scott and Boog Brown never existed? Your alternative universe is trash pal.
must be living in a DC Universe. Everythings sucks over there.
I knew it, I should have completed the post I had earlier this week when they first mentioned her album release. HHDX, Lord have you fallen. So, you thought reviewing this entertainer – because let’s be honest – that’s what she is (from stripping to “reality” shows to “rapping”) not a full week from her album dropping, but you allow quality up-and-coming artists or well renowned ones fall through the cracks until well after their initial buzz from release abates. It’s a crying shame. I honestly feel sorry for Trent for having to subjugate himself to listen to someone who can barely form quality sentences in her own fucking interviews, let alone critique an album. I’m done bitching, it’s just a let down to have to witness a decline in quality from a site that I have continually been a fan of for many years.
This site has been dead.
Haters. lol that’s all
Ehhhh there’s a market out there for this type of stuff. It’s not serious rap fans, but maybe it’s the type of thing that can be a stepping stone for people who aren’t into rap so I’m not going to hate. I gave it a spin. I’ve heard worse.
As my name implies, I can’t lie and I like this album a lot. Not something I’ll personally spin alot but for her fanbase and for her brand it works at all angles.
i gave this album a honest listen multiple times over the weekend and really never came away with anything new from it each listen. damn near every song was about the same thing(money, brand names, jewelry, her pussy and being better the other chicks). she gave us a few moments in the album where we could look out the window and see something different(personal life and relationships). But it honestly wasnt enough of that on this album. This album was designed to produe follow up hits to “Bodak Yellow” and lets be honest, with the way the rap game is now its gonna be other hits off this album. Cardi B played it safe and didnt leave her comfort really at all. this album was made for her core fans who have the same IDGAF attitude that she has. overall this album was decent at best and i would give it 2.5 stars
I gave an honest listen to the album and it became obvious that cardi B is a far cry from a one hit wonder…this is a strong cohesive work with lots of bops…”Ring”,”I do”,”Get up 10″,”Thru your phone”, “Bickenhead”,” money bag”,”bodak yellow” etc, the whole album is a bop
My girl loves this album. I don’t mind it, I think she did her thing!
this makes me appreciate all of Lil Kims albums.
Cardi since Bodak Yellow has developed her voice, improved timing within pockets, and overall rapping / mcing. But to me she still struggles to turn that ferocity into something that can make me groove. With all the help and improvements she has made throughout 2017/2018, she still needs to work on a lot for me to want to play her music. I love Cardi B and her New York attitude. I just feel that all these blogs/sites (not this one) are so hypocritical and dishonest when they talk about Cardi and then other artists. I would love to hear a great album from Cardi, but this isn’t it. She’s a developing artist who’s improving, but this project isn’t worth putting on a playlist to listen to with friends, or to pull out out of the crates when finding a classic album to listen to. If sites are going to publicly support her, then they should be critical and push her in the right direction. These false overstatements of her project have potential for her to only have a short run in the mainstream light.
I tried listening to this album, but every time I hear her flow it made me cringe, too much for attention, so washed out, sounds like my lil sister trying to rap while reading lyrics of internet. People like her because she shows some a** and t**s. Not a fan of Minaj but she’d destroy her in a rap battle.
Gotta rate this s**t. She’s tryin too hard.
Nope!
Throw it in rice
Enjoyed it much better than I expected. Proud of Cardi.
The site is full of haters wow! She is the new Queen of Rap #NikkiWhoNAj
I agree man. Shes is so talented, funny af, and she keeps it real. The only legit threat to Cardi
I DO NOT HATE THIS ALBUM. DRIP AND BICKENHEAD ARE BANGERS IMO. OTHER TRACKS ARE OK WITH POTENTIAL TO GROW.
Love it! ❤, she’s saving lives!
here it goes
Cardi brought the heat on this album. Shes the new queen of rap
i disagree…the album is not bad but its mediocre at best
umm how? shes not a mumble rapper? I gave it 95/100 on my blog. She’s not MC Lyte or Lauryn HIll she aint tryin to be. Shit mane
I give it 3/5 or 6-7/10
My favorites were: I like it, Bodak Yellow, Bartier Cardi, Get Up 10, Be careful (need to improve singing but not half bad), Best life featuring Chance the Rapper, and I Do featuring SZA.
Mediocre: Ring, Thru your phone, Bickenhead (trap music for strippers), and Drip (another trap track from Migos basically)
Worst: Money bag ( a ripoff from Bodak yellow) and She bad (repetitive nonsense)
Fuck yeee ?
1/5
Basura
yo
Amazing album I can’t wait to see what she has coming in the future but until then we need a world tour for this album
Amazing album I can’t wait to see what she has coming in the future but until then we need a world tour for this album #BardiGang I love her so much she is fireeeee ????
100000%