Cardi B.’s New Drama Dances Between the Line of Flop and Hot
Image Courtesy of NPR
By Isabella Ngwana
Cardi B. captured lightning in a bottle with her first album, Invasion of Privacy. As a result, she earned a Grammy, 6x platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and many more prestigious awards.. When she dropped this album back in 2018, the New York rapper had the world under her influence. Seven years later, the long-awaited sophomore album tests if Cardi B can recapture the public’s attention to her music and not her personal life.
Released on September 19th, 2025, “Am I The Drama?” by Cardi B gives listeners insight into her private struggles beyond the tweets. She tries taking shots not only at rappers but her ex-husband as well, citing how she’s more successful than they will ever be! The album features 23 songs and is almost an hour and a half long.
Off the bat, listeners are greeted with breaking news reports detailing the “Bodak Yellow” rapper’s murderous crusade. The chaos of the track’s introduction is broken by R&B singer Summer Walker’s vocals and questionable lyrics that stay true to the song’s title, “Dead.” Cardi B’s first verse attempts to viciously remind her opposition of who she is, even citing how she’s more financially stable than other rappers: “I’m collecting body bags like they purses/I don’t even rap no more, I drive hearses.” Although the Bronx native tries to start the album on a high note, the production and arrangement of the first song lead it to fall flat.
Throughout the “UP” rapper’s career, conflict with other rappers has been at the forefront of her publicity. On the album’s third track, “Magnet,” Cardi B throws shots at her estranged husband and fellow rapper Offset and female rapper JT. Cardi has alluded to her husband’s lack of presence in their children’s lives, but also throws some shade at Offset’s financial demands in their impending divorce: “Got my baby daddy actin’ like my baby mama, huh.” Although the comments at Offset may seem cutthroat, Cardi B really dug her sword into past collaborator JT. JT is compared to “Brenda’s baby” due to her mother abandoning her during her early childhood, and has drawn attention to the sexuality of her fellow rapper and romantic partner, Lil Uzi Vert.
Although the album starts off with low-energy and sneak disses towards other rappers, the song “Bodega Baddie” is a high-paced track that sheds light on the “I Like It” rapper’s Dominican heritage. Sampling merengue classic hit “Ta Buen” by Magic Juan featuring EL Prodigio, Cardi B utilizes Spanglish and references common Dominican phrases. The song has potential to be a global hit, but its duration of a minute and forty-four seconds forces it to be nothing more than a TikTok sound bite.
Most of the features on “Am I The Drama?” seem as if they were just thrown onto the song, but Cardi B’s reunion with R&B singer Kehlani brings the cohesiveness that the album desperately needs. “Safe” tells the story of what Cardi B desires from her partner within their relationship. Cardi B explains to her ideal partner what their security and reassurance have led her to feel: “’Cause when I’m with you, I just know I’m fine/You take all the pressure off my mind.” Kehlani’s vocals melt into the track’s beat and don’t overpower Cardi B, but the rap verses and vocals support each other to make the song stand out.
Relationships, drama, and Cardi B’s success are common themes of the album, but what about songs for the listeners? “Errtime” is the perfect song to get hype with the girls before heading out. The “WAP” rapper gives the radio a new anthem that will get the people excited to live life, and unfortunately, it was released at the wrong time. “Errtime” would’ve had more impact on the culture if it were dropped as a summertime banger, since autumn calls for more slow jams to warm listeners up during the colder season.
After the seven-year wait, “Am I The Drama?” should’ve been a stronger album for Cardi B’s fanbase. The album has several songs that could be potential hits on the radio, but there are a few that should have been scrapped from the album. Overall, the album is all the buzz right now, and it could potentially become a cultural staple for years to come. But its lack of cohesiveness simply leaves fans to want more from Cardi B than what was provided.
Rating: ★★★☆☆
