Cardi B came and took the hip-hop by storm with her breakout single “Bodak Yellow,” followed by her Grammy-winning Invasion of Privacy debut the very next year in 2018.

The Bronx native believes her success had a butterfly effect and changed the way record labels looked at women rappers, which led to much more of them being signed in hopes of the artists following in her footsteps and replicating her success to a degree.

“These labels was not believing in repping new rap artists,” she told Rolling Stone as part of her cover story that arrived on Thursday (May 16). “People from every single label have f–king told me this s–t in my face. They started signing new female rappers after I got signed.”

Cardi doesn’t care much for the debate about whether the women being signed have the chance to become all-time great artists, but thinks they should be appreciated for making hit records that fill fans’ playlists on the daily.

“Whether some b–ches could be the greatest rappers [or] they just make good music — at the end of the f–king day, guess what? They’re in your playlist right now,” she continued.

Rapsody backed Cardi’s theory during a recent interview with Billboard News. She alluded to how Cardi B’s support of burgeoning women rappers helped them break through.

“I think the way that Cardi supported so many women also helped as well,” Rapsody said. “Because of who she was and the success she had and to speak people’s names and to work with the artists that she did, it definitely made room and space for other artists.”

While Cardi’s holding strong about inspiring other women rappers to enter the industry in an easier fashion, there’s still plenty of questions when it comes to her sophomore album.

After she tweeted and deleted that there would be no such LP in 2024, reps for the rapper confirmed to Rolling Stone that an album was still in the plans for this year.

When the magazine caught up with Cardi in March, she was hard at work in hopes of completing the set. “Being out here is my punishment,” she said of the studio. “Until I have the album ready, I’m not going home.”

Invasion of Privacy arrived in April 2018, and she reflected on the project on its sixth anniversary last month. “6 years ago I released my first album and it broke so many records GAH LEE!!” she wrote. “6 years later I’m preparing to drop the next one this year.. it’s so different from what everyone is expecting and I’m sooo excited.”

 

IOP debuted atop the Billboard 200, and according to the RIAA, every song on the album is at least certified platinum.

See her Rolling Stone cover below: