It’s clear: Cardi B is still the most influential and notorious female rapper, as she’s shown in her sophomore album Am I The Drama?, released on Sept. 19. The record is perfectly fit to her persona—blunt, aggressive, confident. The album excels in personality, but it also proves that her strength isn’t in cohesion.
In the first track, “Dead (feat. Summer Walker),” Cardi B tackles the rumors about her personal life since the release of her debut album “Invasion of Privacy” in 2018. “B****es be out here tellin’ lies about me, and y’all just be eating it up,” she raps, flaming with confidence and charisma. Backed by a pulsing bass and organ, “Dead” proves that Cardi is back from her seven year hiatus to defend her title.
The next two songs, “Hello” and “Magnet,” are also self-confident anthems. “Woke up, and I’m still in the lead,” she reminds listeners in “Magnet.” Eerie harmonies and siren synth add unique depth to the two most danceable and catchy tracks on the album.
Then, Cardi begins to sprint in five directions at once—stylistically and thematically. “Pick It Up (feat. Selena Gomez)” is about a stagnant relationship; yearning and almost wistful, the song is about as far as it gets from “Magnet.” The track leans more pop-synth, with hints of a Latin beat. Though opposites, Selena Gomez’s breathy vocals meshes with Cardi’s punchy enunciation in a cathartic way.
Taking a 180, the song “Bodega Baddie” takes a leap of faith from reflective bars to almost-frenzied excitement. In “What’s Going On,” Lizzo’s belt unfortunately overpowers Cardi’s staccato lyricism. “I guess he thought I wouldn’t practice what I preach,” she delivers under Lizzo’s overly excited riffs. It seems Cardi B only addresses her romantic life while featuring a variety of artists.
After some pining and romantic frustration, Cardi is unafraid to stoop low for artist BIA in “Pretty & Petty.” However, through the condescension she shows that her beef is more than just rap; “don’t you ever mention my kids,” she warns.
Soon after, the album reaches a lull. Similar drum and synth beats do little to distinguish “ErrTime,” “Trophies,” and “Killin You H**s.” Yet, in the midst of monotony, Cardi B stunningly features Janet Jackson in “Principal.” Her self assurance is evident as she raps, “I’m too bad to be lonely and too grown to be played with / It’s the principle, the principle.” Even though Cardi has been perceived as aggressive and overconfident, “Principal” shifts the narrative to reveal a self-assurance that sets her standards high.
Am I The Drama? is an anthem—one of raw, unfiltered confidence. Cardi B brings light to her relationship with the media, and herself. She’s made it clear: in these seven years, nothing can replace Cardi B.
