By: Jaida Dent
After seven years, rapper and recording artist Cardi B dropped a follow-up to her Grammy award-winning debut album, “Invasion of Privacy” (IOP). Her sophomore album, “Am I The Drama?” is fiery, vulnerable, and a reflection of the last few years of her life. With a title referencing her own personal drama (and Drag Queen Scarlet Envy from Season 11 of RuPaul’s Drag Race), this album mirrors her first, but takes the drama to an elevated form.
Through 23 tracks, Cardi cements her official return, and it feels like she never really left. The album holds a gritty, nostalgic sound while bringing new elements of vulnerability and love to cultivate a fully realized Cardi.
In the gap between her two albums, much of Cardi’s life has changed. She would face motherhood and have three children with her ex-husband and rapper, Offset. She would be embraced by the fashion world and make appearances at several fashion shows. She would release chart-topping singles and go on iconic feature runs.
But amongst the success, she had her fair share of drama.
She would face several court cases, engage in rap beefs, and divorce her husband. Twice. Now, Cardi is in a new relationship with New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs, and is expecting her fourth child/first with Diggs.
The promotion for the album combined skits and videos of her selling her CDs throughout New York City (NYC) and sit-down interviews on the Jennifer Hudson Show, Jenna and Friends, and CBS Mornings with Gayle King.
The album features striking visuals with several crows and Cardi in a red bodysuit, and striking fashion choices she is known for. The crow has been a motif of Cardi’s recent evolution, as she was also seen with a crow at the Schiaparelli Fall/Winter 2025 couture show.
It’s safe to say that Cardi is two-for-two when it comes to album openers. Track one, “Dead,” serves as a great introduction for an album that is dripping in drama. The song opens with soundbites of news reporters talking about Cardi B as if she’s a high-level supervillain, followed by the screeching alarm noise from the horror movie franchise, “The Purge”. R&B singer Summer Walker provided vocals for the track; her voice brings a soft chorus before Cardi’s aggressive verses. The energy is reminiscent of IOP’s “Get Up 10”, where Cardi addresses the criticism directed at her and emphasizes her determination to always rise above. She says, “You done seen me knocked down nine times // still get up ten,” a direct reference to her first album.
After three songs of sharp bars and hard-hitting, ominous beats, track four, “Pick it Up,” is a fun break in the album. When singer, businesswoman, and pop icon Selena Gomez was first presented as a feature, I wasn’t sure of what she would bring to the album. However, Gomez’s inclusion in this album has a fun, pop-esque chorus and allows Cardi to flex her own vocals. While the song is about longing for someone you don’t have anymore, the beat makes it all the more lighthearted.
After a snippet circulated on TikTok, track six, “Bodega Baddie,” was a highly anticipated song for me. It quite literally bleeds NYC, as Cardi highlights Dominican roots and transports you to the vibe of your friendly, neighborhood bodega. It’s a shame that the album was released closer to the Fall, because this track was destined to be our song of the summer. The track has a reggaeton beat with a memorable hook as Cardi has everyone feeling like a “Bodega Baddie”.
Tracks nine and 10, “Man of Your Word” and “What’s Goin On?” are a standout two-track run on the album. Much of this album presents Cardi as a strong artist and a powerful woman as she claps back at those she’s had conflict with, but these two songs allow her to be raw about her marriage.
“Man of Your Word” tackles several feelings for Cardi, including regret for staying in the relationship, confronting her shortcomings as a wife, and missing the friendship that she once had with her ex-husband. The chorus has a male vocalist who pushes this message of no longer being a man of their word. “Now all I do is apologize for everything//How many times can I say sorry and not mean it?”
“What’s Goin On” made me laugh at first when I realized it was sampling American Rock band 4 Non Blondes’ 1993 song, “What’s Up?” But on a second listen, the song manages to communicate Cardi’s disappointment in her relationship, despite Lizzo’s playful chorus. Cardi makes the ultimate callback saying “I told his a** be careful with me//I guess he thought I wouldn’t practice what I preach”.
This line references Cardi’s very first warning when faced with infidelity in her relationship in the song “Be Careful,” where she says, “You gon’ gain the whole world//But is it worth the girl that you losin’?” The song details a decline in the relationship, and after staying for so long, she actually followed through with leaving.
While Cardi had many lines directed towards other female rappers, nothing was more direct than track 13, “Pretty & Petty”.
The song returns to the pointed energy seen throughout the album with the line, “Name 5 BIA songs gun pointed to your head//Bow, I’m dead”. BIA, a rapper with a long-standing feud with Cardi, has been going back and forth through subtweets and diss lines. The last instance of these two beefing was last June when Cardi took to Instagram live to address BIA’s diss track “Sue Meee?”. On the album’s release day, Cardi would be on Power 105.1 FM’s “The Breakfast Club”, where she would state her reason for responding to BIA would be because her children were mentioned in their disputes. She also said that BIA played a role in her breakup by pushing rumors of Cardi cheating.
Heartbreak is a major theme of the album, but track eight, “Safe,” is a love song that feels like sunshine breaking a cloudy sky. The duo of Cardi and Kehlani is a match made in heaven, especially after the success of IOP’s “Ring”. “Safe” is about being secure with your partner and being well-supported. The inclusion of this song can be seen as a reflection of Cardi’s personal life, as she navigates a new relationship after a long, tumultuous one.
This album also has fun, sexy moments where Cardi gets to rave about herself.
Track 14 “Better Than You” features fellow NYC artist Cash Cobain, a pioneer of “sexy drill,” which combines R&B melodies with NYC drill beats. Cardi flexes her looks, lifestyle, and the fact that, despite taking time off, her music is still timeless. “Seven years off and it’s still a classic//Seven years off, and you still ain’t passin’”.
The album closes with tracks 22 and 23, “Up” and “WAP” featuring rapper Megan Thee Stallion. The two songs were released about four years ago, and both earned number spots on the Billboard Hot 100. While many were confused by their inclusion on the album, Cardi responded on X by saying, “WAP and Up are two of my biggest songs, my fans have been asking me to put them on an album, and people search for them on IOP all the time […] they deserve a home.”
Overall, this album is relatable and heartfelt, with lyrics that won’t leave your head and beats that keep you wanting to dance. With every listen, a greater appreciation was gained as the wait was truly worth it. From humble beginnings on “Love and Hip Hop New York” to Grammy awards and platinum albums, “Am I The Drama?” picks up where “Invasion of Privacy” left off and proves that over ten years in the game, Cardi will never stop evolving.