Cardi B is no stranger to tackling tall tasks.
She became the first female rapper of the 21st century to top the Billboard Hot 100 with her commercial debut “Bodak Yellow” in 2017. Soon after, she made history again when “Invasion of Privacy” won the Grammy for Best Rap Album, making her the first solo female artist to win the category.
When an artist’s debut is as incendiary as Cardi B’s was, there’s perhaps no task taller than following up that initial success.
The 32-year-old proven superstar — with her high-performing singles and features like Hot 100 chart toppers “WAP” with Megan Thee Stallion and “Up” — never released a follow-up album to her award-winning debut until Sept. 19, when she dropped the appropriately named “AM I THE DRAMA?”
In mere days, the album was already a commercial success. It was certified platinum by The Recording Industry Association of America the same day it was released, solely because of the inclusion of “WAP” and “Up” on the tracklist. However, in terms of quality, “AM I THE DRAMA?” ultimately falls short of seven years of expectations.
At various points in the album’s robust tracklist, the Bronx native rapped about her on-and-off relationship with fellow rapper Offset, the most sonically strong example being “Shower Tears” featuring Summer Walker. Walker’s hook floats over a melodic instrumental as Cardi B packs poignant verses about emotional turmoil.
On a more positive note on relationships, Cardi B also delivers the standout “Safe” featuring Kehlani with an accompanying music video. Backed by a Cash Cobain-esque drill beat, the duo trades lines, admiring the sense of security they desire from a romantic partner. When asked about the song, Cardi B recently said her current boyfriend, NFL wide receiver Stefon Diggs, makes her feel both safe and confident. In the same interview, she also confirmed that he is the father of her soon-to-be fourth child.
“Nice Guy” featuring Tyla and “Principal,” which flips Janet Jackson’s “The Pleasure Principle,” function in a similar vein to “Safe” and are among the LP’s best cuts.
While one can appreciate Cardi B’s vulnerability, it yielded varying results — most notably with the album’s lowlights “Pick It Up” and “What’s Goin On.” The tracks feature Selena Gomez and Lizzo, respectively, who give performances that can be described as lukewarm at best and lackluster at worst.
The annoying chimes of “Pick It Up” put a damper on the trend of otherwise strong instrumentals throughout the album. The processing of Lizzo’s vocals in “What’s Goin On,” which interpolates 4 Non Blondes’ song “What’s Up,” worsens the sound of an already weak appearance.
Cardi B remains at her best when she leans into the braggadocio she is known for. This is apparent on tracks like “Better Than You,” “Trophies” and promotional single “Outside.” “Pretty and Petty,” a diss track aimed at Boston rapper Bia, contains some of the album’s funniest lines. “Diarrhea Bia, breath so stank you can smell her ‘fore you see her,” would probably go triple platinum in elementary school classrooms.
However, no song produces cheekier moments than “Bodega Baddie.” Cardi B taps into her Dominican roots, employing fast-paced flows over an irresistibly danceable Jersey club-merengue instrumental that samples Magic Juan’s “Ta’ Buena.” Unfortunately, the fun ends soon after it starts, as its sub-two-minute runtime is the shortest on the project.
While “AM I THE DRAMA?” has plenty of head-bopping beats and provides some of Cardi’s wittiest and most charismatic moments, there are plenty of tracks that don’t quite hit the mark, are extremely nondescript or are straight up bad.
Perhaps fans deserved 23 plus tracks (depending on the edition) for their patience, but “AM I THE DRAMA?” might have better matched seven years of hype if Cardi trimmed the filler and leaned on her strongest songs.
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