We shouldn’t be talking about Cardi B. right now. “Bodak Yellow” should have been a flash in the pan, a hot summertime single that finally capitalized on the zeitgeist of reality stars trying to make a hit. It was brash, it was catchy, but it wasn’t groundbreaking, and Cardi wasn’t an especially great rapper. The lyrics weren’t overly clever, the rhyme schemes were simple, and her delivery was so awash in saliva I’m sure she left the mic wet.
Four years later, and we’re still paying attention. We’re waiting to see what she’s going to wear next. We’re waiting to see who she’s going to charm next in Hollywood. We’re waiting for her next album. And it all started because of a little video proclaiming her imperviousness to the elements regardless of attire.
Cardi the Scientist
In 2014, Cardi B. posted a Vine from a hotel hallway and it went viral.
Not only did it spawn countless imitators, it caught the attention of Mona Scott Young and the Love & Hip-Hop NY franchise. Though the VH1 reality show purports to focus on the women in hip-hop (those trying to make a name for themselves as emcees and those married into the business), the casting net has widened over the past decade to snag everyone from managers to video vixens to “boutique” clothing store owners who should never step up to a mic again, Rasheeda. Cardi was a stripper when she hit viral fame and was cast on the sixth season in 2015. Her first feature (on a reggae single) came out later that year and her first mixtape in 2016, after which she left VH1 for good with two seasons under her belt. She released “Bodak Yellow” in 2017, and the rest is history.
But “A Hoe Never Gets Cold” hasn’t lost its potency, and now it’s the subject of academic research.
Turns out Cardi B may have been onto something when she famously proclaimed that “a hoe never gets cold” — and now science is backing her up on it.
A new study published in the British Journal of Social Psychology has confirmed why scantily clad women are less likely to catch a chill than their covered-up counterparts.
(cont. NY Post)
This is not peer-reviewed, the sample size is too small, and the data could be interpreted as correlation as opposed to causation, but who elseis having a Vine from 2014 used as prompt in scientific study?! Here’s the general outline of the research, if you’re so inclined.
Cardi the It Girl
Nobody at Paris Fashion Week has as much fun (or press coverage) as Princess Belcalis.
From Mugler and Chanel (everyday faves for Cardi) to Schiaparelli and Richard Quinn (keep the girls guessing!), it was an event every time Cardi stepped outside. Even when she looked like a sunflower from the Fresh Prince’s school play.
Royalty sticks together.
Cardi the Host
Cardi B will host the 2021 American Music Awards, which are set to air live from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday, Nov. 21.
A five-time AMA winner, Cardi has three nominations at this year’s show – favorite female hip-hop artist and two nods for “Up” as favorite music video and favorite hip-hop song.
(cont. Billboard)
Cardi B. is naturally funny. She went into Love & Hip-Hop with a sizable following, not because she had any music out, but because she had an unfiltered personality that was engaging, entertaining, and authentic. She’s managed to keep that part of herself, even through social media missteps, and it’s part of the reason why she’s been able to grow in popularity where so many others fade away.
Cardi B. is also a professional. If you give her a script, she will deliver the lines. I wasn’t sold on her casting in Hustlers because not every musician’s charisma can translate to the big screen, but I believed her. It wasn’t exactly difficult to believe her as a stripper, but still. She can deliver a line.
I’m not sold on Cardi as a host, because she’s not a great talk show guest. She works best in the highly structured environment of a movie set or performance stage orthe completely unstructured environment of social media. When she has to censor herself, when there are beats in a conversation that she needs to hit…I haven’t seen that talent yet, but she’s had time to improve! I don’t need her to banter necessarily, but if she can make the teleprompter feel natural, she’ll do fine.
But the point is — we want her to do it and we want her to succeed. Because we like her and she’s the People’s Princess.
Cardi, America’s Sweetheart
Princess Belcalis is just like us and she’s excited about being famous. I, too, would be on social media gagging whenever a famous person mentioned my name, and her Twitter Love Story with Penn Badgley is currently the cutest thing online.
During press for You, Penn mentioned his admiration for Cardi’s ability to be authentic online. Cardi saw it, and she fangirled.
OOOOMMFFFGGGGGG HE KNOWS ME !!!😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱OMMMGGGG!!!!!!Yoooo like I’m famous famous https://t.co/Z7MFQc2t2i
— Cardi B (@iamcardib) October 17, 2021
In response, Penn changed his Twitter avatar to Cardi.
And of course Cardi noticed…
.@PennBadgley pic.twitter.com/JjsxjtrwMb
— Cardi B (@iamcardib) October 20, 2021
…and changed hers too.
And now Penn, as Joe from You, has sent Cardi a letter.
How Joe found my new house adress ?😳😳 pic.twitter.com/1FFy43tvWv
— Cardi B (@iamcardib) November 5, 2021
And y’all, I cannot tell you how much I enjoy watching Cardi B. just be famous and enjoy it. Ten years ago she was getting fired from the grocery store and now she’s a real celebrity with real celebrity fans. Love that for her!
Cardi the Wedding Officiant
Cardi Tries is a webseries by Facebook Messenger where Princess Belcalis tries something out of her comfort zone and cameras capture the magic. She’s tried everything from ballet to rhythmic gymnastics to teaching pre-school, but last month she officiated a lesbian wedding, with Raven-Symone as the ringbearer.
In the latest episode of Cardi Tries—the rapper’s Facebook Messenger series—Cardi is joined by That’s So Raven star Raven-Symoné as she officiates a same-sex wedding in California. The episode, released in time for National Coming Out Day, sees Cardi officiate the ceremony for newly weds Brandi and Shannon, as Raven is their ringbearer.
“By the power invested in me by the state of California and my online course, I now pronounce you wife and wife,” Cardi declared.
(cont. Complex)
Becoming a marriage officiant is actually really easy. I did it a few years ago when my best friend was getting married and I basically sent off for the paperwork, sent it back, and then went down to City Hall to file it. I’m just tickled that this is one of the things she wanted to do and now a lovely ladycouple can say Cardi B. officiated their wedding. And Cardi isn’t letting her new certificate go to waste either: Kal Penn barely got “I’m gay….” out before Cardi offered to officiate his wedding too. Princess Belcalis as the go-to officiant for gay Hollywood weddings? I’m here for it.
Cardi The Champion
Princess Belcalis has managed to snag at least one top 5 single every year since “Bodak Yellow,” with a number one single in 2017, 2018, 2020, and 2021, and she hit #3 in 2019. For a predicted one-hit wonder, she is exceptionally consistent, and the industry knows that if you want some buzz, but Cardi on the track. Did Normani need a feature on “Wild Side” — not really. Did Lizzo need a feature on “Rumors” — not really. Both songs were good enough to stand on their own, but both camps wanted/needed buzz, and Cardi gave them a little extra shine.
But I don’t mean a champion of the charts — I mean a champion of femcees. Cardi is not shy about a collaboration and she loves to give a shoutout to the other girls in the industry. Nowhere is that more evident than the soundtrack to Halle Berry’s new movie.
Halle Berry is making her directorial debut with Bruised where she plays the starring role as a disgraced MMA fighter. Berry and Cardi B. serve as executive producers on the soundtrack, and they put together a roster consisting of only female hip-hop talent.
Look at the lineup! Look at the material! Look at the range and the variety!
That is how you give love back to the girls and it’s so good to see! I’m so enjoying this shift in hip-hop where the women are allowed to give props to each other instead of go at each other, because they have forced space in the industry to make room for more than one at the top. When there’s only one throne at the top of the stairs, everybody fights to sit in it, and nobody is going to help you climb. Now that we are in a second golden age of women in hip-hop, we can see the space for everybody, and Princess Belcalis is putting the girls on.
I don’t know where Cardi’s career will be four years from now, but if the past four years are any indication, we have a lot to look forward to. She’s been steadily improving her craft while branching out to other areas. She continues to show us how hard she works and how hungry she is by how busy she makes herself (while pregnant half the time). And she’s still likeable. Everybody who meets her wants to work with her, and you don’t get there just because you make hits.
Cardi B. is still the girl from Vine who never gets cold, and I say long may she reign, whether she wants to wear the ermine or not.
Leave a Reply