Don’t sleep on Cardi B, the BX artist is on the rise and she’s real af

Who is Cardi B?

She captured our hearts for the first time on VH1’s Love & Hip Hop.

She was seemingly unbothered on the show, always cracking jokes and making every moment light-hearted and fun amongst the BS.

Throughout the season, she was working on her career and inciting mild messiness, like most of the love and hip hoppers were.

It’s no secret that a majority of the new “artists” in the franchise hit people more than making actual hits. Dare I say, I didn’t expect much?

We all thought Joseline Hernandez was going to pop first. I mean, she was “married” to Stevie J, who has produced everyone from Diddy to Mariah Carey.

I don’t think anyone saw Cardi coming like this, but in the meantime I was cracking up at her IG videos and enjoying her funny clips off the show.

I’d be lying if I said that “Bodak Yellow” was the first song I heard from Cardi B.

It was actually “Lick.” I can’t lie, I’m kind of a musical snob. When I’m in the club and everyone starts bopping to a song in unison, I’m reluctant to tag along. There’s a lot of bs out there with good beats.

“Looking like I caught a lick. Run up on me, you get hit. All my b*** with the s***. ”

At first, I’m like damn these lyrics are a bit graphic coming from a female. Okay, I’m looking like I caught a lick. I guess that meant I look good. Okay, I love looking good.

Hold up, what does “lick” actually mean? According to Urban Dictionary:

I’m a black girl from the ‘burbs, you know? We love some good trap music. It’s our culture.

But, we also like to keep it cute.  I counted it out as being “too hood for me” in true bad and bourgeious fashion. (Even though I can be captured often listening to the likes of 21 Savage, Kodak Black, and Young Dolph.)

For some reason, it’s different when it’s coming from a girl. Don’t get me wrong, I love Remy Ma, who is also from the Bronx and rough in her delivery, but the narcissist in me was drawn to her off “Conceited.” I like Nicki Minaj too despite the hype, but she always kept that sassy flair going that kept me interested.

I didn’t give Cardi a real chance with my ears off the chorus on “Lick” alone and her Love & Hip Hop resume. I wrote it off in my head as filth, encouraging chicks to beef and fight. At this point in my life, I’m much more into feeling like I’m prime rib and motivated to get my coin.

Then…I heard Bodak Yellow. It was like…a bad bih hymn.

“I don’t gotta dance, I make money moves.”

I thought to myself. I make money moves. I go to dinner and cop the steak. I see people and don’t speak. I don’t know a chick that works as hard as me. OMG I *AM* CARDI B!

When music gets in your soul, you simply can’t control yourself. I started to feel Cardi B on a spiritual level. My head started knocking and I couldn’t stop it.

Then, I started pointing to an imaginary hater. The hook, hooked me. Before I knew it, I had my hand up to the sky mimicking the lyrics and lining my hands up, making invisible rows in front of me. These were all the signs of a hit song.

This is the effect Cardi B has. It took me some time and watching her interviews to realize she was just speaking her truth all along.

We all had to connect with her in our own way. I actually just had an argument with some chicks from Brooklyn on whether or not she has a speech impediment. We came to the conclusion that she’s simply Caribbean and from the Bronx, she was destined to talk with her tongue. (Sorry in advance to my cousins out on Fordham Rd.)

“Bodak Yellow” instantly became the Summer ‘17 anthem. Every event I went to, Cardi had everyone locked in.

It was everyone’s background music on their Snapchat. I even caught guys riding around blasting it. It was no surprise to me that it went certified gold.

Not only did Cardi get the gold hardware, she got the praise too. She performed at the VMAs, I caught her on the Wendy Williams Show performing on her birthday episode, and Drake brought her out during his OVO Fest in Toronto. Migos, and her dude Offset, invited Cardi to their Veld Festival. To say the least, everyone wants a piece.

I’m not afraid to say I was wrong about sis, but I won’t be sleeping on Cardi anymore. You shouldn’t either. She might just chill with your boo.