Cardi B rips from her own headlines for Am I The Drama?

It has been more than seven years since Bronx rapper Cardi B dropped her taut, exuberant debut Invasion Of Privacy, a hit-studded statement of purpose that showcased her stylistic range, cemented her star status and made her the first solo female artist to win the Grammy for best rap album.

- LINDSAY ZOLADZ

US rapper Cardi B in 2023.

Though the LP was made quickly in the wake of her breakout single Bodak Yellow, expeditiousness was part of its appeal. Cardi's new-money reportage ("just checked my account, turns out I'm rich, I'm rich, I'm rich!") and ebullient flow created a vivid snapshot lit by the afterglow of overnight success.

Though Cardi has spent the 2020s releasing a string of hard-edge singles, duetting memorably (and at times less memorably) with peers like Meghan Thee Stallion, and commanding attention with scene-stealing guest verses, it has taken the 32-year-old born Belcalis Almánzar considerably longer to release a followup.

She has cited writer's block, but plenty has happened outside the studio, too. She ended a tumultuous seven-year marriage to Migos rapper Offset, beefed publicly with female rappers of varying levels of fame and had three children. (Last week, she announced that she is expecting a fourth child, her first with her NFL star boyfriend Stefon Diggs.)

Most recently, there was the trial: a civil case stemming from a 2018 incident in which a security guard accused the rapper of assault. (Earlier this month, she was found not liable.)