Cardi B is once again proving she’s unbothered by the noise — but she’s not staying silent either. In a candid interview with Zane Lowe, the Grammy-winning rap star opened up about the constant hate she receives, especially from other women in hip-hop.
“For some reason, it’s something about me that these bhes can’t stand,”* Cardi declared. *“They can’t fk with me.”*
According to Cardi, many female rappers treat her like the “senior” in school they desperately want to knock down.
“Some bhes, I feel like they’re sophomores, and I’m a senior,”* she explained. *“You want to fk with the senior so bad. You think you’re here with the senior. You’re not even a junior.”*
“They Always Gotta Focus on Me”
Cardi said the obsession has gone beyond simple competition, turning into a pattern where other artists — no matter their stage in the game — take shots at her.
“It’s like you need to worry about them other sophomores before you start worrying about here, the f**king senior,” she continued. “But it’s something about it that they can’t even focus on them. They gotta focus on me. They always gotta focus on throwing me shots and slings.”
Cardi made it clear: whether you’re new to the industry or a veteran, she feels the focus always circles back to her.
Preparing for Am I The Drama
Cardi’s comments come at a pivotal moment in her career as she gears up for the release of her highly anticipated sophomore album, Am I The Drama.
The album has already sparked chatter thanks to her new single, “Imaginary Playerz,” which samples Jay-Z’s classic 1997 track “Imaginary Player.”
And while fans have celebrated her bold sampling choice, some critics — particularly men — have been quick to throw shade.
Cardi B Defends Her Jay-Z Sample
On X Spaces, Cardi fired back at detractors who came after her for flipping a Jay-Z classic.
“For people to dog pile on me over one song … it’s not even just like, ‘Oh well, I don’t like this song.’ If you don’t like this song, fine. But to come at the way I speak, to make narratives of how I think I am, to talk about every single piece of me, to bet on my downfall is crazy.”
She called out the men especially, accusing some of practically rooting against her success.
“There’s grown men that are practically betting for me to lose,” Cardi said. “Grown-ass men that I ain’t never did nothing to, betting on my downfall.”
The rapper reminded her critics that her track record speaks for itself:
“When my record do good, when ‘Outside’ did good, people couldn’t believe it.”
Cardi B vs. The Industry Narrative
This isn’t the first time Cardi has had to defend her place in hip-hop. Since her breakout hit “Bodak Yellow,” the Bronx-born rapper has been under intense scrutiny — from her lyrics and flows to her personal life and social media presence.
But Cardi has built a career on turning backlash into fuel. Whether it’s rivalries with other women in rap (with fans constantly pitting her against Nicki Minaj and newcomers like Ice Spice or Lola Brooke) or criticism from male peers, Cardi continues to double down on her confidence.
For her, the hate is proof she’s still the one to beat.
Fans React: “Cardi’s Confidence Is Unmatched”
As soon as clips from her Zane Lowe interview surfaced, fans took to X, Instagram, and TikTok to weigh in.
- “Cardi telling the truth… everybody be focused on her whether they like it or not.”
- “She really IS the senior. Half these girls wouldn’t have a lane if she didn’t blow the doors open.”
- “Say what you want about Cardi but she doesn’t back down. That’s why she stays winning.”
Of course, others weren’t so supportive, with critics arguing she plays into the drama too much instead of focusing on music. Still, her core fanbase — the Bardi Gang — continues to ride for her.
The Bottom Line
Cardi B isn’t backing down from her throne. Whether she’s calling herself the “senior” in the rap game or defending her right to sample Jay-Z, she’s making it clear that she’s not here to play nice — she’s here to dominate.
As the countdown to Am I The Drama continues, one thing is certain: love her or hate her, Cardi B will keep the spotlight on herself — because everyone else already is.
Do you think Cardi B is right about being the “senior” of female rap? Drop your thoughts in the comments!
Stay tuned to The Pop Radar (TPR) for more Cardi exclusives, music updates, and industry tea.
