For as long as she’s been around, Cardi B has had to battle the perception that while she is a certified hit maker, she hasn’t always been the best straight-up rapper. While that narrative is usually pushed by out-of-touch old dudes who mostly seem to resent that a woman could be so successful in what’s seen as a male-dominated genre, it has unfortunately been something of a smudge on an otherwise pristine career.
Cardi B’s new single, “Imaginary Playerz,” should finally put that narrative to bed — with a horse head on the pillow.
It’s got a bunch of the aesthetic things that old heads listen for subconsciously before giving new artists a chance. It draws on hip-hop history, borrowing a beat, flows, and conceptual vibes from a 1997 Jay-Z deep cut (“Imaginary Player” from In My Lifetime, Vol. 1), while updating them with new slang, terminology, and trends. It’s got an opulent video in which Cardi jumps on private planes and massive yachts rocking couture. And, most importantly, it’s got Cardi rapping her recently rejuvenated ass off.
Cardi’s signature raunchy humor shines through, but her wordplay has elevated. “My flop and your flop is not the same / If you did my numbers, y’all would pop champagne / If I did your numbers, I would hop out a plane.” Yeesh.
“Imaginary Playerz” is the fourth single from Cardi’s upcoming sophomore album, Am I The Drama?, following “Outside,” and retroactively, “WAP” and “Up.”
source https://uproxx.com/music/cardi-b-imaginary-playerz-video/
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