Album Review: Cardi B, Am I The Drama?

Cardi B was born for the spotlight. Everything about her, from her musical talent to her bold fashion to her hilarious persona, is star material. Her countless hits following the release of Invasion Of Privacy left fans begging for a second studio album. For six years, she repeatedly insisted that it wasn’t perfect and wouldn’t live up to expectations.

But with Am I The Drama? now out, those expectations have been astronomically exceeded – and Cardi B has proved she has nowhere to go but up. From the start, she’s a heavy hitter. “Hello, it’s me!” she repeats on ‘Hello’ before launching into a straight-shot, no-holds-barred series of self-confident verses.

Production touches from Smash David (Chris Rock, Big Sean) keep the sound new and different, while centring Cardi’s signature sass in raps and ad-libs. It feeds seamlessly into ‘Magnet’; the two feel like sister tracks, sharing a sound while distinctly unique. There are plenty of shiny features on Am I The Drama?, including Selena Gomez on ‘Pick It Up’.

One might not automatically place Gomez and Cardi in the same category – one sang on a Disney Channel kids’ series, the other released a song called ‘WAP’ (abbreviation for wet-ass… you can use your imagination) – but they work together perfectly on ‘Pick It Up’. Gomez’s pop melodies keep it soft, while Cardi’s witty rhymes and confident edge make it fresh.

While Cardi B is always confident, she does allow some vulnerability. The prime example is ‘Man Of Your Word’, in which Cardi gets real about her personal struggles, speaking directly to an ex-partner: “Should've fell back from you, instead, I gave you a son / I don't regret it, it's a blessing, just know I learned my lesson".

It’s a break from her usual flashy, self-assured persona, and that’s what makes Am I The Drama? so masterful. Being the queen of rap doesn’t mean she has to confine herself to a false image of perfection. She is real, she is honest – and she embraces all parts of herself.

9/10