Cardi B: The Queen of Unapologetic Rap

Born Belcalis Almanzar in the Bronx, New York in 1992, Cardi B has taken the music world by storm with her unfiltered lyrics and undeniable charisma. In just a few short years, she has cemented herself as not only one of the biggest rap stars of the moment, but as a cultural icon and role model for women everywhere. At the heart of Cardi’s success are her lyrics – raw, funny, boastful and unapologetically herself. Through her songs, Cardi speaks to and for many women with lines that are simultaneously empowering and unfiltered.

Cardi first gained mainstream attention in 2017 with the smash hit “Bodak Yellow.” The song’s opening lines set the tone for Cardi’s style – “I’m the queen of talkin’ shit, then I’m backin’ it up” and “I’m the hottest in the street, know you prolly heard of me.” From the very beginning, Cardi asserts her dominance and confidence without hesitation. She knows she’s the best and isn’t afraid to say it proudly and directly. This brazen self-assuredness resonated hugely with audiences, particularly women, who have long been socialized away from openly discussing or displaying confidence. Cardi embraces her abilities and accomplishments without apology.

Beyond boasting about her talents as a rapper, Cardi also celebrates her background and journey in “Bodak Yellow.” She raps “I said, ‘Bae, it’s a snack,’ he said it’s a entrée / I’ma turn this party out like I turned the whole thing up.” These lyrics reference her past as a stripper while also maintaining her air of swagger. Rather than hiding or feeling shame about her history, Cardi incorporates her experiences into her art and image. She takes what could be seen as a negative and spins it into something powerful through her delivery and confidence. This fearless embrace of her whole self, past and present, has been hugely inspiring for many fans.

Cardi continues displaying this unfiltered authenticity on tracks like “Money.” On the song, she spits lines like “I need Chrissy Teigen, know a bad bitch when I see one” and “I be in and out them banks so much, I know they’re tired of me.” Once again, Cardi is unapologetically herself – referencing other strong women she admires as well as her financial success and hustle. She doesn’t sugarcoat or censor herself, instead delivering her bars with a raw honesty that has resonated hugely with audiences. Her willingness to address topics like money, sex and female empowerment so directly has helped normalize conversations around these subjects in hip hop and pop culture more broadly.

Cardi’s breakout success opened the doors for her to explore an even wider range of subjects and styles on her debut studio album Invasion of Privacy. Standout track “Bartier Cardi” sees her flaunting her wealth and status with brazen lines like “I’m a boss in a skirt, I’m a dog, I’m a flirt.” At the same time, she acknowledges her past struggles in the pre-fame verse “I came from the streets, I know how to survive.” Across the album, Cardi addresses topics like relationships (“Ring”), female sexuality (“I Like It” featuring J Balvin and Bad Bunny), and self-confidence (“Be Careful”) with her signature unfiltered delivery.

Perhaps no Cardi B song exemplifies her unabashed embrace of female sexuality and power quite like “WAP” featuring Megan Thee Stallion. Released in 2020, the song became a global phenomenon and cultural touchpoint. On “WAP,” Cardi and Megan rap graphically about female pleasure and sexuality in a way that is both celebratory and matter-of-fact. Lines like “I don’t cook, I don’t clean / But let me tell you, I got this ring” reject traditional expectations of femininity while fully owning their desires. The music video, featuring the stars in lingerie surrounded by cats, leans further into this aesthetic of unapologetic sensuality.

Critics of the song accused Cardi and Megan of being too explicit or promoting unhealthy messages. However, for many fans, “WAP” represented a long overdue embrace and celebration of female sexuality from a mainstream pop act. The song helped normalize conversations around topics like female pleasure that have long been taboo. It also gave young women permission to own and discuss their sexuality on their own terms, outside the male gaze. For these reasons, “WAP” marked a watershed moment in mainstream hip hop and pop culture more broadly.

While Cardi is best known for her unfiltered braggadocio, she also shows vulnerability at times. On “Up,” a track from her 2018 Invasion of Privacy, she addresses relationship struggles with raw honesty. She raps “Leave his texts on read, leave his balls on blue / I don’t wanna argue, I’ma leave you in the mood.” The lyrics acknowledge pain while still maintaining Cardi’s trademark swagger. On “Get Up 10,” she reflects on her journey from poverty to fame, rapping “I’m the rose that came from the concrete in the Rolls.” Moments of introspection like these have made Cardi feel more well-rounded and relatable to fans beyond just her bravado.

Throughout her rise, Cardi has faced criticism and doubts about her abilities as a woman in hip hop. However, she has consistently proven naysayers wrong through her undeniable talent, charisma and commercial success. Her unfiltered style has helped expand the conversation around what sorts of topics and deliveries are acceptable, particularly from women, in mainstream rap and pop. Songs like “Bodak Yellow,” “WAP” and more have broken chart records and given Cardi award wins, cementing her as not only one of the biggest stars of the moment but as a pioneering artist who expanded possibilities for the genre.

Five years after first emerging on the scene, Cardi continues pushing boundaries and addressing taboo topics through her music in a way that resonates massively with audiences. Her unapologetic embrace of confidence, female sexuality and authentic self-expression has inspired millions of fans worldwide, particularly women and minorities. Through it all, she maintains the same raw charisma and swagger that first broke her into the mainstream. Cardi B is truly cementing her legacy as the queen of unfiltered, empowering rap whose influence will be felt for generations to come. Her story is a testament to the power an artist can wield by staying authentically themselves.