Cardi B was named one of Time’s most influential people in 2018. A year ago, people barely knew her name. Her song Bodak Yellow was starting to gain popularity. Some people may have recognized her from Love & Hip-Hop on VH1, where she was featured for about two years. Other than that, she wasn’t a very public name. Seemingly overnight she became a public name and one of the most recognizable figures in rap. Now, her influence is transcending rap and reality TV and reaching individuals in all walks of life.
Now, I’m not calling Cardi a wonderful role model or a perfect saint. I doubt she’d refer to herself in such a way. I am saying her rise to fame is quite impressive and contains lessons that can be applied to all types of career trajectories.
Early Life
Cardi B’s early life was far from glamorous. She was in a gang and stripped for a period in time. Prior to that, her last “real” job, was in a grocery store where she was fired. Early Cardi was not set for success, but she was able to regain control of her career path by relying on herself as her primary form of support. I’m not sitting here advocating for anyone to become a stripper, but I do believe this gave Cardi a sense of independence. During this time she was able to briefly return to school and started to gain a following on Instagram and Vine.
In today’s world, people who have amassed a following on social media become “influencers.” Because of her online following she was able to meet the people who landed her a spot on Love & Hip Hop. Once on the show Cardi emerged as a break out star.
The Personality
Cardi B grew up in The Bronx. Anyone familiar with the area knows people from The Bronx are known to have some distinct characteristics. They’re loud, cocky, and not known for having the best manners. Cardi B embodies these stereotypes and turns the dial up to eleven. Add in her thick New York accent, and there’s no way she’s going to blend into the crowd.
In most settings, Cardi’s behavior would be perceived as rude or unacceptable. But Cardi applied her personality to an environment she was allowed to be unfiltered and would be embraced. Prior to her time on reality TV, Vine was the perfect platform for her. She found a place where she could be over the top and stand out from others.
Since achieving fame as a rapper, Cardi B’s personality is as strong as ever. She is still loud, unapologetic, and over the top. This is why her long term fans haven’t stopped supporting her while she’s growing a much larger fan base.
Her Success
Cardi B released a number of mixtapes before her song Bodak Yellow climbed the charts and hit number one. This appeased her existing fans, but Bodak Yellow clearly resignated with many more people. As a first major single, it’s unlike most other artists’. Her song is about her success and climb to fame, not about romance or clubbing. It was a bold move for someone who was relatively unknown as a musician, but one that worked.
She became the first solo female rapper with a number one single since Lauryn Hill in 1998. This summer, her song I Like It featuring Latin music stars Bad Bunny and J Belvin hit number one, making her the first female rapper ever to have two number one singles. I Like It shows another side of Cardi. Being from The Bronx, she grew up surrounding by Spanish speakers. In fact, Spanish was her first language. Unlike Justin Bieber who appeared the Latin-influenced Despacito featuring, Cardi B knows Spanish. Having a this song allows fans to gain a better sense of Cardi’s background without having to overtly.
Cardi B’s Influence
In under a decade, Cardi B went from being fired from a grocery store to becoming a number one artist. Some people may call this luck, but she has been in the top ten of Billboard’s charts for about a year now. She’s more than a one-hit wonder and her time in the spotlight has expended long past fifteen minutes.
Cardi has struggles, but she’s no victim. This is why fans love her. She doesn’t feel like she’s owed anything, she feels like she can earn it. In this regard, she’s a powerful figure. Her pursuit for success doesn’t feel like a path paved by her management. She set her own goals, found a platform where she could grow, and achieved those goals.
There’s no doubt Cardi B’s reputation has some less-than-admirable spots. Her young fans don’t care about this. They see her as an influencer, someone who used social media to launch her career. She dug herself out of a tough spot and clawed her way to the top. She did all of this with her signature laugh and a few really catchy songs. Now Cardi B is a face we recognize and a source of influence for a new generation.
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