In a new strategy to market her upcoming album, Cardi B set up a street-side shop in New York City on September 6. She sold early copies of Am I...
In a new strategy to market her upcoming album, Cardi B set up a street-side shop in New York City on September 6. She sold early copies of Am I The Drama?, which is set to drop on September 19.
The rap star spread vinyl records, CDs, and posters on black fabric. She lit incense while calling out to passersby, as seen in the video posted on her Instagram page. In her caption, she wrote: "My label said I gotta get out in these streets and sell this album. LINK IN BIO."
"$9.99! You got $50 right here," she shouted in the clip, as she pointed to the copies on display. "$20! $9.99 for the new ones! "What up, y'all? We got the exclusive Cardi B new album. We got the vinyls, we got the CDs, we got the Courtroom Edition. $9.99!"
Her fellow artists soon bombarded her comments with humor and support. Kehlani quipped, "lmao sick hoodie twin," while Diplo jokingly commented, "I bought forty. Tyla chimed in with a simple, "Girl ????."
This marks her first full album since 2018's Invasion of Privacy, which earned her a GRAMMY for Best Rap Album. The new 23-track release includes her chart-toppers "WAP" from 2020 and "Up" from 2021.
Speaking to Billboard about how she's grown since her debut album seven years ago, she shared: "Since then, I've experienced a lot. The good and bad of fame, the hate, jealousy, drama, balancing my career with my personal life, and growing up and maturing. I've learned to control my emotions and understand how life works and how to play chess better."
Fans on social media also had mixed takes on her street sales approach. While some praised the throwback marketing style with comments like, "She's hustling like it's 2008 mixtape days. Respect the grind," others saw it as a sign of worry about sales numbers.
"Everyone sees a different thing. I see a woman who understands her origin and humanity Holding a burning mystic incense drives spirit and strength or negative energy around her and her album, a fan remarked on X (Formerly Twitter), as reported by Sportskeeda.
At Brooklyn's R&B/Hip-Hop Power Players event last week, she picked up the 2025 Billboard Impact of the Year Award. "I'm really one of those artists that people ask for their albums the most every year," she said during her Billboard cover story, opening up about the anticipation surrounding her second album.
"I wouldn't be confident if nobody asked me for my s -- t. Imagine nobody asking for an album of yours? Imagine nobody asking for your music? That's why I'm so confident," The GRAMMY winner stated matter-of-factly.
The Am I The Drama comeback release comes in several cover styles, plus a special "Courtroom Edition" marking her civil assault case win. You can now pre-order physical copies through Cardi B's online store until the full album drops on September 19.