by Cardi B Opens Up About the “Worst Moment” of Her Career That Left Her Feeling Broken
Grammy-award winning rapper Cardi B has established herself as one of the most prominent and influential voices in hip hop today. Known for her unfiltered attitude, sexually-empowered lyrics, and latent charisma, Cardi managed to capture lightning in a bottle and propel herself from obscurity to superstardom within a shockingly short timeframe. However, Cardi’s stratospheric rise has not been without its fair share of turbulence.
In a revealing new cover story for GQ magazine, Cardi opened up about the tumultuous period in 2018 that she describes as the “worst moment of [her] career so far.” The incident in question stems from an altercation that took place at a New York strip club in the summer of 2018. While details surrounding the incident remain murky, Cardi was accused of ordering an attack on two bartenders at the club over suspicions that one of them had an affair with her husband, Offset.
Video later surfaced showing Cardi lunging toward someone before being held back, though she firmly denies committing any violent acts herself. Nonetheless, the incident sparked a media firestorm with many quick to condemn Cardi’s alleged behavior. She was ultimately arrested and charged with two misdemeanor counts of reckless endangerment and one misdemeanor count of assault.
Reflecting on the aftermath of the strip club incident, Cardi confessed that it was an excruciatingly painful period in her life and career. The harsh judgment from the media and former fans left her feeling broken in a way she had never experienced before.
“I thought I was going to lose my career,” Cardi revealed. “I thought that was it. I thought I was going nowhere, nowhere extremely fast.”
Accustomed to painting herself as a larger-than-life character oozing bulletproof confidence, it’s rare that fans get a glimpse of Cardi’s more vulnerable side. But the profundity of this “public lynching,” as Cardi describes it, cracked her ultra-cool façade, exposing the fragile human underneath.
Having spent years tirelessly hustling as a stripper before achieving her lightning-fast hip-hop success, Cardi had become comfortable with criticism being lobbed her way. But this time, the attacks cut far deeper.
“I never felt so low,” she admits. “That was the worst I ever felt in my life.”
As video of the club altercation went viral, Cardi watched her flawless ascent to fame come crashing down around her. She was no longer praised as hip-hop’s vibrant new voice, but portrayed as an unhinged violent offender unworthy of her platform. Formerly glowing headlines were replaced with sharp condemnations as the media seemingly took pleasure in tearing Cardi down.
“The media, social media, everybody was against me,” she recalled. “Even people I considered close turned on me.”
With her back against the wall and reputation in shambles, Cardi seriously pondered whether she should just leave the music business entirely. The unyielding attacks had fractured her spirit in a way she wasn’t sure could be repaired. She describes the entire period as a “dark, cruel time” that often left her fighting back tears.
“For a while there, I thought it was over for me,” she admits. “I thought that was it.”
But with the support of her faithful Hustlers—fans who have related to Cardi’s come-up story since day one—the Bronx femcee found the will to carry on. She credits that unconditional backing from her day-one supporters for inspiring her to tune out the naysayers and reclaim her narrative.
Slowly but surely, Cardi began to regain her mental strength and self-confidence. Though plenty of fairweather fans continued spewing negativity, Cardi realized the only approval she truly needed was her own. The experience taught her the vital lesson that while she can’t control how others perceive her, she has full autonomy over how she perceives herself.
“Even when you’re at your lowest, you gotta find that power within to keep fighting,” Cardi reflects. “Once I realized that, I knew I would be okay no matter what came at me.”
Bolstered by an unwavering sense of self, Cardi firmly stood in her truth and owned her past—missteps and all. She learned to let the judgments of others roll off her back and resolved to never again let anyone else’s opinions dull her glow.
“The only one who can define me is me,” she asserts. “Nobody else.”
Ultimately, Cardi refused to let the strip club controversy derail her dreams. She continued pouring herself into her music and connecting with supporters who appreciated her for the Artist and authentic woman she is. Her resilience paid off handsomely when her debut album, “Invasion of Privacy,” was released a few months later.
The record smashed industry expectations, debuting at number one on the Billboard 200 and spawning multiple hit singles. It would go on to win the 2019 Grammy Award for Best Rap Album, cementing Cardi’s status as a hip-hop heavyweight while also serving as the ultimate clap back to the critics who tried prematurely writing her off.
For Cardi, the album’s success carried extra special meaning considering the personal valleys she traversed to reach that mountaintop. It reaffirmed what she had come to realize during that trying time—that trials and tribulations often bear the fruit of creative inspiration.
“If it wasn’t for that whole mess, I don’t know if I would’ve made an album that real and raw,” Cardi admits. “It forced me to really look inside myself. And out of that, I found my truth”
Though she accepts that the strip club incident will forever remain attached to her name, Cardi chalks it up as a pivotal learning experience rather than a career-defining stain. She gained hard-earned wisdom and resilience that now serves as the bedrock of her success.
“I’m never gonna say I wish it didn’t happen,” Cardi declares. “It made me who I am. I used it to motivate me to keep fighting. And I came out on top, so clearly I was meant to go through it.”
The superstar has also used the experience to form tighter bonds with her inner circle. She now views friendship far more sacredly and keeps her team small and selective. Anyone unwilling to stand beside Cardi through rough patches doesn’t deserve to revel in her success.
“I value loyalty over anything now,” she asserts. “I learned who really has my back. And I’ll never forget that.”
Though make no mistake—Cardi’s fiendish fire remains fully stoked. She maintains the same ferociously defiant attitude that rocketed her into hip-hop’s stratosphere and helped her successfully tuning out detractors. But she now unleashes that intensity into her music and business ventures rather than extracurricular drama.
“Anyone who thinks they’ll break me clearly doesn’t know me,” Cardi declares with a smirk. “I’m still that same Bronx girl, just a little wiser now. And my head is focused. I know my lane. Nothing can stop me.”
The superstar radiates that signature Cardi B. brazenness as she reflects on her journey thus far. While battle scars linger, they haven’t dampened her magnetism. If anything, Cardi’s aura now burns hotter and brighter having withstood the tempest.
Like the mythical Phoenix, she rose mightily from the ashes of her darkest hour. Cardi touched the lowest of lows, but now serves as a shining emblem of resilience for Hustlers everywhere.
And her story is far from finished. The Bronx girl-done-good is just getting started.
“The world ain’t seen nothing yet,” Cardi promises. “I’m still that red-bottom rocking, chart-topping, Grammy-winning Cardi, baby. And the best is yet to come.”
