by Cardi B burst onto the music scene in 2017 with her breakout hit “Bodak Yellow.” The song catapulted her to stardom and established her as one of the leading voices in hip hop.
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In 2018, Cardi released her highly anticipated debut studio album Invasion of Privacy. While Cardi hasn’t explicitly named artists who directly inspired the album, Invasion of Privacy reveals a range of influences from hip hop’s rich history that came together to shape Cardi’s unique style. This article will provide an in-depth analysis of the various genres and artists that seem to have played a role in the creation of Cardi’s innovative debut record.
Hip Hop and Gangsta Rap Influences
At its core, Invasion of Privacy is undeniably a hip hop album through and through. Many elements point to Cardi drawing inspiration from pioneers of hip hop and gangsta rap. Her delivery and flow on tracks like “Get Up 10” and “Ring” pay homage to influential female rappers like Lil’ Kim, Foxy Brown, and Lauryn Hill who blazed trails in the 1990s.
Lil’ Kim in particular left an indelible mark, known for her bold, sexually explicit lyrics delivered with confidence and swagger. Cardi channels a similar brazen style and unapologetic femininity in her music. Foxy Brown also paved the way with her rapid-fire flow and lyrical dexterity. Cardi exhibits her own lightning-fast rhymes, especially on songs requiring technical rapping ability like “I Do.”
Beyond just her delivery, Cardi also references gangsta rap themes in her subject matter. Tracks like “Be Careful” touch on drug use and street life, subject areas that were prominently featured in gangsta rap. Lauryn Hill, known for her groundbreaking album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, incorporated gangsta rap elements into her own soulful style of hip hop. Cardi borrows this fusion approach, mixing gangsta rap lyricism with melodic flows.
Overall, Cardi’s album pays homage to hip hop’s foundational artists who laid the groundwork for female rappers. She stands on the shoulders of pioneers while carving out her own bold, unapologetic style – a testament to her respect for the genre’s history.
Trap and Southern Hip Hop Influences
A major influence detectable on Invasion of Privacy is trap and Southern hip hop. Trap emerged in the early 1990s in the Southern United States, characterized by Roland TR-808 drum machines, ominous basslines, and rhymes about drug dealing and street life. Cardi incorporates these elements prominently on tracks like the smash hit “Bodak Yellow” and her collaboration with 21 Savage “Bartier Cardi.”
The heavy 808 basslines and dark, minimalist beats on these songs draw directly from trap. Artists who helped pioneer and popularize trap like Outkast, Gucci Mane, and T.I. likely provided inspiration. Outkast in particular blended Southern hip hop with various other genres on classics like “The Way You Move” and “Hey Ya!” informing Cardi’s own genre-bending approach.
Gucci Mane is widely considered one of the godfathers of trap. His prolific mixtape run in the 2000s/2010s popularized the trap sound. Cardi channels Gucci’s gritty, authentic delivery and storytelling focused on the trap lifestyle. T.I., another Atlanta legend, set the template for mainstream trap hits with songs like “What You Know.” Cardi’s breakout smash “Bodak Yellow” follows this blueprint of a catchy, street-oriented anthem.
Overall, the album demonstrates Cardi’s mastery of trap’s core musical and stylistic elements, paying homage to the subgenre’s pioneering artists from the A. She merges these Southern hip hop influences seamlessly with her own East Coast flair.
Latin Trap and Reggaeton Influences
A defining characteristic of Invasion of Privacy is Cardi’s incorporation of Latin-influenced styles like Latin trap and reggaeton. This reflects the growing popularity of Latin music in mainstream hip hop circles. Songs like the global smash “I Like It” featuring J Balvin and Bad Bunny epitomize this fusion.
The rhythmic beat, Spanish adlibs, and Bad Bunny’s verse directly transported the listener to the world of reggaeton. Reggaeton originated in Puerto Rico in the 1990s, combining reggae rhythms with Latin hip hop. Pioneers like Daddy Yankee, Don Omar, and Tego Calderón helped establish the genre.
Cardi seamlessly bridges reggaeton with American hip hop in a way that feels authentic rather than forced or diluted. J Balvin is one of the biggest current stars linking Latin trap styles to a global audience. Cardi’s collaboration with him and Bad Bunny, one of the leading faces of the Latin trap movement, demonstrated her willingness to push creative boundaries.
Overall, Invasion of Privacy showed Cardi is in touch with hip hop’s evolution on a worldwide scale. Her incorporation of Latin influences presaged broader trends in mainstream music and further expanded her fanbase internationally.
R&B Influences
While firmly rooted in hip hop, Cardi’s album also features R&B influences, reflective of her background singing in church choirs. This gospel foundation comes through in her melodic flow and soulful delivery on tracks like the Kehlani-assisted “Be Careful.”
Cardi’s vocals are on full display here, exhibiting her ability to sing as much as rap. She layers heartfelt crooning over a lush, melodic beat. Kehlani herself represents the current wave of female R&B, and their collaboration blended hip hop and R&B seamlessly.
This gospel-tinged R&B influence can also be heard subtly in Cardi’s melodic rapping throughout the album. Songs like “Ring” feature melodic hooks and a singing-like flow reminiscent of artists who fused hip hop with neo-soul like Lauryn Hill, Erykah Badu, and The Fugees.
While primarily a hip hop record, Cardi shows her versatility by incorporating R&B flavors that draw from her musical roots. This adds another layer of diversity and helps explain her broad appeal across hip hop and R&B fans alike.
Conclusion: A Genre-Bending Debut
In conclusion, while Cardi B hasn’t explicitly named direct influences, Invasion of Privacy reveals a range of genres and artists that clearly informed and inspired her debut album. From hip hop pioneers to trap innovators to Latin superstars to R&B crooners, Cardi drew from hip hop’s rich history to create her own boundary-pushing sound.
Rather than cloning the styles of any single artist, she amalgamated an eclectic mix of influences to forge a fresh, hybrid style all her own. The album’s genre-blending approach from top to bottom demonstrates Cardi’s versatility and willingness to experiment.
Two years later, Invasion of Privacy stands as not just a breakthrough debut, but a template for the new wave of hip hop drawing from global sounds. It cemented Cardi as an artist who pays homage while breaking conventions, a testament to her command of hip hop’s past and vision for its future. Ultimately, the album’s diverse influences came together to make Cardi B’s introduction one of the most influential debuts in recent memory.
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