by Cardi B’s Unconventional Musical Style
Cardi B has taken the music world by storm over the past few years with her bold rapping style and unapologetic lyrics. From her breakout hit “Bodak Yellow” to chart-topping albums like Invasion of Privacy, she has proven herself as one of the most popular rappers today. However, some of Cardi B’s songs venture into more unconventional musical territory that might sound strange to casual listeners. While her music is known for confidence and bravado, a few tracks push boundaries in unexpected ways. Two songs in particular stand out as Cardi B’s strangest musical offerings: “Bartier Cardi” and “She Bad.”
“Bartier Cardi” featuring Offset
Released in 2017 as part of Cardi B’s debut mixtape Gangsta Bitch Music Vol. 2, “Bartier Cardi” set the stage for her breakout success the following year. The song features Cardi B’s then-boyfriend Offset of Migos on the hook and additional verses. On the surface, it follows Cardi B’s usual formula of boasting about luxury items and her lavish lifestyle. However, it is the unexpected musical sample used on the track that gives it an unusual edge.
woven throughout “Bartier Cardi” is a sample of a children’s choir singing a traditional Bollywood melody. The bright, innocent vocals of the young singers form a jarringly upbeat backdrop to Cardi B’s gritty rap style. She brags about her expensive tastes over the light, cheerful melody: “Pop some Xans in the Bartier forum, woke up in the morning I got dior on.” The contrast between the children’s choir and Cardi B’s lyrics about drug use and high fashion is striking. It creates a surreal, dreamlike quality that is memorable but certainly unconventional for a hip hop track.
Many listeners were taken aback upon first hearing the children’s sample in “Bartier Cardi.” It is an example of Cardi B experimenting fearlessly with unexpected musical choices. While sampling is common in hip hop, using a children’s choir is a bold choice that pays off in creating a catchy, bizarrely compelling track. The sample gives the song relisten value as listeners continue to be surprised by the unlikely musical marriage. It showed Cardi B’s willingness to color outside the lines and take risks in crafting her sound, for better or worse.
“She Bad” featuring YG
Released as part of Invasion of Privacy in 2018, “She Bad” is another Cardi B track that stands out for its unusual musical qualities. Produced by DJ Mustard, the song has a minimal, repetitive beat perfect for the club. However, its lyrics are even more minimal, consisting almost entirely of repeating the phrase “she bad” in the chorus and hook.
While simple lyrics and repetitive choruses are common in popular music, “She Bad” takes it to an extreme. Over three minutes, Cardi B and featured artist YG chant “she bad” with little variation. Some verses add short additional lines like “I know she bad, I know she real bad” but ultimately revert back to relentlessly hammering home the two word phrase. For a hip hop song already pushing four minutes, its lack of substantive lyrics is stark and strange.
Yet there is an undeniable catchiness to the repetitive nature of “She Bad” as well. The minimal lyrics make it an easy song to remember, recall, and join in with. In the club setting it was clearly designed for, crowds could easily engage with shouting the hook together. Some saw it as a novelty song, while others argued it succeeded based on its simplicity. Either way, it highlighted Cardi B’s skill as an entertainer who understands how to craft songs that get stuck in listeners’ heads, even if the lyrical substance is paper thin.
The repetitive style also calls to mind classic hip hop songs built around short, repeated phrases like “It Takes Two” by Rob Base or “Rapper’s Delight” by The Sugarhill Gang. In that sense, “She Bad” could be seen as harkening back to old school hip hop roots rather than breaking conventions. However, in today’s landscape of emphasis on lyrical complexity and storytelling, its minimalism still stands out as strange compared to many of her peers’ songs. Only an immensely charismatic performer like Cardi B could make such a repetitive track work as well as it does.
Musical Risks and Rewards
Through unconventional songs like “Bartier Cardi” and “She Bad,” Cardi B has shown her willingness to take musical risks outside the norm. Both tracks found mainstream success, proving her ability to craft hits even with strange or minimal qualities. They highlighted that even if her style pushes boundaries, Cardi B’s sheer star power and charisma can make the unorthodox compelling. While not for every taste, the songs kept listeners surprised and engaged through their unexpected qualities.
In a way, Cardi B’s willingness to experiment is what has made her one of the most interesting rappers in recent years. She refuses to be confined by genre conventions or what critics think a rap song should sound like. Whether through unusual samples, repetitive lyrics, or other devices, Cardi B is always willing to try new approaches to crafting memorable music. More conventional artists often play it safe within established formulas, but Cardi B’s unpredictability keeps listeners on their toes.
Of course, musical risks do not always pay off. Some of Cardi B’s experiments may miss the mark for some listeners depending on personal tastes. But her successes far outweigh any misfires so far in her young career. Songs like “Bartier Cardi” and “She Bad” showed that unexpected left turns can result in major hits if executed skillfully. They cemented Cardi B’s status as a rule-breaker willing to color outside the lines of musical norms. Even if some songs sound strange on the surface, her fearlessness continues to captivate audiences and keep them anticipating her next surprise. In an era where formulaic pop dominates, Cardi B’s unconventional style has made her one of music’s most compelling figures.
