Seven years is a long time to keep fans waiting, but Cardi B has always done things her own way. On September 19, 2025, the Grammy-winning rapper and cultural lightning rod finally dropped her sophomore album, Am I the Drama?—and, true to form, she did it with as much spectacle as anyone could expect.
The 23-track album, which hit streaming platforms and stores on Friday, instantly made waves. According to Billboard, Am I the Drama? was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on its release day, a feat that underscores both Cardi’s enduring popularity and the pent-up demand for new music from one of hip-hop’s most charismatic stars. The project features an impressive roster of collaborators, including Janet Jackson, Lizzo, Selena Gomez, Megan Thee Stallion, Cash Cobain, Kehlani, Summer Walker, and Tyla—a who’s who of contemporary pop and R&B.
But it’s not just the music that has people talking. The album’s arrival comes at a time when Cardi B’s personal life is making almost as many headlines as her music. Just days before the album dropped, she announced that she is pregnant with her fourth child—her first with New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs. Cardi confirmed the news during a September 17 interview on CBS Mornings, saying, “Yes, I am [pregnant]. I’m having a baby with my boyfriend, Stefon Diggs. I’m excited. I’m happy. I feel like I’m in a good space. I feel very strong. I feel very powerful that I’m doing all this work.”
Cardi B’s relationship with Diggs, who joined the Patriots this season after years as one of the NFL’s top receivers, has been under the microscope. The couple managed to keep their romance relatively private until this week’s pregnancy reveal, which set social media ablaze. Cardi already has three children—Kulture, 7, Wave, 4, and Blossom, 1—with her estranged husband, rapper Offset. Diggs, for his part, is also a parent to daughter Nova, born in 2016.
All this personal drama might have been enough to overshadow the album release for a lesser artist. But Cardi B, as ever, leans into the chaos. The very title of the album, Am I the Drama?, is a cheeky nod to the scrutiny and controversy that have followed her career since she first exploded onto the scene with 2017’s “Bodak Yellow.” The album’s lyrics are unapologetically candid, addressing everything from haters and love to breakups and the relentless stress of staying at the top of the game. As Billboard reports, Cardi B told the outlet, “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.”
The album also arrives hot on the heels of a courtroom victory. Just weeks ago, Cardi B was cleared of assault and battery in a civil case brought against her by a security guard. The case, which involved allegations that Cardi had spit on the guard and used racial slurs, was dismissed, and the rapper emerged from the ordeal unscathed. The trial, with its bizarre questions about Cardi’s wigs and fingernails, became meme fodder online, adding yet another layer to the “drama” surrounding her.
Musically, Am I the Drama? is a sprawling, star-studded affair. The album includes previously released chart-toppers like “WAP” (featuring Megan Thee Stallion) and “Up,” both of which soared to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and have been certified nine-times and five-times platinum, respectively. Cardi B defended her decision to include these older hits on the album, stating on X, “WAP and Up are two of my biggest songs, my fans have been asking me to put them on an album, and people search for them on IOP all the time… they deserve a home. I let haters make me not submit WAP for the Grammy’s and at this point I’m giving my fans what they want!”
Not everyone was thrilled with this move, with some critics accusing Cardi of padding the album with older material. But Cardi, never one to shy away from confrontation, clapped back in June: “This will be the last and only time I’m gonna address this…‘WAP’ and ‘Up’ are two of my biggest songs…they deserve a home. These two songs don’t even count for first week sales so what are yall even crying about???… Now let them eat cake. Go cry about it!!!”
Alongside the familiar hits, the album offers plenty of fresh material. Tracks like “Outside” and “Imaginary Playerz” showcase Cardi’s range, moving from hard-hitting anthems to smoother, radio-ready flows. The official tracklist reveals collaborations with some of the biggest names in music today, including Summer Walker, Lizzo, Janet Jackson, Selena Gomez, Kehlani, Cash Cobain, and Tyla. Fans and critics alike are eager to see whether Cardi can avoid the dreaded “sophomore slump” that often plagues artists after a blockbuster debut.
It’s worth remembering just how historic Cardi’s debut album, Invasion of Privacy, was. As Billboard notes, all 13 tracks from that 2018 release were certified platinum or higher, making her the first female rapper to achieve such a feat. She also became the first female artist to have every track on an album certified gold, and the first female MC to notch multiple diamond-certified singles, including “Bodak Yellow,” “I Like It” (with J Balvin and Bad Bunny), and “Girls Like You” (with Maroon 5).
With Am I the Drama?, Cardi B is not just resting on her laurels. She’s taking her show on the road with the Little Miss Drama Tour, her first-ever arena tour. The tour kicks off on February 11, 2026, in Palm Desert, California, and will hit more than 30 cities across North America, including stops at Madison Square Garden, the Kia Forum, Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena, and a grand finale in Atlanta on April 17. “I’ll be headed to more than 30 cities across North America—Cardi B is going on tour!” she announced on Today.
For Cardi, the process of making this album was nothing short of monumental. She told The Jennifer Hudson Show, “I am so overwhelmed... It’s like I’m pushing another baby. It was completely completed and this is what’s missing out there. I touch on everything I wanted to touch.”
In the end, Am I the Drama? stands as a testament to Cardi B’s resilience, versatility, and unfiltered honesty. Whether she’s making headlines for her music, her personal life, or her courtroom battles, Cardi B continues to command the spotlight—and, for now at least, she shows no sign of stepping out of it.
