Cardi B Album Review: Am I The Drama? Track by Track
Cardi B – Am I The Drama? (Album Review, Track by Track)
Seven years after her explosive debut, Invasion of Privacy, Cardi B has finally answered the question fans have been asking since day one: could she top it? With Am I The Drama?, the Bronx superstar pulls no punches across 21 tracks stacked with features, diss bars, emotional honesty, and enough energy to keep her name stamped firmly at the top of the rap game.
But while the record is bold, sprawling, and often brilliant, it’s also overstuffed; sometimes tracks fight for their place when they didn’t really need to. Still, Cardi’s unapologetic confidence remains unmatched, and that’s exactly what makes this project so compelling. Let’s break it down, track by track.
Dead (feat. Summer Walker)
Opening with a fake news report, Cardi sets the tone immediately: this is going to be bold. She comes out swinging with a defiant energy reminiscent of her debut. The shots are clearly aimed, though time will tell if provoking that hornet’s nest will bear big-fruit. As an opener, it’s strong though!
Hello
A Halloween-haunted beat meets a twerk-ready flow. The lyrics aren’t her sharpest, but “It’s ME!” is classic Cardi energy. It’s playful, bouncy, and pure fun – the kind of track made for screaming along in the club.
Magnet
Another high-energy flex with gunshot-lane production. It hits hard, but it doesn’t differentiate itself much from the tracks around it. Enjoyable, but not unforgettable.
Pick It Up (feat. Selena Gomez)
Cardi trades her harder flows for something more vulnerable, pairing unexpectedly with Selena Gomez. Fans online are split on the feature, and I’m inclined to also be confused by it. I appreciated seeing Cardi slip into something more sultry. A nice palate cleanser.
Imaginary Playerz
Sampling Jay-Z’s 1997 classic Imaginary Players, this track didn’t spark much fanfare on release, but I think it deserves more. It’s a rare chance to see Cardi paying homage to the genre she thrives in, and it’s a refreshing reminder that her respect for rap runs deep.
Bodega Baddie
The tempo explodes with a Latin-inspired banger. It’s fun, repetitive, and absolutely built for dancefloors. Not the cleverest track lyrically, but the energy? Unstoppable.
Salute
Cardi slows things down, flexing her rap skills with a sharper lyrical pen. It’s a welcome change of pace and proves she doesn’t always need heavy production to dominate a track.
Safe (feat. Kehlani)
This is the collaboration fans didn’t know they needed. Kehlani and Cardi mirror each other’s sultry, instantly recognisable vocal identities, trading lines with chemistry that makes the track one of the album’s standouts. When they bounce off each other line for line, it’s lightning.
Man of Your Word
Personal, reflective, and clearly inspired by Offset. Instead of going for a scorched-earth diss, Cardi takes a more mature, almost tender approach, acknowledging her own part in the mess. One of the album’s most moving tracks.
What’s Goin On (feat. Lizzo)
Reworking 4 Non Blondes with Lizzo should have been an undeniable standout, but the execution feels surprisingly flat. The feature feels underused, leaving the track oddly forgettable.
Shower Years
Another Offset-inspired track, but it doesn’t quite reach the emotional heft of Man of Your Word. A good standalone cut, just not one of the record’s highlights.
Outside
Fans have already debated this one to death online, but there’s no denying it’s a strong single, playful, brash, and quintessential Cardi.
Pretty and Petty
A venom-soaked diss track with Cardi in full battle mode. She doesn’t name names, but whoever it’s about, she definitely had time that day. Fans online are already ranking it among her best clapback records.
Better Than You
Hypnotic beat, smooth enough to keep your head nodding, but it doesn’t break new ground. A good track, but ultimately skippable.
On My Back
Crude? Absolutely. Good? Not really.
Errtime
Cardi’s charisma almost carries it, but the production and flow feel too familiar. One of the weaker moments.
Check Please
A switch-up in flow and more boastful Cardi. It’s fun and brash, but again, one of those tracks that could have been cut without losing much.
Principal (feat. Janet Jackson)
A flex if ever there was one! Cardi and Janet Jackson together. It’s playful, summery, and you can tell Cardi gave everything to make it worthy of Janet’s co-sign. A highlight.
Trophies
Production goes hard and so does Cardi. A no-nonsense banger with that “something to prove” energy she thrives on.
Nice Guys (feat. Tyla)
Tyla’s silky voice balances Cardi’s sharp delivery beautifully, creating a track that feels like a modern CrazySexyCool moment.
Killin You Hoes
Vulnerable Cardi might not be what she’s known for, but when she slows it down, her pen shines brightest. This track proves she can cut just as deep emotionally as she does on her brash anthems.
Up / WAP
Old, yes. Odd to see them here? Also yes. Still bangers? Absolutely
If Invasion of Privacy was Cardi’s coronation, Am I The Drama? is her empire! Loud, messy, sprawling, but undeniably powerful. At 21 tracks, it’s longer than it needs to be. Trim the fat, and this could have been an instant classic. But even with its indulgence, the album cements what fans already know: Cardi B is still one of the most important, charismatic voices in rap. She can make you laugh, cry, twerk, or roll your eyes, but most importantly, she makes you feel. And that’s why, drama or not, she’s still untouchable.
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