Cardi B appears to tease new music amidst a social media blackout.
Cardi B may have tackled her “Rumors” head-on alongside Lizzo in 2021, but a new one is stirring. Fans speculate the Grammy winner and nine-time nominee has a new project on the horizon. On February 26, the rapper removed her profile pictures on X, Instagram, and TikTok.
Artists usually do this or something in a similar vein on their socials to create speculation amongst fans and the general public. Most recently, Normani, who collaborated with Cardi in 2021 on “Wild Side,” archived her Instagram posts before announcing her debut solo album, Dopamine.
Cardi’s highly-anticipated sophomore album will be the follow-up to Invasion of Privacy. Met with critical acclaim, the quadruple platinum album released in 2018 topped the Billboard Hot 200 chart and set numerous records. “Bodak Yellow” and “I Like It” made Cardi the first female rapper to have multiple No. 1 singles, and the album became the first in history to chart 13 songs simultaneously on the Hot 100 chart. Invasion of Privacy was also the first to debut with more than 100 million streams on Apple Music, and The Recording Academy cites it as the best-selling female rap album of the 2010s. Invasion of Privacy made Cardi the first solo female artist to win in the Best Rap Album category.
With so much acclaim, the stakes for Cardi’s next album are immensely high. On November 16, 2023, she seemingly announced on Instagram Live that she planned to take time away from the spotlight. “I’m out of here, ya’ll might not see me for a long time. …’Cause I’m not in the mood to be famous. If ya’ll want to see me, ya’ll go to Arizona for the TikTok concert. Other than that, I’ve been liking my low-key life.” Hours later, Cardi tweeted, “I never said I was taking a hiatus…I’m just continuing with my social media break like I have been for the last few weeks..not sure why that’s causing such a ruckus. BG [Bardi Gang], you know where to catch me!”
With Cardi’s blackout on social media, it is very likely a new era for the star is imminent. Fans can follow Cardi B on X, Instagram, and TikTok to stay updated.