Cardi B, the New York-born rapper, has made a name for herself as a marketable figure in the industry, working with brands such as McDonald’s, Uber Eats, Fashion Nova, and Reebok. However, her journey to success was not without its challenges. Before she became a household name in Hip Hop, Cardi was a reality star and influencer who struggled to land deals.
In a recent Instagram Live session, Cardi discussed what makes her so marketable and why she has been able to secure brand deals that many other artists have not. “There’s a lot of artists that are light-skinned; there’s a lot of artists that are dark-skinned — they don’t get the brand deals that I get,” she said. “You wanna know why? Because a lot of b**ches don’t know how to market themselves. They’re just not smart enough.”
Cardi went on to explain that she has been hustling for years, having worked in a strip club and learning the etiquette of making money. She also likened herself to Snoop Dogg, who, despite his gangster rapper persona, became a global icon. “We know how to brand ourselves. We know how to make money. We know how to tone our s**t [down],” she said.
Cardi acknowledged that her journey to success was not easy, particularly when she was an influencer with millions of followers but was not taken seriously. “That st was not easy for me. It was never easy for me. It got a little easier when I became a real artist that people took seriously. When I was the influencer, people didn’t give one fk about me,” she said.
Cardi’s ability to brand herself and make money has been evident in her recent partnerships, such as her collaboration with NYX Cosmetics for their Duck Plump product. She also made headlines in March with the release of “Like What (Freestyle)” and “Enough (Miami),” as well as her guest appearances on Shakira’s “Puntería” and Flo Milli’s “Never Lose Me (Remix)” alongside SZA.