Cardi B

When Cardi B released her No. 1 single “Up” in February, fans were convinced it meant her sophomore album was right around the corner. However, Cardi is still a ways away from dropping the LP as she’s got a lot on her plate, including a new haircare line. That’s why she says she’s planning on taking a break in order to focus all of her energy on putting the finishing touches on her anticipated album.

In an interview with XXL for their Spring 2021 cover, Cardi talked fame, the “WAP” controversy, and what’s in store for her next album. The rapper revealed that she put her sophomore album on hold during the pandemic because she was having difficulty staying creative, but she plans on “going away for a very long time” in order to hunker down and finish the LP:

“I feel like at this point, it’s like a timeline that I created. Because last year, I was like, I gotta put out my album this year. But, then I just stopped working on my album out of nowhere because I feel like the whole COVID thing discouraged me to put out my album. Because I want to put out an album, and I want to tour. […] I got like, a week of making sure I handle all my business, making sure everything is good, go to meetings. And then, I’m going away for a very long time to finish my album.”

Elsewhere in the conversation, Cardi said that it disappointing her when people assume she talks politics only for clout. The rapper reminded haters that she’s been interested in politics for as long as she can remember, and she now has a responsibility to use her voice. “But when it comes to things that’s going on in the environment and government, I like to say what’s on my mind,” she said. “And, sometimes I hate it because I’m not saying it to get attention. I always feel like if God gave you a voice, use it. And people who say that I’m doing it for attention, it’s like, attention my ass. I really like to get to the bottom of sh*t. I don’t need attention.”

Cardi B is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

When politics buff Cardi B sees something she doesn’t like going on in government, she’s almost guaranteed to comment on it. Most recently, Cardi shared her thoughts on a recently-passed anti-pornography law in Utah which mandates filters on mobile devices and tablets sold in-state. The law is the culmination of a conservative-led drive to turn porn into a “public health hazard,” even though the state is ending its mask mandate during a pandemic that’s killed over half a million people.

Clearly, she doesn’t like the law, drawing a comparison between its proponents’ stated intention of “protecting the children” and the prevalence of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints organization in the state. “I respect everyone’s religion but Utah restricting porn and not regulating the disgusting things that happens in the FLDS,” she observed. “That cult is disturbing.”

She elaborated in a second tweet, ““I will understand if they restrict porn because the state is very religious however they allow soo much disgusting things out there that they claim is part of their religion and that’s MOLESTING CHILDREN …Look it up!”

The FLDS Church is described as one of the largest of the fundamentalist Mormon sects and is designated a cult by the Southern Poverty Law Center. It’s received criticism for its practice of polygamy and racist attitudes toward Black people and interracial relationships and accused of trafficking underage girls across state lines, as well as child labor abuses.

Cardi is no stranger to drawing the ire of certain groups. Her song “WAP” is still a hot topic among conservative circles, even as those commentators ignored or brushed off racist terrorist attacks in the US, minimized a global pandemic, and tried to credit Donald Trump with the successes of the current administration.

Cardi B is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Cardi B gets pulled into conversations about cultural appropriation so often, that she feels as though she has to give a history lesson every few months. The rapper is Dominican and has long embraced her Afro-Latina roots, continually noting that nationality is different from race. Now, the singer aims to take the conversation off Twitter and into the beauty market with her own line of hair products that will educate consumers on various hair types.

Cardi has long been open about her hair care methods, which oftentimes involve natural DIY hair masks. But after being pulled into yet another Twitter conversation about race and nationality, Cardi wants to take her beauty secrets to the public while also educating people about Afro-Latina culture. “Hair texture def don’t make you a race however I am Afro Latina,” she responded to someone on Twitter earlier this week.

Detailing her new endeavor in an Instagram post, the rapper wrote that she has been working on at-home haircare for her and her daughter for some time now:

“This year I will be coming out with a hairline that I been working on at home for my hair and my daughters however,I think is time for people to educate themselves on nationality,race and ethnicity.Being Hispanic/Latina don’t make your hair long , don’t make your skin light or don’t make your face features slim specially Latin countries from the Caribbean islands. Dna have something to do with your hair not your nationality but guess what you can always maintain your hair …..and one more things not everyone that speaks Spanish is Mexican.”

Cardi B is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.