Kay Flock

Cardi B is flying high this week, appearing on the cover of Essence with her family and popping up in an episode of Baby Shark’s Big Show! to perform a new song, “The Seaweed Sway.” She’s obviously making the most of her status as a crossover pop icon, but that doesn’t mean she’s forgotten where she started. Cardi also got back to her roots this week with another new song that’s completely the opposite of her Baby Shark guest role. Appearing on Kay Flock’s new single “Shake It,” Cardi shows she’s still got ties to the streets that raised her.

However, rather than simply dabbling in the controversial drill style to expand her own resume, she’s using the moment for good. Drill rap has come under fire recently for encouraging gun violence on the streets of New York. While the style’s practitioners say they’re simply recording the life around them, there’s no denying that there’s a link between the gang shootouts and the reporting that drill rappers do in their rhymes. Cardi, however, wants those rappers to make the most of their opportunities with music and leave the streets alone.

“On some G sh*t, yo, let me tell y’all little n****s something,” she said during an Instagram Live stream. “I know it’s a lot of smoke, I know how sh*t goes, but use y’all music to get signed and get the f*ck out the Bronx because it’s only death and indictments out there.” She has a point; even her host on “Shake It,” Kay Flock, is currently in jail, while another rapper who appears on the song, Dougie B, was recently picked up on a probation violation.

Meanwhile, in another video, Cardi explained the difference between the Bronx and Brooklyn drill styles. Check that out below.