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Cardi B is slowly but surely restoring camaraderie amongst today’s leading women in music. The Grammy-winning Bronx rapper helms the refreshing trend of female-female collaborations, and it has her stepping into a new role within her star power: the feature fairy.
Case in point: Cardi B’s new collaboration with Latto, “Put It on Da Floor Again,” sits at the No. 7 spot on Apple Music’s top songs chart and has amassed over 11 million views on YouTube since the release of its accompanying viral music video on June 2. The remixed track is all music fans could talk about following its drop, and the same goes for fellow female rappers who showed their support. On release day, Maiya the Don tweeted lyrics from Cardi B’s verse, writing, “IM SEXY DANCING IN THE CRIB FEEL LIKE BRITNEY SPEARS 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” GloRilla, meanwhile, wrote on Twitter, “If cardi don’t do sh*t else she gone slide on a mf beat 😂😂🔥🔥🔥 go cousinnnnn @iamcardib.” And excitement over the new track only continued on June 4 at Summer Jam 2023 when Cardi B brought Latto out on stage to perform it with her.
“She’s creating a sisterhood to help other women win on the largest scale possible and forming friendships along the way.”
“Put It on Da Floor Again” is just one recent example of Cardi B using her platform to elevate the up-and-coming and already-established women in her musical peer group. While she may not have invented this modern-day movement, she’s certainly mobilizing it with organic cosigns and comradeship that have been lacking over the last decade.
Cardi B’s stimulus feature package doesn’t just include a fiery guest verse and immaculate rollout on her part. Most times, it also guarantees her female collaborators an outpour of public support, proof that Cardi B is doing much more than just bolstering her discography. She’s creating a sisterhood to help other women win on the largest scale possible and forming friendships along the way.
In a 2021 Cosmopolitan interview, Normani – who teamed up with Cardi B for their “Wild Side” collaboration that year – spoke about how much Cardi B has supported her career through the years, explaining that the rap star “has great energy” and “is such a genuine spirit.” Of working together on their song, Normani added, “She brought such light to this experience and to me after not releasing for the last two years. I feel like she’s given me comfort and provided a safe space for me.”
Fans also can’t forget the sweet way Cardi B came to Summer Walker’s defense when the singer’s love life made headlines years ago. She appeared on the “Bitter” intro of Walker’s “Still Over It” album in 2021 (and hopped on her “No Love” remix with SZA in 2022) in the form of a blunt message that encouraged the “Over It” songstress to move with grace in the face of adversity. “Even though you have problems, put that drama in your music, yeah / ‘Cause if b*tches wanna get clout off you, you gonna get clout off them,” Cardi B says. “. . . Make them b*tches feel hurt, hit them b*tches where it hurt / And put that sh*t in your music and make money off it in your music.”
Some may argue that Cardi B’s collaborations with today’s buzziest female acts feel like strategic career moves, as she hasn’t dropped an album since her 2018 debut. But from what her peers have said, the “Up” rapper has maintained seemingly authentic bonds with all her music costars after working together. Speaking to POPSUGAR, GloRilla – who teamed up with Cardi B for “Tomorrow 2” – revealed that she didn’t anticipate how big their pairing would be but she’s “grateful that it did” blow up. And she’s still connected to Cardi B to this day. “I don’t even know how to explain that moment. It was just crazy because I’m a Cardi fan,” GloRilla shared. “I was a Cardi fan before I actually started rapping, and she was one of the people that I did look up to when I [officially] started.”
“I’m really happy that she did that because she didn’t have to share her platform with me. I really appreciate her for that.”
According to the “F.N.F. (Let’s Go)” rapper, Cardi B’s verse on “Tomorrow 2” “was a surprise to me.” “I didn’t know what was going on. And when I text her – she always texts me back fast; she don’t act bougie or nothing – she texted me back, and she was the one that ended up telling me she was on my song. I didn’t even know,” GloRilla explained. “That was an iconic moment. That song is going down in history.”
This wouldn’t be the first time Cardi B made a moment out of one of her iconic collaborations. When she and Megan Thee Stallion declared 2020 the year of “WAP,” they also reached an incredible feat for women empowerment in one of music’s most male-dominated genres and beyond. The pair’s unapologetic ode to women’s bodies served as a powerful moment, but it was particularly special for the stars who were handpicked to appear in Cardi B and Megan’s playful music video. Why? Because some didn’t even realize how closely Cardi B had been following their careers at that point.
Back in 2020, Latto – before she skyrocketed to household-name status and became a Grammy nominee – told Interview Magazine she didn’t take the request to appear in the “WAP” video seriously at first. “When I got that call, I swore my manager was pranking me,” the rapper revealed. “My mind could not register the fact that Cardi B even knew who I was, let alone wanted me to be in her video. I will always love her for that because she knew what putting us in that video would do for our careers.”
Rapper Sukihana had a similar shocked reaction to being called on to appear in “WAP,” as she explained that being mentioned in the same breath as Cardi B “opened doors” for her soon after. “A lot of people want to work with me. I’m getting put in different magazines now. It’s been a big help, and I’m really excited because a lot of people are looking at me,” she told Interview Magazine at the time. “I’m really happy that she did that because she didn’t have to share her platform with me. I really appreciate her for that.”
Cardi B’s track record for collaborating with women through the years has included songs with acts like City Girls (“Twerk) and Lizzo (“Rumors”), plus the aforementioned. Most of these releases have either been certified gold or platinum by the RIAA. Not to mention, the rap star has also shouted out other female artists in the past like Saweetie, CupkakKe, and Ice Spice – the latter of which occurred when Cardi B referenced the “Munch” rapper in “Tomorrow 2.” (“That n*gga a munch and he gon’ eat me like a mango.”) And despite only having one studio album, as well as two successful mixtapes that dropped prior, she’s maintained maximum relevancy for the last five years primarily because of her many charting collaborations – which also include male artists like Bad Bunny and J Balvin, Maroon 5, Bruno Mars, Kanye West, her husband, Offset, and Migos, to name a few. But it’s been Cardi B’s knack for lending dope features to women artists while building friendships with them that’s proved to be most impressive – especially in today’s music climate that pits women against each other.
It’s no secret that a continued beef between Cardi B and Nicki Minaj spawned from their infamous “MotorSport” collaboration in 2018. But that hasn’t stopped the former from trying to connect with the next generation of women artists following after her. The same can be said for Minaj, though, as she’s hopped on tracks with up-and-comers in hip-hop like Sexyy Red (“Pound Town 2”) and Coi Leray (“Blick Blick”). She even dropped a “Queen Mix” of her “Super Freaky Girl” single with JT of City Girls, BIA, Maliibu Miitch, Katie Got Bandz, and Akbar V and also has a “Barbie” movie single with Ice Spice dropping following their “Princess Diana” remix.
However, more noticeably, fans are picking up on Cardi B’s affinity for linking up with her female peers – in the studio and elsewhere – to dispel a myth that’s been rampant in hip-hop, especially, for decades now: that only one woman can be at the top of the game at a time.
“We’re supporting each other and collabing. The industry, fan bases, and blogs want us to beef, but we’re making it a friendly sport.”
“The record labels are putting money behind the girls that people [are] listening to. As a result, different artists are coming up faster than others,” Cardi B explained in a recent Instagram Live when speaking on women rappers. “The labels only go with who’s getting the most listens, who are getting the most plays, who are people watching more. You can not blame nobody for that, you can’t blame no machine for that. You can’t blame nothing for that. Labels are only going to put money behind artists that people are listening to.”
This makes it even more clear what could be motivating Cardi B’s feature run with the women in her musical circle. Instead of treating her collaborations like business transactions, she’s connecting with fellow artists to the point where they know they can always call on her for support. “She’s such a humble person. I be always thanking her,” GloRilla tells POPSUGAR in reference to “Tomorrow 2.” “I don’t think she like when I be constantly thanking her because she’ll thank me back. She’ll be like, ‘Uh-uh, you don’t got to do that.’ She’s just a sweet, humble person.”
By sharing her shine with today’s artists, Cardi B is leading a new narrative to give women the spotlight she knows they deserve. “It’s a beautiful time right now for female rap. We’re creating a whole new agenda,” Latto added in her conversation with Interview Magazine. “We’re supporting each other and collabing. The industry, fan bases, and blogs want us to beef, but we’re making it a friendly sport.”
Which female artist will Cardi B tap next? The possibilities are endless. Some predict it may be her Bronx counterpart Scar Lip due to their recent studio session. But whoever her next collaborator may be, fans seem certain it’ll be another surefire hit.
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Image Source: Tamara May / Getty / Vivien Killilea, Johnny Nunez
The days of rappers hassling radio DJs to play their singles and selling mixtapes on the street are officially over. Why? Because artists are finding much more success online by going viral on platforms like TikTok – and today’s up-and-coming female rappers are leading the charge.
TikTok has, indeed, blossomed into a place for women in rap to launch their careers in front of a wider audience. In fact, many artists who sought out mainstream success pivoted toward the video-sharing launchpad as it began to blow up amid the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020; they quickly turned it into their own musical playground, setting the latest trends for user-generated content. Female rappers, in particular, have expertly learned how to make the most of viral TikTok moments and turn them into major career stepping stones.
“The platform is a true gem for emerging artists and has helped female hip-hop artists, in particular, amplify their voices more than ever.”
Just look at Megan Thee Stallion’s Grammy-winning “Savage (Remix)” featuring Beyoncé, or Lola Brooke’s game-changing hit “Don’t Play With It,” or even Baby Tate’s 2016 “Hey, Mickey!” track that recently caught its second wind online. They’re all viral sensations that have TikTok to thank in part for their massive success. According to an expert, it’s because the app is becoming the “go-to platform for music discovery.”
“TikTok’s foundation is based on content that’s easy to consume and fun,” Hayalsu Altinordu, an Upwork content marketing freelancer and label & agency partnerships manager at Vydia, tells POPSUGAR. “Because of this, lesser-known hip-hop artists have the ability to organically reach millions of people with their own unique and exciting content.”
Consequently, “the app has helped many artists create huge fan bases, moving viral hits from TikTok onto the Billboard top 100 lists or increasing streams on services like Spotify or Apple Music,” Altinordu adds. “The platform is a true gem for emerging artists and has helped female hip-hop artists, in particular, amplify their voices more than ever.”
In contrast with their male counterparts, female rappers have likely seen more success on TikTok because the platform acts as a niche space for young women, especially young Black women, to be their authentic, unapologetic selves – a luxury that’s not always afforded to us IRL. And without obstacles like sexism standing in their way – which women in rap have historically dealt with in terms of being recognized for their achievements and skills – TikTok has paved the way for women to be the platform’s authoritative voices in hip-hop.
Whether they’ve used TikTok to test out soon-to-be hits or to position themselves as music’s next big thing, women in rap are propelling themselves to new levels of success with the best cheat mode in music today. In celebration of this, TikTok launched its two-week-long #WomeninHipHop initiative on Feb. 22 – which coincided with its #BlackTikTok programming hub that includes a spotlight on music, artists, and an IRL series in honor of Black History Month. The initiative aims to highlight today’s talent and the app’s many success stories – one of which is Brooklyn native Maiya the Don.
Image Source: Tamara May
“TikTok can be very beneficial in promoting your music when you use it right.”
In October 2022, the up-and-comer, known for her big personality and braggadocious charm, dropped her infectious “Telfy” anthem, an ode to the Telfar’s signature handbags, which quickly spread far and wide on social media. Maiya, who was recently named one of TikTok’s 2023 Visionary Voices and is currently working on dropping her debut project, tells POPSUGAR that she originally started out as a beauty creator on TikTok but smoothly pivoted to music after she saw all the benefits the platform could offer her budding career.
“TikTok can be very beneficial in promoting your music when you use it right. I think that’s really good for that. And of course, it’s the standard now,” she notes, adding that her initial TikTok video for “Telfy” got “over a million views” overnight. “It’s one of the biggest social media platforms, and that’s [why] digital marketing is so important in this day and age. Nobody’s really picking up newspapers or magazines to see what’s hot. They’re going on their phone . . . and they’re going to go search on TikTok.”
It’s no secret that TikTok has become a leader calling the shots in the music industry. In 2022, The New York Times declared the platform a “major cultural influence.” And it shows, particularly when you look at how it’s contributed to the trajectory of now-household names like GloRilla and Ice Spice, who are slowly but surely embedding themselves in the fabric of the culture.
Last month, Time reported on Ice Spice’s “TikTok takeover,” crediting her massive hit “Munch (Feelin’ U)” as the catalyst that skyrocketed her to internet stardom after a clip of it went viral on TikTok. Her other notable singles “Bikini Bottom” and “In Ha Mood” also trended on TikTok, with the latter contributing to over 104,000 total creations within the first week of its official release in January. “All my siblings tell me how they just see me all over [TikTok’s] For You page,” the rapper told XXL that same month. “And all their friends be singing my song and stuff. It’s crazy.”
Similarly, GloRilla’s music has also gained traction thanks to the platform: it gave rise to her breakout, Grammy-nominated hit “F.N.F. (Let’s Go)” and the #FNF dance challenge that came after it peaked on the Billboard Hot 100 last summer. Same for her Cardi B-assisted, gold-certified monster smash “Tomorrow 2,” arguably one of the biggest songs of 2022, which has produced over 786,000 total creations on TikTok and counting.
“I don’t really make TikTok music. But sometimes, it be so hard that it just goes viral on there because of how good it is.”
There are many more examples of female rappers getting love from TikTok – including Monaleo, whose 2021 song “Beating Down Yo Block” demanded the attention of the TikTok community and rap fans alike; Ken the Man, whose “Not My N*gga” track served as the perfect musical backdrop for TikTok users’ many videos; and Flo Milli’s viral song “Conceited,” which recently got the remix treatment with Maiya and Brooke.
However, despite all of their success on account of the ever-growing platform’s support, none of the aforementioned femcees should dare be mistaken for just being “TikTok rappers.” “I really got bars, you know I don’t really make TikTok music. But sometimes, it be so hard that it just goes viral on there because of how good it is,” GloRilla told Refinery 29’s Unbothered last August, addressing the pressure to create music specifically for viral appeal. “Then even with ‘Tomorrow [2]’ I would have never thought that it would be a song on TikTok that people are going crazy about.”
The craze and appeal of TikTok’s superstar-enabling ways is the main reason up-and-coming, and even established artists, continue to flock to the platform – in spite of its algorithm and For You page trends that sometimes limit artistry. However, as far as female rap is concerned, the genre continues to thrive on the platform, given that it helps those rappers find new ways to stay connected to their fans.
Still, don’t sleep on their skills – these artists are steadfast in proving the capabilities of women in rap beyond what can be condensed in a TikTok video.
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