It has been nearly two years since Cardi released her debut studio album Invasion of Privacy. Two number-one singles and a Grammy award later, the Bronx-bred rapper is gearing up to release her highly anticipated sophomore project. Cardi has already generated significant buzz with the first single from the album, the Megan Thee Stallion assisted “WAP,” which has sold over 350,000 units since its release and is on track to debut at #1 on the charts with an overwhelming lead. Determined to overcome the “sophomore slump” many artists suffer from on their follow-up projects, Cardi is working hard to ensure that her upcoming project surpasses the bar set with Invasion of Privacy.
Here is everything we know about the “Bodak Yellow” rapper’s upcoming sophomore album.
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It's tentatively titled Tiger Woods.
Sharing the news with fans on Instagram Live back in October 2019, Cardi gave an explanation for possibly using the peculiar name as a working title for her sophomore project. "I’m going to name my album Tiger Woods," she explained, "because remember when everybody was talking shit on Tiger Woods and then he fucking came and won that green jacket? That’s what I’m going to name my album."
She’s taking her time with this project because of the lackluster response to her last single “Press.”
Cardi got candid in a cover story interview with Elle magazine about the pressure she feels to make sure her next project performs well because of how poor her 2019 single “Press” performed on the charts (the song debuted and peaked at #16). “I didn’t really like how my last song performed, so I just got my creativity back,” she explained in the interview. “I don’t want to just put out a single and have people buy it because I’m Cardi. I want to put out really good music.” She then referenced how artists like Rihanna and Bruno Mars don’t rush their creative process and the value in working that way.
She plans to include a song featuring many different female rappers on the album inspired by Lil Kim’s “Ladies’ Night,” which featured Missy Elliot, Da Brat, Left Eye, and Angie Martinez.
In an interview on the Zach Sang Show, Cardi confirmed that she will include a track that pays homage to the 90s hit and has already received the blessing from Kim to do it. Some fans have even theorized that the women she featured in the “WAP” music video --aside from Kylie Jenner of course, will be on the album. Normani, Mulatto, Suki, and Rubi Rose, as well as Spanish singer-songwriter Rosalia, all made appearances in the video.
Cardi previewed an unreleased song, rumored to be titled “Respect,” at Atlanta’s club GoldRoom in February 2020.
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Cardi played the full song for the lucky club-goers. She also shared a seven-second snippet of the track on her Twitter. "Respect" is rumored to be off of her upcoming sophomore album.
Cardi confirmed the album was done in February 2020 but she was still working on some “club hits.” She also revealed an official release date is still pending.
“I have my cool, calm, and collective songs, just missing a couple of more club hits,” Cardi told Baller Alert, adding, “we’re getting there.” On when the album is expected to drop, she confessed, “I can never put a date on it, cause it’s like when you feel like you got those songs, that’s when it’s gonna come out. So it’s like I cannot put a date on my ears. When I feel like I have it, that’s it.” In an interview with Marie Claire in April of this year, Cardi confirmed the album will surely arrive sometime this year though.
The album is going to enter new territory for the rapper and be a lot more personal than her previous work, incorporating themes of female empowerment, marriage, and infidelity-- comparable to Beyonce’s 2016 album Lemonade.
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“My music is always going to make a woman feel like a bad bitch. When you make a woman feel like she’s the baddest b*tch in the room, to me, that’s female empowerment,” she explained in the recent interview with Elle. “But this album is going to be really different. Of course, it’s going to have my Lemonade moments, my personal relationship moments.” She plans to address the rumors surrounding her relationship with her husband, Offset on the album. “If you all are so curious to know about my relationship and blah, blah, blah, I’m going to put it in the fuckin’ music, and you can buy it, too,” she said in the interview. “I’m not going to give it to you all for free.”
Are you looking forward to Cardi’s sophomore project? Let us know.