Belcalis Almanzar’s superbly tuned aptitude is not burning out in a vociferous world of manufactured industrial berceuse oeuvres; coming hard and fast in the form of Rap, Pop, Afrobeats, Rock, Electronic Dance Music, Gospel, Jazz, House, Soul, Rhythm & Blues, Country, Amapiano, Folk, Funk, Reggae as well as Latin music — among other heart stopping genres.
Hers is not just an off-the-wall larger-than-life epitome of a golden retriever — very much in the amiability factor and adrenaline rush. It is also a whacking incredible spin off the hamster wheel — in a heavy metalled New York City cauldron — that would perceive her step to the line; to deliver lyrics planted in the rich soil of her truth on-stage as Cardi B.
Having stretched out her supremacy on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, locking down the number 1 spot with her commercial debut single ‘Bodak Yellow’ (2017) and ‘Up’ a February 2021 release; her up-to-the-minute delivery — ‘Enough (Miami)’ — is a street monster opus in the making. A without a blip fizzing birdcall to kick off the spring break season!
Moving mountains, Cardi B is among the most standout melodic artists of all time; regardless of genre, gender, or generation. Even when pressure cracked up in an uncharted territory, on the neckline of a virgin career; the rapper songwriter, who hatched her first studio album known as ‘Invasion of Privacy’ in 2018, was equally intended to see tonal pattern for what it is. Hence, she took stunts to stand against shattering under the oppression of obnoxiousness; punching above her weight, to go ahead of the pack, beyond anxious stumbles.
Potential blended perfectly with a non-negotiable appetite; Cardi has the highest chart-topping singles (5) on the Billboard Hot 100, and she is the first lead artist to top the Billboard Global 200 with a hell dust ballad craft that has sold 100 million certified units.
In any case thoroughgoing earning her stripes — with the most diamond-certified sonic blasts (3) by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA); on the Swedish audio streaming and media service provider — Spotify — the Grammy Award-winning anthem god head has the maximum number of canons with a billion streams, including the most-streamed female rap album!
Be it in contemporary, traditional or alternative spaces, hardly two years after swaying two of the most strongarm forces in ultramodern Hip-Hop: Lil Durk and Ye (Kanye West) — on a ‘Hot Ish’ ride; Cardi B has utterly calibrated rap euphony for the whole demographic, regenerating the sensory system of specialised pockets of audiences.
The swashbuckling dewy behind the ears ditty ‘Enough (Miami)’ is accompanied by a high-octane companion graphic — directed by Patience Harding — that captures Cardi spitting pithy lines, while sporting a series of dainty looks. The work of chords thought provokingly comes on the heels of her earlier drop this month, titled ‘Like What (Freestyle)’.
By foaling a viral teaser that now has accumulated over 27.5 million views, 4.5 million likes, 44 000 comments, 231 500 favourites, and 9 000 creates — via video-focused social networking service TikTok; she destructively hit the canvas before officially birthing ‘Enough (Miami)’.
Both jams serve as the follow-up to last 12-month’s iconic collaboration with Megan Thee Stallion — a rapper originally from Houston, Texas — on the lullaby called ‘Bongos’. Prior to the latter banger, the pair conceived the historic and viral sensation, ‘WAP’; which affirmed Cardi B — who remained abstemiously vigorous with her feature in a Beats by Dre ad last May — as one of Apple Music’s most popular artists of all time. Grossing the platform’s highest-ever debut by a female artist as well as the fastest record in Apple Music history by a female artist to peak at number 1.
The toothsome sound would go on to clinch the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100. Clasping special worth, by means of sitting cute on the summit of Rhythmic radio and placing position 2 on Urban radio. ‘WAP’ also received a gong for Favourite Song — Rap / Hip-Hop at the American Music Awards, and won an accolade for Best Collaboration as well as Video of the Year at the BET Awards.
The latter cantabile gem was likewise nominated for Collaboration of the Year at the American Music Awards, designated for five categories at the MTV Video Music Awards, and selected for Best Music Video at the iHeart Music Awards. A commanding statement on cloud nine, the means of expressive kiss-and-tell through illustration to ‘WAP’, has this day and age reached over 523 million views.
And as the lilt lollygags, the hulk audio is eye-popping in seventh heaven with over 3.2 billion streams! Boosting Cardi B’s influence to inspirational heights, on the far side of chanted composition panoramas, into the picturesque American culinary monarchy. A crave that scrumptiously shook hands with the sassy and urge, filtered down in the system of the championship game of the National Football League — of the United States.
While a Quislingism with Whipshots yielded a new flavour premiere for the fall: Pumpkin Spice, an appearance with rapper Offset in McDonald’s 2023 Super Bowl commercial — made known the first-ever celebrity duo meal. Aloft in the right moments, being the second-largest event for American food consumption — behind Thanksgiving dinner — the Super Bowl has a weighty rate of commercial airtime during its broadcast.
So, viewership becomes an integral part of this stood to be cheered spectacle; ranked among the world’s most-watched sporting events. Second only to the UEFA Champions League final; the Super Bowl eon rules the roost in an era Cardi B’s emblematic élan seems to have played out!
Grant Moyo is a prolific writer, innovative media personality, entrepreneur and a creative artist who is passionate about using his creative mind for the betterment of society. Follow him on X: @TotemGrant
