MUMBAI: There’s no denying Cardi B is a triple threat.
From releasing hit after hit to influencing her millions of followers with her eye-catching glam, the 28-year-old superstar is constantly raising the bar. But despite her popularity in music and fashion, the “Press” rapper recently opened up about the “prejudice” she’s felt in both industries.
Speaking to Mariah Carey for Interview magazine’s March issue, Cardi detailed her experiences, explaining, “I don’t know if I would use the word ‘racism’ because everything is so technical right now. I have felt prejudice.”
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“I have been involved in endorsement deals, and then I found out that certain white people got more money for their deals from the same company,” she shared. “I do my research. I know how much money I made [from] that company. My fans buy my s–t. So it’s like, ‘When you’re not paying me what you’re paying these other people, why is that?’ It’s kind of insulting.”
While Cardi didn’t disclose which brand paid her less than her white colleagues, she has worked with many companies, including Fashion Nova, Steve Madden, Balenciaga, Amazon, Pepsi and, most recently, Reebok.
The Bronx native noted that “hip-hop is a big influence” on the fashion industry. “And yet,” she continued, “Black artists have the hardest time getting pulls from designers and the hardest time getting seats at their fashion shows.”
She added they also “barely get endorsed by big fashion brands that we literally make trend.”
Just four months ago, the “Be Careful” rapper defended her collection of designer handbags—most notably, her many Hermès Birkin bags—after a tweet went viral for criticizing Black women for purchasing luxury items, horribly suggesting they “depreciate the value of a Hermés Birkin bag.”
“Why is it that y’all asking female rappers if they could get a bag from the Hermès store?” Cardi fired back in an Instagram video last October. “Y’all don’t do this to these white celebrities… So why is it that y’all gotta be asking us.”
“Another thing is that they’re saying that we depreciate the value,” she continued. “Actually, we add value because in hip-hop, when we mention brands in hip-hop, they s–t go up.”
In fact, Cardi pointed out that when she mentioned Balenciaga in her chart-topping tune “I Like It” with Bad Bunny and J Balvin, their sales increased.
“They s–t went up, too,” she explained, “and that’s why they worked with me this year.
During the interview, Mariah agreed with Cardi’s statements and said that she’s felt “the same way” too.
“I have it a different way because people don’t know how to categorize me sometimes, and that sucks,” the Butterfly singer shared. “But I think people should listen to the words you say because you’re saying it from firsthand experience. You’ve gotten less than other artists who are not artists of color, and yet your influence has been way broader. So let’s fix that.”
Mariah then asked Cardi if they can “do a song together,” to which she replied, “I would love that. I would love to do a record that touches souls. You had me heartbroken when I was 11 years old and I didn’t even have a boyfriend.”
