"Am I The Drama?" comes after seven years of Cardi's debut album "Invasion of Privacy" in 2018.
Cardi B has made her return to the album world official with the release of her sophomore album, "Am I The Drama?" The album comes after Cardi's seven-year-long hiatus after her historic Grammy win for Invasion of Privacy (2018).
Cardi's long-awaited second studio album has already earned itself the highly coveted Platinum status by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on its first day of release.
This achievement certifies the album to have officially sold 1 million albums (album-equivalent units). A major contributor to these first-day numbers is the inclusion of the Bronx rapper's smash hit songs of the past few years. These songs include the chart-topping hit "WAP" featuring Megan Thee Stallion and "UP" (2021).
Cardi B's return to the charts has been as explosive as her die-hard fans expected. From shooting up to the top of the Billboard charts to Platinum certification within its first 24 hours, the rap star has made her return loud and clear. However, this begs the question: What took this long?
Although there is no official answer to this question from Cardi. Her fans have speculated about her motherhood, personal commitments, relationship drama, and the pressure that comes with following up a historic Grammy win.
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While official first week numbers for the album are awaited, it is expected to debut at a strong position on the Billboard 200 chart.
Her debut album, "Invasion of Privacy," which was released in 2018, sold 255,000 units in its first week to debut at number 1 on the Billboard albums chart.
The pace of the Platinum certification of her sophomore album raises a few eyebrows when it comes to tracking the album's first-week numbers. Although the inclusion of previous smash hit singles like "WAP" and "UP" is not illegal, the practice does take away from the mystery of the album experience.
Given that the singles were not even released in the same year as the album, it raises a few questions regarding the importance of optics in the rap game. This includes the rollout for the album, which expanded beyond music.
For Cardi B, her sophomore album marks her return to the game. The rapper has not clearly stated her plans for albums, but her release has clarified that she does care about being a musical act. As of now, the Bronx rapper is enjoying the fruits of her labour.
After the highly anticipated release, all eyes are now on the album reviews and its first week numbers. Can it outdo the success of her debut? Will it be remembered as just another album or a landmark moment in music, just like "Invasion of Privacy"? Only time will tell.
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