On the latest episode of Angie Martinez’s IRL podcast, Cardi B offered an unfiltered look into her life, discussing her pregnancy, the challenges of raising four children, and how faith and hard work continue to shape her career. The Grammy-winning rapper also opened up about her new album Am I The Drama?, her ongoing battle with public scrutiny, and how she balances honesty with the demands of fame.
For Cardi, faith is the backbone of her resilience. After the backlash to “Imaginary Players,” she admits the negativity nearly broke her, pushing her to overload her schedule and work harder than ever. But she credits a higher power for changing the tide in her favor.
“That’s only God that could do that,” Cardi reflects on how a high-profile court case shifted the narrative around her. Prayer, she says, is constant and personal, whether it’s at 1:11, 2:22, or any other angel number. She doesn’t shy away from being herself even in prayer: “I curse when I pray because God made me and knows my heart.”
Currently pregnant with her fourth child while headlining a tour, Cardi calls pregnancy both exhausting and empowering. From early-morning court sessions to late-night shoots, she admits the grind can be relentless. Yet, she insists it fuels her.
“It really makes me feel mad powerful,” she says. “I’m about to do everything.”
Still, she doesn’t sugarcoat the realities of motherhood. Even with help, she finds herself juggling baths, meals, and bedtime routines when staff is unavailable. The newborn phase, she admits, is the hardest. “One thing about kids, they’re your kids,” she emphasizes, describing the constant worry, even during late-night outings.
Much of Cardi’s parenting approach stems from her own upbringing. Her mother used fear as discipline, laying out strict consequences to keep her on track. Cardi plans to apply similar lessons with her daughter while also preparing to have serious talks with her sons about consent and accountability.
“If a bitch slightly say no, is no,” she says firmly. Beyond that, she wants to instill in them that emotional irresponsibility carries consequences. “God will make you pay for that.”
Though she’s in a relationship with New England Patriots player Stefon Diggs, Cardi acknowledges the struggles of love and the reasons some women stay single. She recalls her own loneliness after separating from Offset, even with success and independence.
“At 3:30 in the club, drunk on Hennessy, the loneliness would hit,” she admits. Choosing love again, despite the risks, felt more worthwhile than living in that emptiness.
Cardi is candid about how criticism has slowed her output more than pregnancy or family life ever has. From harsh comments about her body to attacks on her personality, the weight of public opinion has led her to take long breaks.
But she’s learning to set boundaries, recalling how online arguments once ruined her daughter’s birthday. “Now I don’t let strangers steal my happiness,” she says.
Her partner’s athlete mindset keeps her pushing harder. “If you’re comfortable, you’re not doing enough,” she recalls him saying. She has taken the advice to heart, grinding through sleepless nights, long shoots, and global travel to keep her momentum going.
“I’m working hard, but I want this shit,” she insists. “The only way to fucking get it is by working for it. Shit is not going to fall in your fucking lap.”
If God texted her today, Cardi thinks the message would be simple: “You’re doing good right now. Don’t fuck up.”
Her own message? That faith, motherhood, discipline, and relentless effort are non-negotiable. For Cardi B, success is about embracing the discomfort, staying real, and trusting that the work, and the prayers, will always pay off.
