The distance between a New York City strip club, a reality TV show and the Grammy Award stage holding that coveted, gold gramophone isn’t just measured in miles, but in a hustle and level of determination you just have to be born with. And rapper Cardi B simply has it.
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It’s no secret why the “B” in Cardi B could stand for “badass businesswoman.” Thanks to her unapologetic personality and authenticity, Cardi B possesses a special type of grit one just can’t be taught.
From VH1’s “Love & Hip Hop” to back-to-back certified platinum studio albums, Cardi‘s rise to superstardom was a sight to behold. But she didn’t get there overnight, and her staying power is no mere coincidence.
Cardi B appeared on the Tuesday podcast episode of “Aspire with Emma Grede,” where she discussed growing up poor in the Bronx, motherhood and what she think is the biggest misconception about her. “I like that people probably think that I’m dumb or an airhead,” the mother of four said after a hearty laugh. “I don’t know if it’s because of my accent, but its like the best thing ever!”
She added that while people around her are talking, she’s busy “taking notes. I’m learning. I’m putting plans together in my head. […] I’m learning everything— when I want to learn something, I study all night, all day. When I want it, I have to have it… I study it [and] who’s great at it. I think that’s why I’m so successful!”
And successful she has become.
She’s a shareholder and ambassador for Zevia, a Los Angeles-based company that specializes in zero calorie beverages, tapped to “help shape Zevia’s cultural strategy and creative direction across multiple touch points,” the company announced.
Additionally, the Bronx native has seamlessly incorporated beauty into her already impressive resume. After documenting her personal seven-year hair growth journey on social media and testing formulas for the best head of hair money could buy, Cardi launched her own line of vegan haircare products, Grow-Good Beauty.
She partnered with Revolve Group and Shopify to not only sell hair products—whose pre-sale immediately sold out within one hour— she’s scaling the exact same authenticity that captured our hearts years before.
Arguably the most important, Cardi B collects checks like Marvel’s Thanos collects infinity stones just by being herself. She’s capitalized off her witty clap backs— guaranteed to go viral and increase social media engagement “ErrTime“— all while controlling her narrative every step of the way.
Her personality has turned into memes, her savage one-liners catch everyone’s attention and her charisma attracts fans like a moth to a flame, hence her sold-out “Little Miss Drama Tour.” She also became the first female rapper to sell out two consecutive nights at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles.
That business acumen also shows up when it comes to brand deals.
Take Whipshots, her vodka-infused whipped cream that shattered industry expectations by selling over four million cans in less than two years.
Her decade-long partnership with Reebok followed a similar blueprint, moving beyond basic sneakers into full, limited edition apparel collections that prioritized size-inclusivity and that classic NYC style. Talk about money moves.
When there’s not a seat at the table, Cardi brings her own. She effortlessly transformed from a viral firebrand into a political power broker, proving that her “airhead” label is nothing more than a smokescreen.
While pundits were busy mocking her accent, Cardi was busy sitting down with Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders. She fearlessly asked some of Washington, D.C.’s most powerful figures to speak directly to the struggles the average American.
So when host Emma Grede asked Cardi for some sound advice to women listening to her podcast, the 33-year-old multi-millionaire knew exactly what to say.
“Whatever you do, just do it! Write down your plans and try to execute them slowly but surely,” she said. “If you push for it, if you keep going for it you’ll get on your m*therf*cking feet. Prayer with no movement is just noise.”
Whether she’s the drama or not, it’s working in her favor.
Straight From 
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