Cardi B Shares a Major Update on Her 2nd Album

It’s been nearly six years since Cardi B took over the rap world with Invasion of Privacy, and her fans are ready for the follow-up.

One such supporter is Cardi’s estranged husband, Offset, who took to Instagram on February 19 to encourage her to take the plunge. “Stop being [scared] and drop the album,” Offset captioned an Instagram Story video that showed him bobbing his head to muted music. Apparently, the music in question was Cardi’s unreleased album, and he was giving his seal of approval. “S–t goes crazy,” he wrote, adding four fire emojis.

Offset is hardly the only fan waiting for Cardi’s second album. She’s been teasing new music for years, dropping tons of singles and collabs but never confirming when a full album is dropping.

Cardi released Invasion of Privacy on April 6, 2018, nearly one year after its lead single, “Bodak Yellow,” established her as one of hip-hop’s newest stars. The album debuted atop the Billboard 200, and as of 2024, the RIAA has certified it quadruple platinum. The singles “Bodak Yellow” and “I Like It” hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

In the years since, Cardi has been a fixture of red carpets and awards shows, even landing a cameo role in the 2019 movie Hustlers. But her fans are still wondering: Where’s the album?

Keep scrolling for everything to know about Cardi’s long-awaited sophomore release:

Did Cardi B Quit Music?

Cardi B’s Invasion of Privacy came out in April 2018, and the ongoing absence of a follow-up album has left many wondering whether she’s walked away from music.

That speculation intensified after an Instagram Live session in November 2023. “I’m out of here,” she said at the time. “Y’all might not see me for a long time. … ’Cause I’m not in the mood to be famous. If y’all want to see me, y’all come to the TikTok concert in Arizona. Other than that, I don’t know. I’ve been liking my low-key life. You hear me.”

Hours later, when fans began to wonder whether Cardi had just announced her retirement, she tweeted that she “never said I was taking a hiatus.” She added that she was “continuing with my social media break like I have been for the last few weeks. Not sure why that’s causing such a ruckus. [Bardi Gang], you know where to catch me!”

Why Hasn’t Cardi B Released Her New Album Yet?

In December 2022, Cardi went on Instagram Live and explained that anxiety over being away from her kids has contributed to her delaying the release of her second album. She and Offset welcomed their daughter, Kulture Kiari, in July 2018 and their son, Wave Set, in September 2021.

“I feel like I have gotten too comfortable because, you know — I’m just a mom, and I do have anxiety,” she said. “I’ve been having a lot of anxiety because I know right after I drop my album, I have to go out on tour, and I have bad separation anxiety from my kids.”

She also opened up about struggling to match Invasion of Privacy’s success. “I just be feeling like I don’t be liking anything. I feel like I got so many songs. I just don’t like nothing. Like, nothing is good enough. I got so much f–king money saved up, I be like, ‘Yeah, whatever the f–k,’” she said. “Making music to me has become like a job that gives me anxiety because everybody just critiques everything that I do.”

Cardi added that “sometimes you don’t want to do something that gives you that much anxiety,” noting, “So I just be freezing myself, but I have to let that go. I have to release more music — I have to go out there.”

When speaking with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe in 2021, Cardi said her fear was a main factor in her delay. “I really wanted to put out an album [in 2020], but I feel like I don’t have the right songs,” she explained. “I recorded so many songs, I think I got, like, 50 songs recorded. If I’m not satisfied, I’m just not satisfied.”

She admitted that she feels like she’s “exceeded my limit” of stalling. “I just need to stop with the fear,” Cardi concluded.

What Is the Name of Cardi B’s New Album?

As of February 2024, Cardi B hasn’t released the name of her second album.

When Will Cardi B’s New Album Be Released?

In September 2023, Cardi appeared on Hot 97’s “Ebro in the Morning” and told host Ebro Darden that she should “already start talking about the album because I’m going to be putting it out very soon. But it’s like I have to watch it, because I always feel like somebody watching me — it’s going to come out when it’s going to come out.” Cardi then clarified that the album wasn’t going to come out that year, hinting that it would arrive in 2024.

Cardi also said that she was “holding [the album] because I feel like I’m missing a couple of things. Then, on top of that, everything just has to be, like, perfect from everything, because I feel like people are expecting so much.”

In August 2024, Cardi hinted that major progress has been made, at least in the art department. “Album covers are taken ….I just don’t know which to pick 😳,” she tweeted. When a fan joked they were on their way to France to find the rapper a rare Hermès bag, Cardi replied, “If you find me the bag I’ll release my album cover 😳.”

What Songs Will Be on Cardi B’s New Album?

Fans might assume that Cardi’s songs “WAP,” “Up” and “Bongos” will be included on the new album, but Cardi hasn’t confirmed that. Her interviews indicate that she has so many songs in the bank that these previously released tracks might remain non-album singles. Her 2019 collaboration with Bruno Mars, “Please Me,” was such a single, as was her 2018 release “Money.”

Who Will Be Featured on Cardi B’s New Album?

Since releasing Invasion of Privacy in 2018, Cardi’s released a handful of hits, mostly with other rappers on the tracks: “WAP” and “Bongos” with Megan Thee Stallion, “Point Me 2” with FendiDa Rappa and “Hot S–t” with Kanye West and Lil Durk. More duets, however, may not be in her future.

“I’m not going to release any more collaborations,” Cardi said in an August 2023 interview in Vogue México y Latinoamérica. “I’m going to put out my next solo single. Right now, I’m working on the cover art and ideas for the next record because it’s definitely coming up.”

She also hinted that the singles were just the precursor to a larger release. “Everyone always tells me I should put the record out now,” she explained. “They did when I released ‘WAP’ and when I released ‘Up,’ but I always let them know I’m not going to wait long after all these singles. So, stay tuned, because it’s coming out very soon.”