Cardi B simply made it clear she’s entering into her subsequent period with no hesitation. Her latest single, “Imaginary Playerz,” flips JAY-Z’s 1997 lower right into a flashy, fearless assertion that blends excessive vogue with excessive vitality. Teaming up together with her longtime artistic companion Patientce Foster, Cardi co-directed the music video, which finds her strutting throughout a non-public jet runway in glittering, head-turning outfits. At one level, she proudly reminds everybody, “The first rap b*tch on the cover of Vogue!!!”

The document carries the identical sharp edge as the unique however with Cardi’s signature chew. On the second verse, she fires off the road, “Now you’re 15 up, you already out of time / I’m a legend, they gon’ hang my heels from the power lines,” leaving little doubt about the place she sees herself within the recreation.

Fans have seen Cardi commerce phrases with loads of ladies in rap through the years, however her historical past with Nicki Minaj is without doubt one of the most talked about. That’s why some individuals are already studying deeper into the truth that she selected a JAY-Z observe, particularly when Nicki has been brazenly taking pictures at something tied to him or Roc Nation currently. Clearing a pattern like this doesn’t occur in a single day, which makes the timing all of the extra attention-grabbing.

Back within the day, “Imaginary Players” known as out folks pretending to have all of it till they obtained uncovered. Cardi’s model retains that very same vitality however turns the amount up together with her mixture of confidence, glamour, and unapologetic angle. With her new album dropping September 19, this single seems like a warning shot. She’s not simply again—she’s able to personal each headline that comes her manner.