Invasion Of Privacy (iTunes)
Ever since Cardi B was educating the youth on Instagram and spitting out gems like “A hoe never gets cold;” I’ve always been rooting for the princess of the Bronx. From stripping, to taking over social media, to Love and Hip-Hop: New York, to the record-breaking track “Bodak Yellow;” Cardi has always found a new, fabulous way to reinvent herself and make that shmoney. With Invasion of Privacy, Cardi has yet again transformed herself away from a supposed “one-hit wonder” to a real artist that can create and produce a solid debut album.
From the first track’s dash of inspiration on “Get Up 10” to the trippy SZA accompanied bad bitch anthem “I Do,” Invasion of Privacy never strays away from the sound and persona that Cardi’s been known for over the past couple of years. Cardi takes over each song that she’s on and conveys a presence that begs to be listened to.
The lyrical content is about as deep as your average Migos track, but it’s a lot more likable when it’s coming from Cardi. What she lacks in lyrics she certainly makes up for in crazy flow and infectious charisma. But, some of the lyrics have that quirky one-two-punch that you’ll surely be recalling during a karaoke shower session.
“You need some Little Caesar’s pizza, I be hot and ready.
N***a, you a p***y and a rat, you like Tom and Jerry.” – Cardi B (“Best Life” F/ Chance The Rapper)
The features are pretty solid all around and are a snapshot of who’s hot right now in today’s Hip-Hop scene. Some of the highlights are from Chance The Rapper’s energetic ad-libs on the carefree “Best Life” and 21 Savage’s (albeit, savage) verse on “Bartier Cardi.” I especially love the attention-grabbing Spanglish banger “I Like It,” which I promise you will hear at every cookout this Summer.
“Now I like dollars, I like diamonds, I like stunting, I like shining.
I like million dollar deals, where’s my pen? Bitch I’m signing.” – Cardi B (“I Like It” F/ Bad Bunny & J Balvin)
Invasion of Privacy’s weaknesses lie in it’s slower tracks like “Ring” and “Be Careful.” With most of the album being such an explosion of energy, it can be awkward going into the slower tracks and getting in touch with your emotional side. They aren’t bad tracks, per say, they’re just a jarring switch. Different enough, for me, that my middle finger got a bit trigger happy on the fast-forward button.
Thankfully, the album doesn’t slip often. There’s a lot to love here and tracks that’ll fit into a multitude of situations. Looking for a banger to twerk to at the club on Saturday night? Try “She Bad” or “Money Bag.” Need a song to brighten up your afternoon commute after work? Put on “Best Life” and feel all your worries wash away. Want to add a couple songs to your “getting ready” playlist? “Bartier Cardi” and “I Do” will have you feeling like the baddest of all baddies.
I had a hell of a time listening to Invasion of Privacy and I know that I’ll be coming back to this album all throughout the oncoming Summer season. It doesn’t require too much brain power to process and you surely won’t be writing your senior thesis off of the richness of Cardi’s lyrics on “Bodak Yellow.” But, you surely will have fun. And sometimes, that’s all you need. – Nia Simone
