Cardi B returns with a fiery new track “Imaginary Playerz,” which boldly samples Jay-Z’s 1997 classic in a homage to ’90s hip-hop swagger. The Bronx rapper’s latest single, teased as part of her upcoming album Am I the Drama?, lives up to its title with Cardi flexing her success over a luxe, laid-back beat. She spits sharp braggadocio — at one point quipping that if her peers had her stats they’d “pop champagne,” whereas if she pulled their low numbers she’d “hop out a plane.” The first-week buzz has been intense. Many fans applaud Cardi for stepping outside her usual high-energy bangers and delivering clever bars over a nostalgic groove, calling it her most refreshing drop in years.
Skeptics, meanwhile, argue about the song’s subdued energy and whether it does the Jay-Z sample justice. Cardi isn’t sweating the mixed opinions. “Whether the conversation is good or bad, at least there’s conversation,” she laughed on Instagram Live, noting that both fans and haters are listening. Love it or hate it, “Imaginary Playerz” has everyone talking — exactly what Cardi B wanted from her big comeback track.
