Recently, it was officially announced that "Bodak Yellow," by Cardi B had reached the number one spot on the Billboard Top 100.
The most shocking aspect of this achievement is that she is the first solo female rapper to achieve this in nineteen years. Before her, rapper Lauryn Hill was the only woman to achieve this exact accomplishment. This impressive feat was reached through Bodak Yellow’s diverse success, including a strong presence on streaming services, YouTube, and more traditionally, on iTunes and Google Play. Together these numbers were conglomerated into Billboard’s unique algorithm, in which, for this week, Bodak Yellow was placed at the number one spot.
While Cardi’s success is the main topic here, this announcement is somewhat of a surprise to many, considering that Nicki Minaj, the most prominent female rapper of this generation, was not one of the previous women to achieve such an accomplishment.
Now of some of this can be attributed to the fact that Nicki’s biggest rap hits have featured other artists and that, in general, her largest singles have been pop records, but it is somewhat telling.
Cardi’s success does suggest that females in rap may grow in prominence, especially now that labels are beginning to understand their potential.
This announcement does also confirm, however, that rap is most certainly a mainstream art form, totally eclipsing other genres in popularity over the last ten years.
While it has been nearly impossible to escape the never-ending anthem that is Bodak Yellow, such rare Billboard success cements the influence of rap music on culture in the United States. In addition, it further solidifies the financial ability of rappers, especially female rappers, as their records move up the charts.
With little to no competition in this field, it can be easy to dismiss that other female rappers like Nicki Minaj are simply an exception in the industry.
Cardi B’s success proves this wrong, particularly when you factor in her previous experiences within the entertainment industry. Before music, Cardi B starred on the show “Love and Hip-Hop: New York” and before her success there, was a stripper, something that she has embraced throughout her life. In only a few years her entire career path has shifted, increasing her popularity to a level she could have never imagined.
Some of this shift can be attributed to her label, Atlantic Records, as they have supported her throughout this journey, influencing the song’s radio popularity as well as promoting it through the use of targeted Spotify marketing.
Yet, with all of this aside, none of this would have been achieved without Cardi B’s hard work and dedication. Throughout this entire process, she has continuously thanked her fans and family for their support and contributions. She is also using her growing celebrity to speak for marginalized groups, and most importantly, she has shown the world that anyone can make it with persistence.
Cardi B was born in the Bronx, with no real prospects. She turned her one job as a stripper into an eventual career as a musical artist. Bodak Yellow, which was possibly the song of the summer, is going to hold weight for the rest of her career, something not all artists have the privilege to say.
