A new husband, a new baby and a piping hot career. With all of those things it would be easy to assume that Cardi B is all smile these days.
But in a recent Instagram post she blasted the people who keep downplaying her success. The Bronx rapper also addressed those who said her record label Atlantic bought her position on the music charts.
“For people to, like, every single time that something is successful, they don’t have no excuse for it, so they try to blame it on my label,” she said. “That sh– hurts me, my n—-. Especially because I be working my ass off.”
“It really hurts me when they say ‘Your label be buying your success,’” added Cardi. “No, you can’t buy success. There’s artist that got more money than me. Why they can’t buy their positions on the charts? There’s so many other record labels. Why they can’t buy their artists [a position on the chart]? Because you can’t buy that sh–.”
At some point, Funk Flex caught wind of Cardi’s post and contradicted everything she said about an artist buying their success. Although he didn’t mention Atlanta Records specifically, the New York DJ said Cardi’s management team tried to purchase radio play from him years ago.
“I think Cardi is a great entertainer and has great songs,” he wrote on Instagram. “I gave my opinion when she said she was ‘King of NY,’ and when I found out she didn’t write her own songs. I met Cardi and her management, and I respected his and Cardi’s hustle. But let’s be clear, Cardi’s team and many other artists, in the beginning of [their] career, pay DJs to play records and say that they are hot.”
“Since I never took a penny from a rapper I’m not scared to speak on it,” continued Flex. “I have emails I’ve gotten from labels over the years with names and figures.”
The King of New York reference that Flex made has to do with Cardi claiming the title on Lil Yachty’s song “Who Want the Smoke?” Which seemed to really bother him.
“A below average rapper that doesn’t write could never be King or Queen of NY,” Flex messaged at the time. “Biggie, JAY-Z and Nas built the requirements for that title.”
Cardi then responded and said she feels the title has to do with the amount of adoration a New Yorker receives in their hometown, and it’s not about rapping skills.
At this time, she hasn’t responded to the payola charge, but Flex did post another message after people started talking about it.
“Let’s be clear,” he tweeted. “Cardi never paid me to play records. I played them ‘cause I liked them. Unfortunately, many DJs have their hands out even if the record is a smash. I seen DJs hold good records back until they get a bag.”
Let’s be clear! Cardi never paid me to play records.. I played them cause I liked them! Unfortunately many djs have their hands out even if the record is a smash! I seen djs hold good records back until they get a “Bag”
— Funk Flex !!!!! (@funkflex) August 16, 2018
Even though Flex tried to provide some clarity on his initial statement, he was still blasted by some people. But others defended him and said he did the right thing by talking about payola.
“You don’t need to defend yourself,” one person wrote. “Everyone knows Cardi and her team pay for play … There’s been people who’ve posted receipts of them getting offers to pay to support her music.”
“Worried about that defamation suit?” someone else tweeted. “You have no proof that Cardi paid DJs to play her music. You made a general statement about other new artists and threw in Cardi’s name to make it seem as though she was guilty as well. Mix truths with lies and nobody can tell the difference.”
