Cardi B’s Big Week: Odds on Her Pregnancy and Debut Album

It’s been one helluva week for Belcalis Almanzar, the Bronx-born rapper you most likely know as Cardi B. First, came Friday’s massive album drop. Then, no more than 48 hours later, Cardi dropped some equally life-altering news.

April 6th Cardi B’s first major label album, Invasion of Privacy, debuted, reaching gold status within the first 24 hours following its release. This (thanks in large part to her smash-hit single “Bodak Yellow”, which has reached 5x multi-platinum status) makes Cardi the first female artist to ever reach gold certification on a record’s release day. And, the success story is nowhere near finished. Invasion of Privacy is expected to move between 170,000-200,000 equivalent album units within its first week, with 45,000-55,000 of those units being pure sales.

Then, if the red-hot reception of her debut album wasn’t enough good news for the New Yorker, Cardi capped off her record-breaking week with the announcement that she is expecting her first child with fiance Kiari Kendrell Cephus — otherwise known as Offset, of the hip-hop group Migos.

It’s set to be a big year for Ms. Almanzar. A hit album, a new baby, and the chance to prove any remaining haters wrong.

The big reveal came during Cardi B’s stint as musical guest on Saturday Night Live on April 7th, just one day after the album dropped, confirming long-held rumors that the rapper was expecting.

It’s set to be a big year for Ms. Almanzar. A hit album, a new baby, and the chance to prove any remaining haters wrong. As she is quick to remind us all via Twitter, the stakes have never been higher.

I started winning when the whole world was doubting on me !think imma lose with my little baby counting on me ?

— iamcardib (@iamcardib) April 8, 2018

O/U album units sold by the end of Invasion of Privacy‘s first week: 190,000

Considering the tidal wave that was “Bodak Yellow”, it is safe to assume that Invasion of Privacy will follow suit fairly quickly. The world was ready for this album long before Cardi decided to give it to us, and there is nothing quite like heightened expectations to drive record sales. That is, heightened expectations paired with rave reviews from some of the most respected artists in the genre, and the tracks to back it all up.

Odds on what Cardi B and Offset name their future child (first name):

While we could go top-shelf with our predictions here, we aren’t going to. Not that it would be that far off-course for someone whose nickname comes from Bacardi (a nod to her Trindadian heritage), but her relationship to her sister Hennessy Carolina is bound to trump a stage name any day. So, if the name is based off of any sort of affinity, we are going with the familial one.

Alright, this time we are definitely leaning towards the booze-forward. Not only is Jameson a fun nod to the babe’s mom, but it’s a great stand-alone name. Though it might be a bit on the traditional side for two personalities such as Cardi and Offset, it is no less traditional than naming your child after yourself — even if your name is as unique as Kialis.

Odds that Invasion of Privacy goes platinum in 2018: 3/4

Platinum certification means that an album has been sold one million times. This number includes both traditional album sales and online song streams (1,500 song streams are equal to one album sale). With three-quarters of the year left, and heavy-hitting industry leaders such as Rihanna and Diddy singing Cardi’s praises, the road to platinum is well-laid.

One million album sales is not a far stretch for the “first lady of Atlantic Records” (as described by Julie Greenwald, COO and chairman of Atlantic Records). Cardi B has already spent the last year breaking records and running right past all sorts of milestones. But, neither the woman nor her music are showing any signs of tiring.