In a candid interview with Speedy Morman on Complex’s “360 with Morman,” Cardi B revealed the impact of anxiety on her career and personal life, admitting that it had left her too “afraid” to release new music.
The “Bodak Yellow” singer shared her struggles with mental health, expressing how she felt like she had lost herself amidst the pressures of the music industry and public scrutiny.
“I just feel like I lost myself like with everything like, you know like a lot of like music commenters and everything and a lot of people just be like, you know, ‘She’s afraid to drop an album, she’s afraid to drop music,'” Cardi said. “Last year, I barely dropped music. I was just afraid to do everything.”
The 31-year-old star revealed that her anxiety had become overwhelming, affecting not only her music career but also her everyday life.
“I was afraid to go live, I was afraid to post a picture, I was afraid to go to the club, and then the next day seeing people, what they going to say about me, and everything,” she explained. “I was afraid to do everything.”
Cardi also shared a personal experience of how her anxiety led her to scrap a verse she recorded for a remix, fearing negative reactions from fans and critics.
“I did do a thing for Ice Spice, but I just did not like how it sound,” she said. “I love the record… You know it being on a drill beat, it’s not as easy as it look… I was like, ‘They’re gonna drag me and they’re going to drag the song bad.'”
Despite these challenges, Cardi affirmed her determination to not let anxiety hold her back as she prepares to release a new album this year. She has already shared two new songs, “Like What (Freestyle)” and “Enough (Miami),” signaling her commitment to overcoming her fears and continuing to create music for her fans.
“I’m not letting my anxiety, I’m not letting what haters say, I’m not letting what fans say stop me,” she declared. “If I do a song, I’m gonna just f**king drop it.”
