Cardi B’s decision to sample JAY-Z’s legendary track ‘Imaginary Players’ in her new single has sparked a fierce critique from Joe Budden.
In a recent episode of his podcast, Joe Budden didn’t hold back while discussing Cardi B’s latest musical venture, a song called ‘Imaginary Playerz.’ The track borrows heavily from JAY-Z’s revered ‘Imaginary Players,’ and Budden isn’t pleased with the approach she took.
Budden, known for his outspoken opinions in the music industry, stressed the significance of being cautious when handling classic tracks by East Coast legends. He remarked, “She shouldn’t do that again. Don’t take any East Coast top three, four rapper beat, classic song, and redo that.” While he acknowledged the writers’ efforts on the track, Budden was not sold on the execution, noting that the delivery was choppy and lacked the smooth flow and aura that JAY-Z originally brought to the track.
He further explained, putting emphasis on how critical the original was, “’Imaginary Players,’ for y’all that wasn’t there, Hov, when that dropped, was a much better rapper than that.” Budden continued his critique by pointing out Cardi’s attempt to match JAY-Z’s style, saying it didn’t quite hit the mark, coming off as uneven instead of polished.
Despite the criticism, Cardi B is moving full steam ahead with her upcoming album, ‘Am I the Drama?’ The album includes popular tracks ‘WAP’ and ‘Up,’ which were massive hits in 2020 and 2021. On social media, she passionately defended incorporating these older songs in her new album release, emphasizing the demand from fans to have them featured despite not contributing to first-week sales numbers.
Cardi B’s response to the criticism carried a defiant tone. On her platform, she stated, ‘This will be the last and only time I’m gonna address this.. ‘WAP’ and ‘Up’ are two of my biggest songs, my fans have been asking me to put them on an album, and people search for them on IOP all the time… they deserve a home.’
She further addressed her critics, highlighting an instance where she held back from submitting ‘WAP’ for Grammy consideration due to negative feedback. Now, she’s determined to put her fans first, imploring critics to focus elsewhere: ‘These two songs don’t even count for first week sales so what are yall even crying about???’ she retorted.
‘Am I the Drama?’ marks a significant moment in Cardi B’s career as it follows her debut album ‘Invasion of Privacy’, released in 2018. The industry waits to see how it performs, considering recent first-week figures from other artists like Gunna, Clipse, and Nicki Minaj.
As the launch date approaches, the tension between maintaining artistic integrity and meeting fan expectations is palpable. Cardi B’s creative choices will undoubtedly continue to fuel discussions among fans and critics alike, reflecting the complex dynamics of the music industry.
Cardi B’s daring approach with her new single ‘Imaginary Playerz’ may have ruffled some feathers, notably Joe Budden’s, but it sparks an important conversation about artistry and originality. As the release of ‘Am I the Drama?’ nears, the debate over her musical choices keeps audiences intrigued and engaged.
