Released: 2018 • Features: Bad Bunny, J Balvin
“I Like It” by Cardi B, featuring Bad Bunny and J Balvin, is a vibrant blend of trap and Latin music that shakes the floor with its catchy beats and gutsy lyrics. It’s an unapologetic celebration of wealth, success, and the good life, showcasing Cardi B’s hustle, her roots, and how she likes to enjoy her hard-earned success. Bad Bunny and J Balvin bring their unique Latino swagger and street cred to the track, creating a multicultural party anthem that’s as much about flashing cash as it is about cultural pride.
Cardi lays it all out from the jump, expressing her love for the finer things in life—diamonds, million-dollar deals, Balenciagas that look like socks, and putting rocks in her watch. This isn’t just about material wealth; it’s a declaration of her success and independence. She flips the script on her doubters, proving that she can achieve what they said she couldn’t. Her reference to being “Cardi Bardi, banging body, spicy mami, hot tamale” isn’t just a boast about her looks or status; it’s a nod to her mixed roots and multifaceted identity, wrapping her achievements and Latina heritage around like a fur coat.
When Bad Bunny jumps on the track, he comes through with his signature playful and cocky demeanor. “Chambean, pero no jalan” he starts, slang for shooting but not making it—basically saying a lot are trying but not really succeeding. He flaunts his effortless style—getting Jordans for free while you’re out here paying, highlighting the difference between those who’ve made it and those still trying. His verses dive into the realm of Latin pride and grit, with shoutouts to different nationalities and the Latino gang. Bunny’s not just talking about living the high life; he’s throwing down the cultural gauntlet, showing off the richness of Latino culture and its unstoppable rise.
J Balvin keeps the energy high and swings in with his own celebration of Latino identity, dropping lines that show a deep grounding in his roots while living the superstar life. His references, like calling out Celia Cruz with “Como Celia Cruz tengo el azúcar,” isn’t just name-dropping; it’s paying homage to a legend while asserting his own place in the music world. He talks about his influence, mentioning “Mi Gente” to highlight his global reach, and comparing himself to a Testarossa—a high-powered, luxury persona that’s both envied and enjoyed. Through Balvin’s verse, the song becomes a manifesto of Latin excellence, a dance-floor filler that’s also a powerful nod to heritage and contemporary success.
The recurring hook and chorus, with its catchy “I said I like it like that,” serves as a glue that binds these diverse verses together, making the song not just a personal anthem for Cardi B, Bad Bunny, and J Balvin, but a universal shoutout to enjoying life on your own terms, embracing your roots, and loving what you’ve earned. It’s a track that’s as much about individual success as it is about cultural pride, a celebration that’s loud, proud, and unignorably vibrant.
