Cardi B Makes History with “Am I the Drama?” Debuting at No. 1 

Cardi B is back in a major way. Her long-awaited sophomore album, Am I the Drama?, officially debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, pulling in around 200,000 equivalent album units in its first week.  Of those, 88,000 were pure album sales, supported by streaming and other formats.  The project also racked up 146 million official streams over the week. 

This achievement makes Cardi B the only female rapper in history to have her first two studio albums debut at No. 1—a feat no peer has yet matched.  Her first album, Invasion of Privacy (2018), debuted at No. 1 with 255,000 equivalent units (including 103,000 in pure sales) in its first week. 

But the moment wouldn’t be complete without a bit of shade thrown into the mix. Nicki Minaj, never one to let a chart moment slide, reminded fans of her own debut week supremacy. Her latest album—Pink Friday 2—debuted at No. 1 with 228,000 equivalent units sold in its first week.  While Nicki’s number is impressive, it also raises an eyebrow: Cardi’s 200K is huge—but still shy of the 228K benchmark. (No worries, Barbz; Cardi’s got receipts.)

The timing of Cardi’s resurgence adds another spicy layer. She’s slated to kick off her “Little Miss Drama Tour” in February 2026, and the public rivalry with Nicki is far from over. Meanwhile, Nicki is reportedly gearing up for a new album release in March, which likely means more chart battles and fan warfare to come. 

Of course, Am I the Drama? isn’t just about stats and records. It includes collaborations with major names like Summer Walker, Selena Gomez, Kehlani, Lizzo, Janet Jackson, Megan Thee Stallion, and more.  Critics have praised Cardi’s energy, lyrical confidence, and the emotional honesty she brings to her verses. 

In short: Cardi has delivered a triumph, a statement, and a challenge all in one. She claims a piece of history, she’s taking over the tour stage next year, and she’s handing the ball right back to Nicki. Put your popcorn away, Barbie War — this is only just beginning.