Cardi B Has Words for People Who Think Female Rappers ‘Devalue’ Designer Goods

Cardi B isn’t here for people who think female rappers “devalue” or “cheapen” the designer goods they buy and wear. A viral tweet expressing this opinion caught Cardi’s eye, and she responded to it in an Instagram video posted October 25.  

“[The tweet] was saying how we [female rappers] depreciate the value of an Hermès Birkin bag, and I find that really interesting,” Cardi B said. “First things first: I definitely could get a bag—actually, I got four bags today from the Hermès store. I don’t wanna brag, but it’s, like, don’t even try it.” 

She continued, “Second of all: Why is it that y’all asking female rappers if they can get a bag from the Hermès store? Y’all don't do this to these white celebrities. Why is it that y’all gotta be asking us? What the fuck? It just makes you wanna brag, like, ‘Bitch, do you know who the fuck you’re talking to?’ I’m not even gonna take it there.” 

Cardi B then spoke on the idea that female rappers “depreciate” the value of designer items. “Actually, we add value. When we mention brands in hip-hop, they shit go up,” she said. “When ‘Bodak Yellow’ came out, you can actually google that [Christian Louboutin’s] sales went up 1,000+ %. I don’t know what it was, but they definitely made an article out of it.” (Cardi B is right about that. According to Racked, Louboutin sales increased 217% between when “Bodak Yellow” first dropped and November 2017. It’s unclear where Cardi got her 1,000+% figure, but the “bloody shoes” effect on Louboutin is undeniable.)

She cited similar examples for Balenciaga and Versace too, specifically linked to her song “I Like It Like That” and Migos’s track “Versace.” “Why when a Black girl, why when a Hispanic girl, have a bag, y’all have to question it?” she said. 

Cardi B ended her response with an empowering message for young girls comparing themselves to the super-wealthy and social media affluent. “If you’re a regular girl, you don’t gotta break your neck to have a Birkin,” she said. “A Birkin don’t make you. Don’t ever feel like you gotta compare yourself. Don’t ever feel like you gotta go to Canal Street to get a fake [bag] to keep up. Don’t compare yourself to nobody on the internet.”

I couldn’t agree more. Watch Cardi B’s full video, above. 

Originally Appeared on Glamour