Still in her 20s, Cardi B has achieved a career that most aspiring rappers dream of. Her debut album Invasion of Privacy hit number on the Billboard 200 and was certified triple platinum in 2018. Then in 2020, Cardi was named Billboard’s Woman of the Year.
With such success, it’s easy to forget that Cardi’s first taste of the entertainment industry was on reality television. Prior to becoming famous, Cardi held a job in an Amish supermarket and later worked as an exotic dancer. But after gaining popularity on Instagram and Vine, Cardi’s commercial break came when she was invited to join the cast of Love & Hip Hop: New York.
Cardi was quickly one of the most popular cast members on the show, her distinctive personality helping her to stand out from the crowd. Most fans don’t know that, in addition to Love & Hip Hop: New York, Cardi also appeared on another reality show before making it big.
Who Was Cardi B Before Fame?
On the off chance that there are still people on this planet who don’t know Cardi B, she is one of the most successful rappers on the planet. Topping the charts with her hit debut single Bodak Yellow, Cardi is now one of the most popular rappers in the game. She has done collaborations with everyone from Meghan Thee Stallion to Maroon 5.
Cardi B first rose to prominence on social media and won over legions of fans with her lovable personality. From there, she was offered a chance to appear on reality TV, which helped her to reach an even wider audience and promote her music.
These days, Cardi B has amassed an insane net worth, but fans still believe she’s a humble human!
What Reality Show Was Cardi B On?
Cardi B joined the cast of the VH1 series Love & Hip Hop: New York in 2015, when the show was in its sixth season. Despite the large cast on the show—many of them also aspiring artists—Cardi B instantly stood out to viewers and won over more fans.
She was named as the season’s breakout star and also appeared for a second season. By that time, Cardi had reached a new level of fame and had lost more of her anonymity.
On the show, she was notably friends with fellow artists Bianca and Mariahlynn. She got tangled in a few altercations on the show and famously stood up to castmate Peter Gunz on the show’s finale, calling him out for being unfaithful to two women at once.
VH1’s Black Ink Crew: New York
Most Cardi B fans are aware that she starred on Love & Hip Hop: New York prior to becoming a global superstar. But many don’t know that she was also briefly on another VH1 series.
According to Cheat Sheet, Cardi’s first experience on television came through her brief appearance on Black Ink Crew: New York. Cast member Puma recalled that Cardi was an uncredited dancer during one of the show’s strip club scenes. Prior to becoming a full-time musician, Cardi worked as an exotic dancer.
“I did a photo shoot for a friend of mine’s clothing brand. It was her and Alexis Skyy,” he said (via Cheat Sheet). “Maybe a few weeks later, I did a scene for the show, and Cardi was in the strip club stripping. And she remembered me from the photo shoot, and this was before anybody knew who any of these people were … ”
Will Cardi B Return To Reality TV?
Given her success as an international superstar, it’s unlikely that Cardi B will return to either of the reality shows she appeared on before. But she did sort of return to reality TV in 2020 when she debuted her own series on Facebook Messenger’s Watch Together feature.
The show was called Cardi Tries ___ and featured the rapper trying a range of new skills every Thursday. Among the new jobs that Cardi experimented with were firefighter, teacher, stunt car racer, and ballerina.
What Cardi B Has Said About Her Time On Reality TV
After Love & Hip Hop: New York debuted with Cardi as a cast member, she opened up about what her experience had been like as part of the reality show. The rapper revealed that she believed she was such a popular character because she was authentically herself.
When asked about some of her cast mates on the show, Cardi admitted that they were talented too, but suggested that perhaps they hadn’t seen the same success as her because they weren’t taking their careers as seriously.
She also confessed that being a celebrity is exhausting and “a little depressing” at times as famous people are constantly on the go and judged by people who don’t even know them.