Cardi B’s Tiny Desk Had the Music, the Laughs & ALL the Bardi Energy

Have y’all tapped into my homegirl Cardi B’s Tiny Desk yet? Because Bardi came in with “Hello” and reminded us that she doesn’t need a huge stage to give us a whole performance!

Making her NPR Tiny Desk debut on October 19, Cardi performed eight songs with a nine-piece live band, bringing a fresh, almost rockstar feel to records we already know and love. From “Hello” and “ErrTime” to “Man of Your Word,” “Be Careful,” “Up,” “AH HA,” “Bodak Yellow,” and “I Like It,” she gave us a little bit of everything.

And listen, that “she look like Kelly” lyric switch in “ErrTime” had me looking twice! 👀 She also joked about needing water because she’d been smoking cigarettes, while still making time to talk about her love for Maryland crab cakes. You know Cardi is going to keep it real and have us laughing!

One of my favorite moments was “Man of Your Word.” That song was already doing something for me on Am I the Drama?, but hearing it in this setting made me appreciate it even more. Then she switched gears into “Be Careful” before turning the energy back up with “Up” and “AH HA.”

And can we talk about the outfit? The black look, the latex in the middle of summer, the jokes — it was giving Cardi in her element! She wrapped things up with “Bodak Yellow” and “I Like It,” showing love to the band and background singers who helped bring the performance together.

THE DQ REPORT TAKE: I loved seeing Cardi in this setting. We’re used to the big performances, but this gave us a more personal side without taking away the personality that makes her Cardi. She gave us vocals, live music, laughs, and a few surprises along the way.

Now tell me, did y’all watch the Tiny Desk, and what was your favorite moment?