Nearly seven years after “Invasion of Privacy” shook the charts and crowned Cardi B with her first No. 1 on the Billboard 200, she is back on top. Her long-awaited sophomore album, “Am I the Drama,” has officially debuted at No. 1, earning 200,000 equivalent album units in the United States, according to Luminate.
The 24-track project racked up 146 million official streams in its first week and sold 88,000 units, boosted by a highly-active rollout that made the album available in a variety of formats. Fans could grab digital downloads, multiple vinyl pressings, and even cheeky “courtroom editions” that poked fun at Cardi’s recent meme-worthy court appearances. (She was found not liable in a highly publicized assault case.)
Never one to play it safe, Cardi hit the ground running during and leading up to her release week: She appeared at indie record stores across the country and met fans, posing for viral pics, and signing albums. She was also interviewed on the “The Jennifer Hudson Show” and Alex Cooper’s “Call Her Daddy” podcast, among other press appearances.
Upon its release in 2018, the Grammy-winning “Invasion of Privacy,” marked the biggest sales week for any R&B and hip-hop album that year. The set earned 255,000 equivalent album units in the week ending April 12, 2018.
With “Am I the Drama,” Cardi logs the biggest week for an R&B/hip-hop album by a woman this year.
She will soon take this success on the road for her first tour in six years — the “Little Miss Drama Tour.” The 30+ date arena run will kick off on Wednesday, February 11 in Palm Desert, CA at Acrisure Arena and include stops across North America in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Vancouver, Austin, Chicago, New York, Toronto, Philadelphia and more before wrapping up on Friday, April 17 in Atlanta, GA at State Farm Arena.