No one does a thirst trap quite like Cardi B — she has the body, knows how to flaunt it, and how to adorn it. Recently, the rap queen went above and beyond in customizing her avatar, announcing a new piercing in a very unexpected place: her nether regions, where the sun doesn’t shine.

While it may sound surprising, some people are willing to pierce even the most unconventional parts of their bodies. Piercing a private area isn’t exactly unheard of, but there’s always someone who manages to shock us by going a step further. Cardi B herself ed the conversation, casually revealing, “Soooo ……… I got my butt crack pierced.” Yes, you heard that right. Piercing your backside isn’t just possible — it’s a trend a daring few, including Cardi, have embraced.

As you can imagine, all it took was Cardi’s tweet announcing her new piercing for chaos to erupt online. At first, netizens were in disbelief — because, let’s be honest, a piercing like that sounds far too outlandish to be real. Meanwhile, those who did believe it wasted no time demanding photographic evidence. You know, for scientific purposes — and to silence the haters. In fact, it didn’t take long for someone to drop the classic comment, “Photos or it didn’t happen,” which made Cardi finally give in.

Now, the ensuing pic by Cardi is most definitely NSFW, but you can check it out here, on X. it turns out this particular piercing is called a “Valley piercing,” and it is positioned right at the lower back, near where the nether cheeks meet — on what you could call the tailbone trail. According to BodyCandy.com, this type of piercing is quite rare in both the U.K. and the U.S., though it has been around since at least 2007. Despite not being a common trend, it’s not a spot many choose to pierce, and the comment section of Cardi’s reveal is pure evidence of that.

One , however, made a very educated guess, saying “Just thought about the healing process of that piercing and got chills,” highlighting a universal truth among those of us who have piercings: while the initial pain may seem scary, the healing process is more often than not, the actual challenge here.

Surprisingly, though, the Valley piercing isn’t among the most demanding in of aftercare. It typically takes about four to six months to heal — which is fairly standard for a semi-invasive piercing. For comparison, a tragus piercing, a common ear piercing, requires the same healing period.

However, the Valley piercing is far from Cardi B’s most painful or long-healing adornment. Aside from her numerous ear piercings, the Bodak Yellow rapper once shared a 2020 video showing a piercing spree where she got not one, not two, but four new piercings. Among them was a labret piercing — which is relatively common — but then she also opted for three dermal piercings: one on her neck and two on her chest. Dermal piercings supposedly heal faster than some might expect, but judging by Cardi’s reactions in the video, the process was anything but painless. Ouch.

Recent months have seen Cardi B subjected to cruel “pranks” which involved unknown parties calling Child Protective Services on her and the father of her children, Offset. Now the rapper has accused the S of “harassing” her as she got visibly distressed during an Instagram Live.

Cardi shared footage from back in October of her and her husband confronting a S worker as they explained that there was no abuse taking place and that it was just some sort of sick prank. Tempers begin to boil over as the pair are told that there isn’t a whole lot they can really do to prevent visits from S. The worker explains that these are just allegations, and that they are not being accused of abuse, but in their state, any allegations made will be investigated. 

The identity of the caller is anonymous but Cardi is adamant that neither her nor Offset abuse their children. In another clip from her recent live session, she ranted about the harassment while refuting the claims regarding the supposed abuse.

“You keep harassing me and there’s actual kids that are getting abused… None of my kids have ever gotten touched.”

While she is angry at the anonymous caller for doing what they did, Cardi also directs a lot of anger towards S and the worker who visited. While it’s no doubt frustrating being investigated for something you didn’t do, it’s difficult to justify putting so much blame on S and the worker who is the target of a lot of Cardi’s fury. 

More Footage pic.twitter.com/DRzK7INP6N

— Mílagro (@MobzWorld) December 10, 2024

She does have a semi-valid point about how the investigation into her and kids could potentially prevent investigation into other cases where actual abuse is going on. But bear in mind, the only people who for sure know whether abuse is going on or not are Cardi B, Offset and their children.

Some voiced their sympathies for the rapper and her family on X, with some implying that her beef with Nicki Minaj might be the reason for Cardi’s harassment — it could be the notoriously partisan and fans of Minaj (known as barbz) who made the call.

This is SAD AND EVIL!!!You can dislike someone’s music, you can dislike her as a person because she has beef with your fav. But when ya’ll are now ing S to ruin her life over your “fav”it gets weird. The women that was humpin her community dang wang husband ain’t do dat!

— Foreign Weight (@DrugsDibiase) December 11, 2024

Others were a lot less sympathetic towards her, claiming that Cardi brought it on herself due to her past controversies. One of the biggest controversies involving the musician involved her bragging about drugging and robbing men.

I don’t see nothing wrong here, everyone knows her past and the things she itted too. Also this is all about the kids safety and what see best fit for them. She only making matters worse going live and insulting S.

— Gem. In. I. (@whocalledmike) December 11, 2024

This doesn’t necessarily correlate to child abuse, but some have pointed out that S only investigates if there is a reasonable risk to the child.

pic.twitter.com/I0LjXof72U

— King DeCarlos (@KingDeCarlos) December 11, 2024

Back in October, Cardi vowed that she would get to the bottom of the accusations, promising to reach out to her lawyer. However, as of the time of writing it doesn’t look like the identity of the anonymous caller has been revealed.

Cardi B revealed in a fiery speech at a Harris-Walz Wisconsin campaign rally Saturday that she hadn’t planned to vote for either candidate until Kamala Harris entered the race. But Cardi’s appearance got off to a rocky start when the teleprompter seemed to malfunction, causing the rapper to read her remarks from her phone.

After Cardi spoke, “Dark MAGA” Trump convert and all-around nuisance Elon Musk called her a “puppet who can’t even talk without being fed the words” in a post on X. “The Kamala campaign has no authenticity or true empathy,” Musk added. But as her fans are well aware, Cardi is not one to hold her tongue, and she crafted the perfect Musk response on X, ending it with what anyone who has spent time on the platform lately hopes for: “PS fix my algorithm,” Cardi wrote.

“I’m a daughter of two immigrant parents,” Cardi said

Before she implored Musk to do something about the ceaseless stream of right-wing garbage that X has become under his regime, Cardi clapped back at Musk, reminding him she’s the daughter of immigrant parents who worked hard to provide for their daughter. Cardi B was born in New York in a mixed Dominican and Trinidadian family.

“I’m a product of welfare,” Cardi added on X, “I’m a product of section 8, I’m a product of poverty, and I’m a product of what happens when the system is set up against you… But you don’t know nothing about that. You don’t know not one thing about the American struggle.”

In her Milwaukee speech, Cardi said she didn’t have faith in either candidate when Biden was still in the race, but when he dropped out and tapped Harris, she changed her mind. Cardi told the crowd that Harris said things “that I wanted to hear.”

“Just like Kamala Harris, I, too, have been the underdog,” Cardi added. “I have been underestimated, my success belittled and discredited. Women have to work ten times harder, perform ten times better, and still people question how we got to the top.”

Has Musk even heard Trump talk?

It’s a bit rich that Musk would accuse Cardi of being a puppet who can’t speak unless the words are “fed” to her when his BFF Trump is often incomprehensible at his campaign rallies, even when the teleprompter and mics are working. Comments on Cardi’s Musk response were mixed. Some agreed with Musk’s assessment. “You are a puppet. You didn’t even know what you were saying on that stage. It wasn’t from the heart,” one comment said.

But many ed Cardi’s stance. “Love ya Cardi B …. Elon is the richest most powerful man on the planet yet he has the highest need to hurt others instead of helping them… so sad,” one said. And then, “Being poor sucks – we know it (very well),” another added. “When elitists like Elon push this narrative, they’re not winning any of us over at all. He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. Fist high Cardi - together we win this. Much love,” it read.

Although Cardi had been critical of the Biden-Harris istration in the past, her Harris was not a complete about-face for the hip-hop star. Before Biden dropped out in July, Cardi said, “I feel like they should have ed the torch to Kamala. This was the perfect moment for her. Right now, I don’t feel like we have strong candidates.”

She then added, referring to Harris, “I feel like this would have been her perfect time to shine. We already know she’s sharp with the f**king mouth. Whatever value that Biden wants, she’s practically the same value. So I feel like it was a little bit selfish to not make that choice to give her this moment to run for presidency.”

Cardi B unloaded on her soon-to-be ex-husband, Offset, in a series of since-deleted X posts the same day she opened up in an Instagram Live about how Child Protective Services visited her home, the result of someone calling the agency on her family as a prank.

Cardi and the Migos rapper met in 2016 and married one year later. Since then, Cardi has often updated her fans about their on-again-off-again relationship status, including infidelity allegations. The couple, who have three children together, filed for divorce in 2020 but reconciled. They filed for divorce a second time in Aug. 2024, just a few months before Cardi’s recent posts.

“I wish the worst on this man”

It’s unclear what caused Cardi to unleash a stream of angry posts aimed at her estranged husband on the evening of Oct. 22, and she never mentioned Offset by name. But in one post, Cardi wrote, “Bro, I wish the worst on this man. I never hated somebody soooo much and these b****es be so [thirsty] to have him please take this man off my hands this garbage bag is [too] heavy !!”

A fan then told her to stop disparaging the father of her child, and in a comment, Cardi added, “Yea he is that’s why I don’t wish him death. But I truly hate this dirty a**, narcissistic piece of s**t. And his family and his friends never check him. That’s why he’s always going to be a piece of s**t of a person.”

And responding to another comment, questioning whether Cardi still loves Offset, Cardi added, “No I don’t I want him to get hit by a f**in’ truck. He really is just a dark cloud on anybody’s life he enters.”

The name of the couple’s third child, a daughter born in September, has not been announced, and Cardi said she was pregnant shortly after Cardi and Offset filed for divorce. Her recent X outburst contrasts with her statements in an X Spaces update, when she said, referring to Set, “I want peace and I want friendship. I just want, like, a healthy co-parenting relationship, and co-parenting means no f–king, no flirting … I want peace. I want to be like my mom and my dad, they don’t f–k with each other, they just there for me and my sister,” Billboard reported.

But also back in August, Offset accused Cardi of cheating while she was pregnant with their third child. That set off a series of social media posts and live streams from both musicians. On IG, Cardi said, “Yo, when I tell you the narcissism is at an all time high. And you know what’s so crazy? I really be feeling like when people be saying like narcissist, narcissist, narcissist and everything I’ll be like, ‘Do y’all even know what that word means?’ But now I really do see what a f**ing narcissist.”

Who called S?

Earlier the same day Cardi B shared those X posts, she opened up on Instagram Live about S visiting her home over an anonymous report she was abusing her three children. Cardi said, “I swear to you I’m gonna get to the bottom of it. For you motherf***ers to do a little prank call with Child Protective Services to come to my gated mansion at 11 p.m. while my children are sleeping because there’s an anonymous call that my kids have been getting abused and beaten.”

She added, “Are you f**king dumb? This is when the pranks start getting too far — when you a***s think it’s funny.” But when fans later asked on X if Offset could have made the S post, Cardi wrote the following,

Cardi shared the S update from a hospital bed but did not say why she was there. In August, while pregnant with her third child, Cardi said on X Spaces she tore a ligament in her pelvis in an accidental fall and spent three days in the hospital, according to The Cut. Cardi’s more recent hospitalization could relate to that injury.

Cardi B took the gloves off for real on Sept. 25. The rapper took to Instagram Live and called out Offset, the father of her children, for his behind-the-scenes behavior. Cardi claimed that he was threatening to take things away from her, and criticizing her for seeing other people even though Offset had previously been accused of being unfaithful.

This made the leap from Instagram Live to Instagram proper, where Cardi shared NSFW text messages between her and Offset. Then, there was the internet rumor regarding Cardi and Offset’s former partner in the rap trio Migos: Takeoff. Here’s what you need to know about Cardi B’s connection to the late rapper.

Did Cardi B and Takeoff have an affair?

The rumor currently making the rounds on social media is that Cardi B cheated on Offset with his close friend and fellow group member, Takeoff. The rumor came about due to a screenshot of a since deleted tweet in which Cardi B made this claim:

You would have been even more butt hurt if you knew the relationship me and Takeoff had before he ed. RIP to the only real n****a from the group I miss those nights.

Salacious stuff! This naturally turned a lot of heads, as the notion of Cardi B cheating on Offset with someone so close to him would break the internet if confirmed to be true. The only problem is Cardi never tweeted this statement. The rapper reposted the viral screenshot and pointed out how perverse it was that someone tried to it off as legit.

“This is fake and weird the f*k,” she wrote.

Did Cardi B cheat on Offset?

Cardi B stated, unequivocally, that she did not have a romantic or sexual relationship with Takeoff before his death. She did, however, allude to the fact that she’s been seeing other people in recent months. She criticized Offset for being sensitive about her love life when he has allegedly been with other women throughout their marriage.

Offset added fuel to the fire by commenting on Cardi B’s Instagram Live and accusing her of having an affair while she was pregnant with his second child. “U f**ked with a baby inside, tell the truth!!,” he wrote in the comment section.

Offset vented his frustrations via Twitter on September 26. He wrote that he should have listened to his “bros” when they told him to be wary of Cardi B, but the seemingly vague tweet led to a comment from Takeoff’s brother, YRN Lingo. The rapper told Offset his brother didn’t tell him to do anything, and he urged Offset to let his “twin” rest without dragging him into ongoing drama.

Cardi B and Offset have been together for over six years, and share two children. So, what are these rumors we’re hearing about them either heading for divorce, or having another baby?

Cardi B and Offset’s relationship has been a whirlwind, with several cheating scandals, breakups, near- divorces, and very public displays of affection. They started dating in early 2017, and their first appearance together was at the Super Bowl LI. Things moved quickly, because the two tied the knot in September of the same year, but the issues were just getting started.

After an alleged infidelity in late 2017 and early 2018, they announced their split in 2018. The two reconciled and welcomed two children between their breakups: Kulture, 6, and Wave, 2. So, are heading they for divorce again, or welcoming a new baby?

Cardi B and Offset divorce rumors, explained

Cardi B filed for divorce from her estranged husband on Wednesday, PageSix reports. Her rep confirmed the breakup but didn’t offer more details, except that Cardi wants primary custody of their two children. With a new wave of infidelity rumors, the sources had a different story about what led to her decision to file for divorce.

“They’ve grown apart. That’s what drove her to this decision more than anything else,” the insider told the same outlet. “This is something she wants to do.” The source continued that the news wasn’t a surprise for Offset, as “they both have been trying to figure out what their future looks like for a while now.” Their recent issues happened in late 2023, with Cardi claiming she was single.

“It’s not something that happened overnight,” the insider continued. “They’ve both been on the same page. There wasn’t [pushback]. They’ve grown apart and that feeling has gotten stronger over time. It’s become unavoidable.”

However, the cherry on top is this — Cardi is expecting her third child.

Cardi B is pregnant again

The “WAP” singer confirmed the happy news on Aug. 1 on social media with a set of photos showing off her baby bump. “With every ending comes a new beginning!” she started her lengthy post, a message to her unborn baby. There has been speculation about a third pregnancy, which she didn’t address until now. She did not reveal who the father is, but the message hints at Offset again.

With every ending comes a new beginning! I am so grateful to have shared this season with you, you have brought me more love, more life and most of all renewed my power! Reminded me that I can have it all! You’ve reminded me that I never have to choose between life, love, and my ion! I love you so much and can not wait for you to witness what you helped me accomplish, what you pushed me to do! It’s so much easier taking life’s twists, turns and test laying down, but you, your brother and your sister have shown me why it’s worth it to push through!

As Cardi and Offset broke several times before, only time and a judge will tell if her decision is final this time, especially with a new baby on the way.

In the wake of President Biden endorsing his VP Kamala Harris as the next Democratic candidate for the 2024 presidential seat, a number of A-list celebrities have quickly stepped up to offer similar public .

A daughter of Indian and Jamaican immigrants, 57-year-old Harris has worked tremendously hard to earn the seat of the Vice President of the largest economy in the world. Her efforts to make America a dream country again by uplifting women and minorities, solving immigrant issues, reforming the criminal justice system, and loyally serving her position for 3 years without fail have swiftly made her the most-endorsed presidential candidate in the 2024 election cycle.

Though not the official candidate yet as of this writing, the former attorney and well-known women’s rights advocate is now the frontrunner against the criminal and misogynistic Donald Trump. Along with the endorsement of the majority of Democratic delegates needed to secure the nomination for president, Harris has also earned the of a staggering number of celebrities. Here are some of the biggest names who have stepped forward to fully and unabashedly this historic nomination.

George Clooney

On July 10, actor George Clooney published an op-ed in the New York Times, titled “I Love Joe Biden. But We Need a New Nominee.” This sent many Democrats into a state of shock, since despite being a longtime Dem er and donor, Clooney was vehemently against electing Biden staying in the 2024 race. However, when Biden announced his decision to step down and let Harris take the pedestal instead, Clooney happily ed Team Blue again. “He’s saving democracy once again,” his statement said, according to CNN anchor Jake Tapper. “We’re all so excited to do whatever we can to Vice President Harris in her historic quest.”

Cardi B

Harris gained the of over 44,000 Black women not even a full day after she launched her campaign during a virtual Zoom event that raised over $1 million in under three hours. This, however, was only a small example of the effect that Black women who are backing her have on the outcome of this election. A-list rapper and songwriter Cardi B is one of the many strong Black women ing Harris without question. After first ing her on her Instagram with a video on June 30, Cardi reshared the video following her endorsement by Biden, cementing her .

Mark Hamill

Star Wars leading man Mark Hamill has been vividly active on social media in recent years, constantly calling out Trump and his goons for their endless incompetencies and ing the Democrats at every turn. When President Biden chose to give up his seat in favor of Harris on June 21, Hamill quickly took to X on June 22 and extended his official endorsement for her along with a picture he’d previously taken with the Vice President.

Barbra Streisand

Veteran singer, actress, songwriter, producer, and director Barbra Streisand has also ed the list of celebrities coming out in of Harris. In a recent statement to The New York Times, she said, “I’m so grateful to President Biden and so excited to Kamala Harris. She will work to restore women’s reproductive freedom and continue with the accomplishments begun in the Biden-Harris istration.” Previously, Streisand had shared a post on her X in which she called Trump “a pathological liar who lies as easily as he breathes.” She then continued by expressing her faith in Harris, saying “Kamala Harris will continue Joe Biden’s work and will be a great president.”

Olivia Rodrigo

The young and globally beloved singer-songwriter and actress Olivia Rodrigo has also publicly endorsed Harris as the perfect presidential candidate. The 21-year-old took to her Instagram on July 24, posting a story featuring a TikTok clip of Harris’s speech on abortion rights. Rodrigo herself has been a strong advocate for women’s right to abortion and had previously started the “Good 4 U Fund,” an effort to remove obstacles to accessing abortion treatment. The fund donated a portion of ticket sales from Rodrigo’s “Guts” tour to pay for childcare, travel, abortion-related expenses, and missed income. Her endorsement of Harris is sure to resonate with her legion of fans, many of whom are in the Gen Z age bracket and will be voting in the 2024 election for the first time.

Jamie Lee Curtis

Academy Award-winning actress, producer, and author Jamie Lee Curtis has been a longtime vocal critic of Donald Trump, especially during his term in office. She is constantly endorsing Democratic candidates for multiple positions in the 2024 election and recently extended her endorsement for Harris through an Instagram post, calling her “a fierce advocate for women’s rights and people of color.”

Viola Davis

Ranked as one of the greatest actors of the 21st century, Viola Davis posted a picture of Biden and Harris along with the caption, “I’m with her! ,” confirming her for Harris as the next presidential candidate. The picture and the rest of the caption were a repost of Harris’ own Instagram post, which thanked Biden for endorsing her and promised to defeat Donald Trump.

John Legend

Multi-talented singer, songwriter, pianist, record producer, and actor John Legend was one of the first celebrities to endorse Harris after Biden announced that he was stepping out of the race. In an Instagram post (a screenshot of his Threads post), he penned a long message praising Biden and announcing that he is “so ready” to elect Kamala Harris as the next president “to help unite the pro-democracy coalition to reject Trump’s authoritarian, oppressive Project 2025.”

With all these endorsements, and more arriving every day, Harris is already seeing the kind of widespread that could see her become the first female President of the United States ⏤ a notion that is already making Donald and the MAGAs shake in their boots.

They say good things come to those who wait, but some fans are waiting longer than others. Even more, if they’re expecting the new Euphoria season, or Rihanna and Cardi B‘s highly-anticipated albums.

The critically acclaimed HBO original drama Euphoria premiered in 2019. The series returned in late 2020 and early 2021 with two special episodes, and season 2 premiered in 2022. Fans have been asking many questions about the highly anticipated season 3, but so far, there’s no official release date or confirmation that will really happen.

As for Rihanna and Cardi B, fans have been waiting for new albums for years. Cardi B has had many hits so far, including “WAP,” “I Like It,” and “Like What,” but she has only released one studio album. Her debut, Invasion of Privacy, premiered in 2018. Since then, fans have been begging for a new album, tentatively known as CB2. Cardi has been teasing that she is working on a new album since she released her first, revealing that she had five songs that didn’t fit with the theme of her debut, and continued teasing a new album every so often, yet nothing materialized.

As for Rihanna, the hitmaker has been busy with many Fenty business ventures. Her last studio album was 2016’s ANTI, and she has been focused on building her business empire, becoming a billionaire, and a mom. Rihanna confirmed several times that she was working on new music, but her last album was almost eight years ago.

Why do fans debate which one will happen faster?

In an interview with Entertainment Tonight to promote her new Fenty line, Fenty Hair, Rihanna confirmed that she is preparing to go into the studio to work on her ninth album. The “Love on the Brain” superstar explained, “Music for me is a new discovery. I’m re-discovering things. I have been working on the album for so long that I kinda put all that stuff aside and now I’m prepared to go back into the studio.” She continued that she wanted to “go back and listen to stuff with new ears, with my new perspective, and then see what still applies and what I’m still in love with.”

While any update about Rihanna’s new album, known as R9, is exciting, fans are tired of all the teasing. Rihanna has been teasing new music for years, and the last thing fans got was the song “Lift Me Up,” recorded for 2022’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. With no official release date in mind, fans have found a new debate: which will drop first? Will Euphoria premiere its third season first, or will Cardi and Rihanna release their much-expected albums?

@Dorrky_Cabello started the debate on X (formerly known as Twitter), and fans have been replying with some funny, yet relatable answers. While some weighed in on which of the three would happen first, others got even more creative.

Some people guessed TS13 since Taylor Swift has released four studio albums in the last four years, others joked that the popular games GTA VI or The Sims 5 would happen before any of the suggestions. To be honest, betting on any of them feels like Sophie’s Choice.

Hip-hop moves at such a break-neck pace that it can be tricky to reminisce on some of the genre’s greatest moments.

Between increasingly intense feuds between musicians and the growing canon of diss tracks, there remains a few rap albums that transcend the genre’s messier moments and stand as true exemplars of artistic craft. 

So, from the classics of the 1980s to more recent runaway hits, here’s our collection of the ten best rap albums of all time.

Kanye West — My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010)

Though his life outside of the studio has in recent years outshone his work, there was a time when Kanye West possessed a less controversial vision of his artistry. In 2010, he released what is arguably his best album to date with My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, a project that boasts lavish production and incisive lyrics about the highs and lows of his newly ascending fame.

While they are bound by a darker edge, no two songs are the same, with a resulting tracklist that rewrites the hip-hop rulebook and features the likes of Jay-Z, RZA, Rick Ross, Rihanna, and Nicki Minaj for extra measure.     

Cardi B — Invasion of Privacy (2018)

A punchy and often hilarious introduction to one of the rap game’s new icons, Invasion of Privacy is Cardi B at her most braggadocious. In what’s now commonplace for the stripper-turned-Grammy-winner, the album is carried by razor-sharp barbs and witty turns of phrase, and dips into pop music with enduring hits like “I Like It.”

Elsewhere, she displays a more vulnerable side and flexes her vocal chops with songs like “Be Careful”. Invasion of Privacy more than readies fans for Cardi’s long-awaited (and extremely delayed) sophomore album. 

Drake — Take Care (2011)

When Drake dropped his sophomore album Take Care in 2011, he birthed what has since become a new archetype of the genre; the soft boy. The Canadian rapper has never been more in his feelings than on this 19-track odyssey, reflecting candidly on his former romances and rise to fame alongside dance-ready beats that remains a constant in his sound.

It’s the project that catapulted Drake to the industry’s upper echelons, where he very much still remains, with the assist of featured artists like Rihanna, pre-fame The Weeknd and Kendrick Lamar, Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne, and Andre 3000. 

Kendrick Lamar — To Pimp A Butterfly (2015)

You can’t really mention Drake without also mentioning his one-time friend and current nemesis, Kendrick Lamar. While Lamar would go on to win a Pulitzer Prize for DAMN in 2018 — becoming the first rapper to do so — it was his third studio album To Pimp A Butterfly that outlined that history-making trajectory.

Spanning the sounds of funk, jazz, and soul, the transcendent album sees Lamar chart his own life experience while hitting politically charged themes of race and injustice, ushering in the masterful lyricist that we now know today. It’s a modern epic in every sense of the word, and one helped along by Lamar’s distinct knack for character creation and world-building.    

Lauryn Hill — The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998)

With The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, the namesake rapper rightfully placed atop Apple Music’s 100 best albums of all time list, beating out the likes of Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder and The Beatles. It was a deserved win for Hill, since the debut album affirmed her solo star power beyond The Fugees and showcased her bonafide rapping prowess.

The album is often credited with creating neo-soul, and sees Hill slip in and out of rapid-fire bars with finesse. It became the first rap or hip-hop album to win the Album of the Year award at the Grammys, and saw Hill become the first woman to take home five trophies in one ceremony. If you haven’t yet been educated, do yourself a favour.     

Jay-Z — The Blueprint (2001)

Taking the title more as an instruction, Jay-Z rewrote the rules with 2001’s The Blueprint. It arrived at a time when Jay-Z was one of the most dissed rappers in the game, and saw him push back through the sheer excellence of his lyrics and delivery. The album — Jay-Z’s sixth overall — revived hip-hop’s sample culture, which is still felt today, and saw the rapper bask in his own bravado in a way that felt utterly infectious.  

The Notorious B.I.G. — Ready to Die (1994)

The Notorious B.I.G. pulled back the curtain on his life with Ready to Die, a project that muses on the pros and cons of a life of crime and hip-hop. There’s the familiar braggadocio of still-iconic singles like “Juicy” and “Big Poppa”, but the remaining tracklist unearths a softer side to one of rap’s most prominent figures. B.I.G. showcases his knack for emotive storytelling on standouts like “Everyday Struggle” and “Suicidal Thoughts”, contributing to a project that more than justifies his status as one of the greatest rappers of all time.     

N.W.A. — Straight Outta Compton (1988)

Though it’s been well over two decades since its release, N.W.A.’s debut album Straight Outta Compton is influential to this day. Not only did it spawn a still-eminent protest song — with “Fuck Tha Police” taking aim at police brutality in Los Angeles — but it also ushered in a new style of hip-hop as a trailblazing gangster rap album, and introduced now-prolific figures in the form of group Eazy-E, Ice Cube and Dr Dre. It’s no wonder this album has maintained its place in rap canon. 

Outkast — Stankonia (2000)

Responsible for making Outkast a household name and putting the South Coast rap scene on the map, Stankonia brims with lush and funky uptempo beats and hilarious barbs. How can you look past the Grammy-winning hit “Ms. Jackson”?, which sees Andre 3000 — who forms one half of Outkast alongside Big Boi — apologize to the mother of his former girlfriend.    

Nicki Minaj — Pink Friday (2010)

Introducing us to the undeniable force of her charisma, Nicki Minaj’s debut album Pink Friday is an exercise in sheer wackiness. The tracklist sees her inhabit many of her personas, including Barbie and Roman Zolanski, and at one point take on Eminem (and arguably win) with the standout “Roman’s Revenge”. Pink Friday is perhaps the closest foray into pop on this list, and its kaleidoscopic beats and features by the likes of Drake and Kanye West solidify it as a rap album to . 

Undecided 2024 presidential voters are in luck: Cardi B has weighed in on who she’ll vote for in a May 16 Rolling Stone interview. So if you’ve waited to hear her endorsement, now’s your chance.

Cardi is outspoken about politics and has interviewed President Biden and Senator Bernie Sanders in the past, so you might expect she’d endorse the incumbent president as he seeks reelection. But according to her Rolling Stone chat, Biden’s first term hasn’t gone like she’d hoped. So does that mean Cardi is voting for Donald Trump, the presumptive GOP nominee?

Cardi will sit this one out

When asked who she’ll vote for in 2024, Cardi B said, “I don’t f**k with both of y’all…,” making it pretty clear she’ll vote for neither one. Cardi was once a Biden er, so what went wrong? She mentioned the continued high cost of living and wage disparity. “I feel like people got betrayed,” Cardi said. She also took issue with U.S. foreign aid to Ukraine and Israel amid that country’s controversial war against Hamas in Gaza. Cardi added,

[America] don’t pay for endless wars for countries that have been going through s**t for a very long time. There’s countries [where] kids are getting killed every single day, but because the [U.S.] won’t benefit from that country, they won’t help. I don’t like that America has this superhero cape on. We never did things to be superheroes. We did things for our own convenience.”

via Rolling Stone

Meanwhile, the “Bodak Yellow” rapper is not alone in her dissatisfaction with both candidates. According to Pew Research, about one in four Americans feel the same way.

Politics aside, did Cardi reveal when we might finally have the follow-up to her Grammy-winning debut, Invasion of Privacy? Before the Rolling Stone interview, Cardi mentioned in a since-deleted X comment that there would be no new album this year, Rap-Up reported. Cardi’s publicist backtracked though and told Rolling Stone to expect CB2 sometime this year.

True love doesn’t always last forever. Heartbreaks are almost inevitable for anyone circulating the wondrous world of relationships, and sometimes breakups come to us unexpectedly – even to someone like Kylie Jenner or Sofia Vergara.

After all, heartbreak does not discriminate, and even A-list celebrities suffer at the relentless and unbiased hands of Cupid. Even those who seemingly had the perfect relationship on and off screen have been breaking each other’s hearts, and lately, celebrity breakups have been happening more often than ever.

Since the year started, names like Ariana Grande and Taylor Swift have made the headlines because of the recent ending of an era. Capable of making us question the true meaning of love, even other people’s relationships are enough to make us grieve on their behalf. Call it a parasocial relationship but hey, we can’t really help but get invested in other people’s business. And with so many relationships calling it quits in just half a year, here are all the major ones that saw a grim ending in 2023.

Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott

Everything related to the Kardashian-Jenner clan is bound to become a hot topic – even if it is Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott separating in their yearly fashion. This time, after the second (or third? We’ve lost count) time breaking up, the duo parted ways once more in January.

With an off-and-on relationship since their first link in 2017, the news of the duo breaking up didn’t necessarily shock fans, but it still remained a big deal across the media. What’s more, according to Harper’s Bazaar, the duo are no longer working on getting back together, but seem to be amicably co-parenting their children, Stormy and Aire.

Ariana Grande and Dalton Gomez

One of the most recent breakups to occur at the time of writing was that of Ariana Grande and Dalton Gomez. Shaking up the entire internet, the two-year marriage came to an end unexpectedly, with neither Gomez nor Grande speaking on the subject. The duo was first seen together in 2020, and nine months after, they confirmed the officiating of their relationship.

Although no one knows for sure the reason for the separation and divorce, it was enough to make fans mourn this relationship, especially after seeing how happy Grande had seemingly been for the past two years. Maybe “Thank U, Next,” may need a re-write soon.

Ricky Martin and Jwan Yosef

Ricky Martin and Jwan Yosef broke everyone’s hearts by announcing their divorce earlier this month. After six years of marriage, and with two kids (aside from Martin’s twins), the singer announced his divorce from the painter, as they both try and navigate their separation while maintaining a healthy co-parenting relationship for the sake of their children.

The Puerto Rican superstar met the Swedish painter back in 2015 through Instagram after catching one of his art pieces at a gallery. A year later, the couple announced their relationship to the cameras on the red carpet for the 2016 amFAR Inspiration Gala. Despite spending almost a decade together, the duo decided to part ways, putting their friendship and respect first and foremost. Back to livin’ la vida loca.

Billie Eilish and Jesse Rutherford

Billie Eilish and Jesse Rutherford have an understated contentious relationship with the public. Some loved them, others loved to hate them (and their age gap). In the end, the criticism wasn’t enough to get to their heads, as they still lasted for seven months before parting ways amicably back in May. The reason remains unclear, but according to sources, the two remained good friends.

Part of the reason for their controversial break was their large age gap. Eilish, 21, started dating Rutherford, 31, last year and they were immediately a target for criticism – especially Rutherford. Regardless of that age gap, they seem to still hold mutual love for one another, even if they’re not together anymore.

Sofía Vergara and Joe Manganiello

Sofía Vergara and Joe Manganiello‘s relationship lasted for eight years after the couple met in 2014, though Vergara was in a relationship at the time. After splitting from Nick Leob, in just a year their love story was formally officiated in a grand star-studded three-day ceremony, with plenty of eyes to catch the lovestruck actors sharing their vows in the most lavish manner.

Unfortunately, the love story would last a little under a decade, with the couple splitting after citing the (usual) irreconcilable differences. Many fans quickly pointed out there were obvious signs that the couple had split, including Vergara’s impromptu trip to Italy sans Manganiello. In the end, the reason for their divorce may never be disclosed, but the heartbreak of seeing this couple and Grande and Gomez announcing their divorces on the same day left us sad and disappointed.

Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn

The separation of the decade may belong to none other than Miss Swift herself. After six years together, in the most low-key relationship possible between two celebrities, Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn decided to split. The news of their breakup came in April, and soon enough, Swifties shared their sorrows and their inability to believe in true love anymore. To this day, no one truly knows why they broke up, but there is lots of speculation involved.

The most popular theory derives from their very discreet relationship. Many fans seemed to believe that Alwyn did not like to stay in the public eye for long periods of time, especially with the biggest pop star in the world in his arms. Wishing for privacy, fans speculated that the actor couldn’t handle the pressure that came with dating the Grammy-winning singer.

Taylor Swift and Matty Healy

They say that after the storm, there is always a rainbow, and Matt Healy might’ve just been that splash of color in Swift’s life. For a little bit, at least. The couple never announced their relationship officially, but after being seen publicly by each other’s side while Swift was on tour, their relationship status quickly became a phenomenon on social media. Unfortunately, it wasn’t for the best of reasons.

Criticized for his previous remarks and questionable attitudes, Healy was promptly bashed for his contentious interviews, podcasts, and everything else. While some fans of the pop singer were more than content after seeing her happier than ever, the large majority of fans seemed to harshly criticize their relationship, namely, Healy himself. Unfortunately, after a month of dating, it appears the backlash was too intense to ignore, and the couple seemingly called quits in June.

Hugh Jackman and Deborra-lee Furness

Throughout his entire career, Hugh Jackman has always been accompanied by none other than his iconic wife, Deborra-Lee Furness. The couple wed in 1996, continuously being used as a reference point in debates about the existence of true love. After all, a quarter of a century together was no small feat.

However, the couple announced their divorce in September, affirming that it was an amicable separation. After nearly three decades together and two children later, the Aussie pair decided to pursue different routes individually. They’re still seen together at events, proving that their friendship is just as iconic as they are.

Britney Spears and Sam Asghari

Britney Spears’ 2023 was a rollercoaster of events. From releasing her memoir, where she candidly addressed her past with Justin Timberlake, to finally breaking free from her conservatorship that bound her to a toxic team and her father – the singer is now able to revel in all her glory and fame. And then, in August, the singer became officially single.

Spears and Asghari first crossed paths in 2016 during the shooting of the music video “Slumber Party,” and in 2022, the two tied the knot. However, in August 2023, they decided to part ways, citing “irreconcilable differences.” It later came to light that Asghari sought financial compensation for their time together but fortunately, he wasn’t entitled to a single penny. To that, we say: we’re glad he left Britney alone.

Rosalía and Rauw Alejandro

Yet another incredibly unexpected breakup involved the Latin singers Rosalía and Rauw Alejandro. The couple met in 2019, and from then on, they became virtually inseparable, all while openly itting to prioritizing their careers. Rosalía and Rauw quickly became the internet’s favorite IT couple, not only due to their good looks but also because of their chemistry.

With numerous interviews and t performances, everyone wholeheartedly believed they would last a lifetime. They were even engaged for quite some time, but apparently, the right moment to officiate their relationship never came. In July, they announced their split through the release of their music video for “Beso.” It’s been months, but yes, we’re still recovering.

Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner

Perhaps the most contentious breakup this year was none other than Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner. While many fans of the actress were already uneasy about their seven-year age gap, everything took a turn when news of their separation hit the headlines. To this day, the reason for the couple’s breakup remains unknown, but plenty of speculation has circulated.

The duo shares two children, adding even more complexity to their very public split, especially due to the added pressure of an international battle for child custody. Accusations from both teams flooded social media, creating a public spectacle that made the situation a game of “he said, she said” for months, with no end in sight.

Kendall Jenner and Bad Bunny

Bad Bunny and Kendall Jenner were a combination that we never expected to happen. Whether you love them or love to hate on them, at the end of the day, we have to it that they were a good-looking couple. They turned heads everywhere they went, but ultimately, no one ever really ed the fact that the Latin singer was dating a socialite like Jenner.

Fearing that he would just become one of the many men cast upon the ‘Kardashian curse,’ many Bad Bunny fans wholeheartedly despised their relationship. Ultimately, their fears were heard, and People announced the couple reportedly broke up in December this year. Their last sighting dates back to October, but neither of them has publicly addressed the split – at least, other than some cryptic lyrics.

Cardi B and Offset

Now, Cardi B and Offset aren’t exactly strangers to breakups. The rappers have been on and off together since 2016, and we never truly know their relationship status. Their most decisive split came in 2018 when Cardi publicly announced their separation in a now-deleted Instagram video. But in 2019, the pair reconciled.

Since then, it appeared that not even cheating could have gotten in their way… until 2020 when Cardi announced their divorce. Then the said divorce was called off and the couple reverted to maintaining a once again tumultuous relationship. But on Dec. 11, Cardi announced that she was single, and this time, fans believe their relationship has ended for good.

Keke Palmer and Darius Jackson

Keke Palmer and Darius Jackson also had quite a controversial year. They were together since 2021 and no one really cared about their relationship status. At least, not until Jackson went on a jealousy rampage on social media in July 2023, publicly criticizing Palmer for wearing a sheer dress at Usher’s concert.

The fitness instructor attempted to humiliate Palmer, who never commented on the situation besides profiting from shirts saying “I’M A MOTHA,” – a nod to one of Jackson’s tweets. Nonetheless, the duo remained together – against better judgment – until Nov. 9 when Palmer issued a restraining order against Jackson and filed for full custody of their son, thus confirming their breakup. About time.

Here’s to hoping 2024 will be a little kinder for celebrity love.

2023 has been a mixed year for celebrity romances. For every Taylor and Travis we got a crushing break-up. Now Cardi B has said she’s single on Instagram, indicating she and her husband, Offset, had broken up.

Cardi fans likely suspected something was up before Cardi went live on social media when the two musicians unfollowed each other on the platform — a sure sign of a troubled relationship.

From the start, the Cardi-Offset on-again-off-again romance captured headlines, from secret weddings to sudden pregnancies, cheating allegations, and sex tapes. Cardi ed her husband after Takeoff’s 2022 shooting death, Offset’s cousin-once-removed and Migos bandmate.

But Cardi, who was 31 years old as of 2023, has filed for divorce once before, in 2020, Billboard reports. Despite all that, Cardi and Offset always reconciled after Offset apologized.

As a source close to the couple told People, Cardi and Offset have had their fair share of good times, but the relationship was always “tumultuous.” The hip-hop stars have “broken up and gotten back together and broken up again way more than the public has seen,’ the source said.

So, what was it then, in late 2023, that made Cardi say, enough’s enough?

What is Cardi B’s relationship status?

In her Dec. 11, 2023, Instagram live feed, shared on X by Pop Crave, Cardi B said her husband, Offset, had been “… doing me dirty after so many years.”

The I Like It rapper went on to explain, “I’ve been single for a minute now … I don’t know if you guys have been getting clues from me, from my [Instagram lives and stories], when I put some certain music, or find my unfollowings,” referring to how Cardi and Offset no longer followed each other on Instagram. As she said:

“I just don’t know how to tell the world. But I feel like today has been a sign. The last time I got on Live I kind of wanted to tell you guys, but I didn’t know how to tell you, so I changed my mind. But it has been like this for a minute now. I just took it as a sign.”

Despite the sad news, Cardi also sounded optimistic when she said she looked forward to 2024, “I’m curious for a new life, for a new beginning. And yeah, I’m excited”.

So, are Cardi and Offset done for good? They have, after all, split before but got back together. Only time will tell. Cardi and Offset share two children, however, so here’s hoping no matter how things end up, the music megastars keep things amicable.