Why Cardi B stole Kodak Black’s flow for 'Bodak Yellow'

It’s safe to say that, currently, Bronx rapper Cardi B is hip-hop’s most prevalent female artist. As Nicki Minaj begins to take the backseat and enjoy the fruits of her labour, Cardi B (real name Belcalis Almanzar) currently reigns over the realm once controlled by Minaj. First arising in 2014 as an Instagram personality Almanzar has slowly but surely risen to the top. Despite the odd controversy here and there, the emcee, for the most part, has been a squeaky-clean figure who seems faultless.

The New York act’s mainstream breakthrough came with her 2017 single ‘Bodak Yellow’. However, upon its release six years ago, many in the culture took issue with Almanzar’s use of another rapper’s flow on the song and accused the musician of stealing. However, Cardi saw no problem with it. Being the fiery character she is, during the eye of the storm, the Invasion Of Privacy emcee took to social media to address her critics.

Showing a flagrant disregard concerning the unwritten rules surrounding rap cadences, Almazar wrote on Instagram, “For anybody that telling me,’ Oh b*tch, you copied Kodak flow, you copied this and that flow.’ So what, b*tch? So what? I’m a sound like all your favourite rappers. I’m a take all they flows, and I’m a body it b*tch. One day I’m a sound like Kodak. The next day I’m a sound like Meek Mill. The next day I’m a sound like Migos. I don’t give a f*ck!”

Cardi B was unapologetic concerning her 2017 hit single. Many attacked the track as, for much of the song, Almanzar’s cadences were reminiscent of Kodak Black’s ‘No Flockin.’ However, for the ‘WAP’ superstar, it was a non-factor. The Bronx hitmaker even quasi-credited the Florida rapper by naming the song ‘Bodak Yellow’, an instant reminder of Kodak Black. The Queen’s indifference to the issue probably stems from the fact that even though she borrowed bits and pieces of Kodak Black’s flow, the 2017 single became a platinum-selling hit and (superseding Nicki Minaj) became the first female rap single to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100 since Lauryn Hill’s ‘Doo Wop (That Thing)’ in 1998.

Although since the birth of hip-hop, it has been looked down upon to steal or mimic another emcee’s flow. Nowadays, the culture’s landscape seems more and more homogenous concerning cadences. In 2014, on the GGN News Network YouTube series hosted by Snoop Dogg, even the ‘Doggfather’ began mocking Southern rappers for using the triplet flow and copying each other, and, to this day, the culture is divided on the issue. However, Cardi B knows her stance.

You can listen to ‘Bodak Yellow’ and Kodak Black’s ‘No Flockin’ in the videos below.