"Have to do the absolute most to sell this album" - Internet reacts to Cardi B announcing in-store meet and greet events for ‘AM I THE DRAMA?’

67th GRAMMY Awards - Arrivals - Source: Getty
67th GRAMMY Awards - Arrivals - Source: Getty

Cardi B has added in-store meet and greet events as part of the promotional rollout for her highly anticipated album Am I The Drama?, which is scheduled for release next Friday.

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The WAP rapper took an unconventional route to roll out her sophomore album, her first full-length project since her 2018 LP, Invasion of Privacy. This included hawking physical copies of the album on New York City streets. She also capitalized on courtroom memes to launch a "Courtroom Edition” vinyl and CDs.

On September 9, 2025, Cardi B took to Instagram to announce her in-store meet and greet events, which would allow the Bardi Gang to meet her in person and take photos. The post was captioned:

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“This is my last chance to sell this album so I don’t get sent back to the strip club… meet me there!!!”

The events will be organized between September 19 and 25 across the United States. Here are the dates, locations, and stores hosting her meet and greet events. The stores for New York and Houston have yet to be announced at the time of writing this article.

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  • September 19 - Looney Tunes, Long Island, New York
  • September 20 - Spin Me Around, Easton, Pennsylvania
  • September 21 - (To Be Announced) New York City, New York
  • September 22 - DBS Sounds, Atlanta, Georgia
  • September 23 - (To Be Announced) Houston, Texas
  • September 25 - Fingerprints, Long Beach, California

Fans must purchase CDs from the in-store website to gain entry into the events, as the CDs will serve as tickets. The instructions for the meet and greet included:

"Go to instores.cardib.com to find the link to purchase your ticket. Your CD purchase of Am I The Drama? is your ticket for entry. You must purchase the CD from the website of the store hosting the event. Purchasing the CD from another retailer will not allow you access to the in-store."
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Cardi B's in-store meet and greet events divided the internet, with one user claiming the rapper was doing "the absolute most" to sell her album.

"Have to do the absolute most to sell this album..."
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Several netizens echoed similar views, with some claiming the marketing strategy was "clear manipulation" to boost album sales.

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However, others applauded Cardi B for her album rollout, adding that it was creative.

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Exploring Cardi B's rollout for Am I The Drama?

In June 2025, Cardi B announced her long-awaited sophomore album, Am I The Drama?, including its release date. This announcement came days after the rapper released her new single Outside, which is reportedly part of the upcoming album's 23-song tracklist, in addition to her older hits such as WAP and Up. Additionally, Cardi also previewed a teaser for the album, narrating in the voiceover:

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“Seven years and the time has come. Seven years of love, light and loss. Seven years I gave them grace, but now I give them hell. I learned power’s not giving, it’s taking. I’m shedding feathers and no more tears. I’m not back, I’m beyond. I’m not your villain, I’m your karma. The time is here. The time is now.”
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In August 2025, she released another single, titled Imaginary Playerz (which sampled Jay-Z's 1997 song), along with an accompanying music video. Last week, the singer previewed a snippet of an unreleased track, Bodega Baddie, on TikTok. As of this article, the rapper has yet to unveil the entire tracklist for Am I The Drama?

Cardi B's album rollout stayed true to her trademark humor. On September 3, 2025, the rapper unveiled her "Courtroom Edition" album cover after winning her civil lawsuit filed by a former security guard accusing her of alleged assault. For context, the rapper went viral for her court outfits and facial expressions during her testimony.

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Cardi B outside the courthouse in Alhambra (Image via Getty Images)
Cardi B outside the courthouse in Alhambra (Image via Getty Images)

On September 7, Cardi B took to TikTok to post a video of her hawking her albums on a New York City sidewalk. In the clip, Cardi, wearing a Rastacap and a black hoodie, is seen waving incense sticks over her albums and shouting out prices to passersby, saying:

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“$9.99! You got $50 right here...$20! $9.99 for the new ones! What up, y’all? We got the exclusive Cardi B new album. We got the vinyls, we got the CDs, we got the [Courtroom] Edition. $9.99!”

In an exclusive interview with Billboard, dated September 3, 2025, Cardi B explained that her confidence in her career and music stemmed from being "one of those artists" whose albums people request every year.

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“I’m really one of those artists that people ask for their albums the most every year. I wouldn’t be confident if nobody asked me for my s**t. Imagine nobody asking for an album of yours? Imagine nobody asking for your music? That’s why I’m so confident.”

Am I The Drama? will be released via Atlantic Records on September 19, 2025.

Edited by Juhi Marzia
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