Cardi B gets real about ambition, pet peeves, mom guilt and vices | Exclusive

Cardi B gets real about ambition: Cardi B Opens Up About Ambition, Motherhood, and Her Health Journey Cybersecarmor.com – PASADENA, Calif.

Cardi B Opens Up About Ambition, Motherhood, and Her Health Journey

Cybersecarmor.com – PASADENA, Calif. — Standing on a film set alongside Cardi B delivers precisely the experience fans anticipate. The Grammy-winning artist arrives with her preferred Chick-fil-A crushed ice, coordinates an elaborate outfit from head to toe, and doesn’t hesitate to let loose with colorful language whenever she stumbles over her dialogue.

The 33-year-old “I Like It” vocalist presents a polished appearance during the photoshoot, posing alongside cans of Zevia. Her dark locks are styled into an intricate updo, complemented by gentle strands framing her face. Custom-designed structured rompers, towering stilettos, and nails extending an inch all coordinate with the distinctive teal hue of the soda containers.

Cardi openly acknowledges one imperfection in her appearance—a nail she considers damaged—while attempting to conceal it during poses with a cola can, her radiant smile never fading.

A Partnership Built on Authenticity

The entire photoshoot centers on the Grammy winner’s trademark candor, a quality that attracted the beverage company—known for its “refreshingly real ethos” stemming from products free of artificial ingredients—to collaborate with her. This marks Cardi’s inaugural national campaign as Zevia’s brand ambassador and shareholder, debuting July 21. The campaign features Cardi serving as a “real talk interpreter,” converting everyday conversational nuances into sharp, memorable lines across two commercial spots.

While audiences may have encountered and tasted the brand’s “zero fake” sodas during her Little Miss Drama tour earlier this year, this represents her most prominent association with the company to date.

“This is just how I am,” she explains regarding her straightforward nature. “I can’t tell you like why – I’ve always been like this. I was born like this.” Yet she adds, “I do care what people think sometimes, [and] that’s terrible.”

Beyond the Loud Persona

In an exclusive conversation with USA TODAY, Cardi B discusses maintaining a “health conscious” lifestyle despite not being “the best healthy eater,” her frustrations with grocery delivery services (noting she’s “learned my lesson”), her concerns about potentially being “a bad mom,” and her desire for recognition beyond her public image.

When people envision Cardi, the Grammy-winning rapper’s Billboard No. 1 collaboration with Megan Thee Stallion, “WAP,” often surfaces—alongside her dramatic, extravagant fashion choices, unfiltered livestream sessions, occasional celebrity feuds, or high-profile romantic connections.

Despite the “Love & Hip Hop: New York” graduate frequently discussing the dedication required to become a self-made entrepreneur and her enthusiasm for developing her own ventures, “I don’t think people know how savvy I am,” she observes.

“I think they just see Cardi, and she’s loud and she’s just [herself], but I’m very into securing my future,” Cardi continues. “It’s not even about me anymore. It’s about my kids; I’ve got four kids.”

Business Acumen and Health Awareness

This maternal focus represents one motivation behind her March partnership with Zevia and its “zero sugar, zero calorie, naturally sweetened beverages” for a two-year commitment. Beyond functioning as a brand ambassador who contributes to product development, she maintains equity ownership, giving her a financial interest in the enterprise. The “Real talk interpreter” content, available on streaming television and social media platforms, will also appear in retail displays at chosen locations.

“To me, being a shareholder means that everything that I invest in, everything that I’m a partner with, I want it to be big,” Cardi states. “I don’t want to be part of something that [does] small projects. I want something where I go to every store and I see my product there, because that’s what really makes me feel good.”

“I always wanted to win,” Cardi affirms. “Before I had kids, I always wanted to be successful.”

She expresses being “so excited” when spotting her music at Target and experiencing a “wow” moment discovering Zevia at Whole Foods. Does Cardi handle her own grocery shopping? Indeed, though specific items require personal selection and careful consideration.

“I don’t buy poultry through the app, and I don’t like buying a lot of vegetables and fruits from the app because [delivery shoppers] don’t be picking the freshest things like you would,” she explains. “I like going [to grocery stores] myself sometimes, but just for small things.”

“Sometimes I get my order and go, ‘Look at this sweet potato. It’s dying, it’s rotten,'” Cardi laughs. “Yo, put a little bit of love in picking my order.”

The entertainment icon describes herself as “a little bit more athletic now” and is “noticing what certain foods and certain beverages do to my body,” including impacts on her weight and energy levels.

“I’m a little bit older, and now I’m being more careful in the things that I consume,” Cardi notes. “I just told somebody the other day: I’m not the best healthy eater. I might eat 10 pieces of chicken wings, but I told”