Key Takeaways

• Cardi B received the ASCAP Voice of the Culture Award for her influence on Hip Hop and songwriting.
• In her speech, she defended collaboration in music and challenged outdated ideas about authenticity.
• The moment adds to Cardi B’s ongoing pushback against ghostwriting critiques in the rap world.

Over the weekend, Cardi B added another milestone — the ASCAP Voice of the Culture Award — to her already long list of accomplishments. Accepting the honor on Sunday (June 8), the “Up” rapper used the moment to highlight the value of songwriters and, more specifically, why outside contributions don’t take away from an artist’s authenticity.

“I hate the idea that if you don’t write every line on your own, they make what you have to say not real. Music is a collaboration,” the New York superstar said during her speech. “The biggest hits [and] the greatest records come from teamwork. They come from sharing experiences.”

“It’s not about ego; it’s about impact. I speak to what’s true to me, my pen, my mind, [and] my feelings are in every verse and in every hook,” she added. “And I respect every writer who brings their magic to the table.” Of course, rap purists love to argue that “real” rappers should write every single bar themselves, which is pretty funny, considering how most music is actually made today.

“This award is not just for me; it’s for the culture. For every writer who helped shape it and make us feel something,” Cardi B continued. “Let’s keep pushing our pens and the power that comes with it.” Take a look at her acceptance speech below.

Cardi B has addressed claims about not writing her own music more than a few times. In 2023, following her surefire verse on FendiDa Rappa’s “Point Me 2,” the Grammy Award winner responded to a tweet from Spotify’s Carl Chery that read, “I don’t care who writes it. Cardi B is hard [as f**k]!” She responded, “I WRITE IT… Come to a studio session!”

Similarly, in 2019, after already winning Best Rap Album for her Invasion of Privacy months prior, she pushed back on the same critiques. “Yes, just like every other artist, I do have a couple [of writers] that help with hooks, but I wrote plenty of songs on my album,” the musician tweeted at the time. Regardless of how much — or how little — of her own music she pens, Cardi B is still one of the most decorated and sought-after artists in the game.