Cardi B Takes Home ASCAP Voice of the Culture Award While Preparing 2025 Album
Cardi B is set to receive ASCAP’s Voice of the Culture Award in Los Angeles as she puts final touches on her long-delayed second album, which remains on track for release in 2025.
The Bronx-born rapper will accept her award at a private ASCAP ceremony scheduled for June 8 in Los Angeles. The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers established this prize to honor artists whose creativity and activism influence contemporary music.
Usher sits among past winners, and Cardi B now joins that platform, marking rap’s growing presence at mainstream music award ceremonies since the award’s creation.
Her career with ASCAP includes 23 Rhythm & Soul Music Awards plus multiple Pop Music Awards for number-one hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including “Bodak Yellow,” “I Like It,” “Finesse” and “Girls Like You.”
In its announcement, ASCAP noted that her achievements have led to "redefining Hip-Hop culture and challenging societal expectations for women."
ASCAP Chairman of the Board and President Paul Williams called her work a breakthrough in the genre and praised "her unapologetic authenticity and talent," adding that her voice drives advocacy and encouragement for others. He said ASCAP is proud to present her with this year’s Voice of the Culture Award.
The accolade likewise highlights her activism, from championing women’s rights to speaking out on immigration reform and other social issues across communities.
Though the award highlights her past successes, Cardi has one eye on what comes next: her second album. She told Billboard that the project is “messy,” emotionally raw and filled with “a lot of lover girl thing too.” The record explores heartbreak, healing and rediscovery.
The follow-up to her 2018 debut Invasion of Privacy is expected to hold at least 20 songs selected from more than 100 demos recorded during various studio sessions.
Her personal life has been anything but quiet in 2024: she welcomed her third child, filed for divorce and maintained strict focus on completing the record.
Her recent singles “Like What (Freestyle)” and “Enough (Miami)” have kept her profile elevated as excitement builds for the new album.
