Cardi B on Stefon Diggs and How Motherhood Turned Her Into a “Real Woman”

Cardi B is getting ready for the release of her long-awaited sophomore album, Am I The Drama? on September 19, and in the years since her smash debut, Invasion Of Privacy, the star has never left the airwaves or the headlines. In an interview with Billboard, Cardi talked about her high-profile relationship with New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs and how motherhood changed her. 

“It turned me into a real woman,” says the mother of three. “I was like, ‘What makes a woman? Her body? Her cooking?’ It’s her maturity and her thinking. If I didn’t have kids, I wouldn’t sacrifice so much. This summer, I haven’t even put my feet in a pool. I do everything for my kids. I’m the only provider and you know what? Ain’t no complaining about it. I love them so much and they ground me. Sometimes I be so exhausted and it’s not even about work, it’s just life. If you think when you get rich you’re going to stop working, you’re never going to stop working.”

Cardi also acknowledges the influence of her mother on her own work ethic. 

“My mom used to be a freakin’ cashier and she used to work every single day. To this day, I still talk about how hard my mom worked. I had a very rough childhood, but my mom always made sure we ain’t go to no shelter. I want my kids to be like, ‘My mom made sure I had everything that I wanted.’”

On dating Diggs, Cardi reflected on her love life once being in the public eye following her split from Offset. 

“It was very tough, but it is what it is,” she explains. “It’s tough hiding. It’s tough dating in your 30s, too, but I like him. I love him, today (laughs). I was always scared of dating people [because] I’ve always been in a long relationship since I was like 21.”

When talking about her time with Diggs, the 32-year-old also revealed just how impressed she is with the NFL star’s dedication and discipline. 

“He has to do two different things: learn his playbook and get physical,” says Cardi. “He has to be in bed at a certain time and wake up at a certain time. I’m like, ‘Oh, my gosh. You’re literally in the military. You really work hard.’ I work hard, but I can take a little break. I can lay back and I don’t have to be running, but it’s very inspirational to see how hard somebody works. It’s just like, ‘Wow. You should be proud of yourself.’”

Cardi recently scored a major legal victory. The “Up” rapper won her civil assault trial involving an alleged 2018 altercation with a security guard in California —  after a jury decided that plaintiff Emani Ellis didn't prove any of her three claims against Cardi (born Belcalis Almanzar). Those claims were assault, battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress. 

“I don’t lay in bed all day,” Cardi said immediately after leaving court. “I work all day, and I work hard for my money, for my kids and for people I take care of. So don’t you ever think that you’re gonna sue me and I’m just gonna settle.”