The Top 15 Cardi B Guest Verses, Ranked

A Cardi B guest verse nearly cut her career short before it took off. 

Back in 2017, the Bronx native recalled a scenario in which she recorded a verse for another artist’s posse cut. Cardi had buzz on TV due to her Love & Hip-Hop: New York casting, but not much musical motion. Her excitement was crushed like an orange soda can when a more well-known guest on the same song had her rhyme removed—they felt Cardi was below their weight class.

“That shit broke my heart," said the now 32-year-old superstar. “I was like, 'I don't wanna do this shit anymore. I'm just gonna fuck with this TV shit.’”

Of course, Cardi moved forward: Shattered Billboard records, stacks of platinum plaques, and anthems forever etched in hip-hop annals all followed. And those same cameos that were once rejected have become cheat codes for any artist lucky enough to bag one—and a lifeline that has helped Cardi maintain her dominance and chart her own legend.

More than seven years have passed since Cardi B dropped her 2018 debut, Invasion of Privacy. But it damn sure hasn’t felt like it. She’s kept her name buzzing in the interim thanks in large part to making appearances on other artists’ songs, gracing each one with her signature humor, sex appeal, wordplay, threats, and bravado—often all within a single verse. These days, a feature from Cardi feels like a Stephen Curry free throw; the swishes are less surprising than the misses.

The Cardi B album drought ends this week, as she prepares to unleash her long-awaited sophomore album, Am I the Drama?, on Friday. In anticipation of the new release, Okayplayer runs down the 15 greatest guest verses of her career.— John Kennedy

15. “Finesse (Remix),” Bruno Mars Feat. Cardi B (2018)

Cardi B is known for her combo of punchy quips and pummeling flows, but for this remix of Bruno Mars’ “Finesse” she showed a little more … you know, finesse. More playful than powerful, this one sees Cardi excel by letting the beat do a lot of lifting as she bounces across it like a pogo stick. The bars aren’t ornate, but they’re not designed to be. It’s a ‘90s-reminiscent track with some straightforward early ‘90s-esque bars designed for flirty lust on the dance floor and, if all goes well, sexy time off of it. —Peter A. Berry

14. “Who Want the Smoke,” Lil Yachty Feat. Cardi B and Offset (2018)

Cardi’s appearance on Lil Boat’s Nuthin’ 2 Prove sits among an already star-studded cast of features, with eight of 15 tracks rocking heavyweights from Playboi Carti to Young Nudy. But her verse on “Who Want the Smoke” is a standout for her punchy charisma and aggressive lyricism. For starters, this began an underrated working relationship with Tay Keith, whose pummeling soundscape is a perfect home for Cardi’s propulsive bars. Here, Bardi’s quips are as vicious as they are funny: “Don't know what's on their mind, but it should be retirement/Get the AARP or this AR get to firin’ (blat!).” —Alan Baez

13. “On Me,” Meek Mill Feat. Cardi B (2018)

“On Me” is Meek Mill at his raunchiest. Yet somehow, Cardi gets even freakier. For this one, Cardi taps into her inner (and outer) baddie and drops some of her most confident bars. It’s the range for me: “Look where I'm at, run back to years ago/I used to strip, now I keep a different pole,” she raps. Get you somebody that can do both. —Alan Baez

12. “Taki Taki,” DJ Snake Feat. Cardi B, Ozuna, and Selena Gomez (2018)

Whether you loved it or hated it, “Taki Taki” did numbers, and Cardi B's sprightly verse is a major reason why. While “Bodak Yellow” is more street and more spicy, this bilingual guest appearance allowed her to crack jokes and get busy in Spanish. “If the text ain't freaky, I don't wanna read it/And just to let you know, this punani is undefeated,” she raps. You can’t help but crack a smile. —Alan Baez

11. “Put It On Da Floor Again,” Latto Feat. Cardi B (2023)

Cardi’s rep for ripping guest verses to shreds was well-established by the time she hopped on Latto’s hit single. And she didn’t act brand-new once she got there. Cardi sounds nonchalant as ever while dropping some of the boldest flexes and zingers you’ve ever heard: “Broke n****s give the dick, rich n****s sponsor goals/Only thing a nigga get from me for free is free the bros.” —John Kennedy

10. “Right Now,” PHresher Feat. Cardi B (2017)

Cardi B and PHresher are two sides of the same coin: flashy rappers known for repping their hoods. But Cardi launched her career well beyond her BX blocks shortly after scorching this 2017 collaboration. “Yeah, they heard I got a deal, thinking I'ma chill/Bitch, I still could get down,” she raps. The verse is a time capsule capturing Cardi’s music career just before the “Bodak” boom and cementing her love for the city that made her. —Alan Baez

9. “Type S**t,” Migos Feat. Cardi B (2021) 

The Migos breakup was tough, and bidding adieu to their linkups with Cardi made it even more sad. From the time they connected for “MotorSport,” the grouping had a preternatural charisma, with Bardi’s blend of wit and blunt-force charisma making every outing a thrilling one. “Type Shit” is no different, with Cardi serving up a healthy mix of forceful-yet-effortless putdowns and flexes: “My accountant think I'm gay, all I do is buy shit.” —Peter A. Berry

8. “Point Me 2,” FendiDa Rappa Feat. Cardi B (2023)

FendiDa Rappa’s breakout hit had already become a TikTok staple before Cardi B put her own stamp on the Chicago drill track. This remix presents her at her most menacing, plotting on strip club patrons, challenging her opps, and outboxing her peers. “My name is always in that mouth, I got that juicy pussy/LV, loose vagina, she got Louie pussy,” Cardi quips. She raps here with authority and audacity—like someone fully aware that their bankroll, body, and body of work are each in a class of their own. It all culminated in a memorable feature among a catalog full of them. —John Kennedy

7. “No Limit,” G-Eazy Feat. A$AP Rocky and Cardi B (2017)

Who else could turn a Subway sandwich spokesperson into a punchline that lands perfectly? “Can you stop with all the subs? Bitch, I ain't Jared/If you really want some smoke, you can pull up, you can get it,” Cardi rhymes. She found a pocket on this G-Eazy single and rode it for nearly her full verse, citing her inevitable rise and dropping more brand names than a Nascar racer, from Prada to Rolex to Sazón seasoning. Yesterday’s price is definitely not today’s price. —John Kennedy

6. “Twerk,” City Girls Feat. Cardi B (2018)

J.T. and Yung Miami’s flip of a classic bounce breakbeat brought Cardi B back to a simpler time: when the Bronx rapper was an exotic dancer best known for sliding down poles instead of climbing Billboard charts. “This sounds like ‘Cardi to the stage,’” she proclaims, nodding to her pre-fame nights clocking in at New York City gentlemen’s clubs. Indeed, Cardi is a showstopper on this much-anticipated collaboration with City Girls, swapping one catchy flow for another (and another), all while boasting the power of her paper, presence, and sexual prowess. —John Kennedy

5. “Backin It Up’,” Pardison Fontaine Feat. Cardi B (2018)

On this single, Cardi blessed Pardi with a gem that dials her hood whimsy up to the max. “Bitches think they f****n' with me, must be sick in the head,” she scoffs. “Why don't you chill with the beef and get some chicken instead?” Here, you can hear the distinction between Cardi and her longtime co-writer—both of their verses are funny and punny, but the Love & Hip-Hop alum’s pops with one-of-a-kind personality. DoorDash ain’t got shit on this delivery. —John Kennedy

4. “Clout,” Offset Feat. Cardi B (2019)

For “Clout,” Cardi B gave attention seekers exactly what they were looking for... without saying a single name. Her linkup with now-ex hubby Offset is a #veryonline anthem skewering haters, gossip folks, and trolls alike. “They know I'm the bomb, they ticking me off/Say anything to get a response/I know that mean they traffic is low/Somebody just gotta project to launch,” Cardi rhymes. Her extended verse has the internet fluency of a ratchet SEO strategist, accusing peers of playing with her name for clickbait purposes. With impeccable references to Brandy, Destiny’s Child, and Oscar the Grouch, it’s the best type of clapback: straight, no chaser. —John Kennedy

3. “Motorsport,” Migos Feat. Cardi B and Nicki Minaj (2017)

“Bodak Yellow” was still blazing hot when this lead single from Migos’ Culture II album forever altered the trajectories of the two women it featured. And it’s a shame that the song served as the seed of Cardi B and Nicki Minaj’s rift—overshadowing the bars themselves—because the former rose to the occasion with a stellar verse. Bardi showcased the clever wordplay and boisterous persona that have carried her throughout her career. She marked her territory (“I turn Offset on”), laughed off threats (“You heard she gon' do what from who?/That's not a reliable source”), put on for her culture (“I’m the trap Selena!”), and had hip-hop fans watching the throne. —John Kennedy

2. “Shake It,” (Kay Flock featuring Bory300, Cardi B, and Dougie B) (2022)

As a general schematic rule, NY drill is more violent than virtuosic. But Cardi collapses the distance between the two for “Shake It,” a furious surge of cutting death threats and quippy wordplay designed for IG captions and mass destruction. Here, Bardi lets loose only to put her foot on your throat. You can practically hear her sneering through the microphone: “I’m not a steppa, bitch I’m a stoppa/All of my opps get mixed with the grabba.” It’s all the viciousness you’d want from a drill song combined with the same wit that sent “Bodak Yellow” to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Cardi’s never been soft, but her ecstatic delivery gives you the sense that she couldn’t wait to go full gangsta: "I'm with the s**t and it give me a rush."  Honestly, like … same.—Peter A. Berry

1. “Tomorrow 2,” GloRilla Feat. Cardi B (2022)

If Annie had been set in the literal projects, its redhead lead would be rapping Cardi B’s “Tomorrow 2” verse instead of praying for the sun to come out. Swaggering, but human, it’s the clearest distillation of the Cardi B ethos. A verse-long mission statement delivered from the top of Mount Olympus—and directly at her opps. For this one, Bardi lets loose an overflow of punchlines and quips designed to dismantle. Wanna insult her? You can try, but Bardi doesn’t speak “dog hoe.” If you find yourself talking about her a little too much, she’s not just living rent free in your head; she’s got condos in it. The bars themselves were quotable enough to flood every timeline everywhere, but the cadence—courtesy of GloRilla—made each couplet into an infectious micro chorus, a common DNA strand of the best Bardi verses. Here, those elements coalesce into something that manages the rare task of being as optimistic as it is vicious. Released four years after Invasion of Privacy, the verse is a reminder of why Cardi will always be up, but never stuck. — Peter A. Berry