Posted by It’s up and it’s stuck.
Cardi B’s new single “UP” has officially made its Billboard Hot 100 debut. Arriving at No. 2, the position makes for the highest charting debut for a solo woman in rap since Lauryn Hill’s “Doo Wop (That Thing)” in 1998. This also makes for the Bronx native’s ninth top 10 song.
Celebrating the song’s success on Twitter, Cardi admitted she’d been nervous about how it would do and even cried shortly after its release after seeing a critic cast doubt.
“At the beginning of last week I was crying because one single post put my confidence down,” she wrote. “She needs promo , she’s a flop, she needs help erasing the fact I been constantly winning.I had to brush it off remind myself I beat records wit my last record & now boom .Chart too high.”
At the beginning of last week I was crying because one single post put my confidence down.She needs promo , she’s a flop, she needs help erasing the fact I been constantly winning.I had to brush it off remind myself I beat records wit my last record & now boom .Chart too high.
— iamcardib (@iamcardib) February 16, 2021
The Tanu Muino-directed music video has surpassed 45 million views on YouTube since its premiere on February 4.
In another tweet, Cardi made it clear that she wasn’t trying to hit No. 1 and was only worried about making the top 5.
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“I want to thank my fans with the bottom & top of my heart,” she tweeted. “Ya remind of me .The underdogs.So underestimated but show the fuck out when it’s time .I really can’t believe this .I told a couple of yall I don’t care about a number 1 a top 5 is a big win for me.”
I want to thank my fans with the bottom & top of my heart .Ya remind of me .The https://t.co/9yNmyAmQHx underestimated but show the fuck out when it’s time .I really can’t believe this .I told a couple of yall I don’t care about a number 1 a top 5 is a big win for me
— iamcardib (@iamcardib) February 16, 2021
The track follows the success of her No. 1 single “WAP” with Megan Thee Stallion, and fans are hopeful it means an album is finally on the way. April will make three years since Bardi’s chart-topping debut Invasion of Privacy, but she recently told Apple Music’s Zane Lowe she still doesn’t feel quite ready to release a follow-up.
“I really wanted to put out an album last year, but I feel like I don’t have the right songs,” she said. “I recorded so many songs, I think I got like 50 songs recorded. If I’m not satisfied, I’m just not satisfied. I really want to put out an album this year and I feel like I have no choice now. Now, I feel like I’ve exceeded my limit of holdings. I just need to stop with the fear.”
Watch the video for “UP” below.