Cardi B's highly anticipated new single is set to drop on Friday, marking another milestone in her build-up to the release of her long-awaited sophomore album, "Am I the Drama?", slated for September 19th. Prior to the album's unveiling, she has whetted fans' appetites with teasers about the upcoming single titled "Imaginary Players," which shares a name with a legendary 1997 track by JAY-Z. This coincidence has sparked a flurry of speculations on social media, with fans pondering if Cardi's song might sample from JAY-Z's "In My Lifetime, Vol. 1."
The buzz around "Imaginary Players" has inadvertently dragged Cardi into the ongoing saga between Nicki Minaj and JAY-Z. Nicki has been on a social media rampage for weeks, venting her frustrations about JAY and Roc Nation. One fan speculated on X (formerly Twitter), caught by AllHipHop, "After months of Nicki Minaj bashing Jay Z online, did he clear a song for Cardi B out of spite? Do you still think Nicki is crazy?" Another user added, "So all those Roc Nation defectors in the past couple of months were actually because Nicki found out Cardi has a JAY-Z collaboration and it's eating her up inside?"
Cardi B has yet to confirm whether her track will indeed sample JAY-Z's song, but she has hinted at the extensive efforts poured into creating "Imaginary Players." She recently shared, "If only you knew the story behind what I had to endure for this single and for what's yet to come. But when the song drops, I'll reveal more of the narrative, and with it, more surprises for you all."
On Friday, Cardi B will release "Imaginary Players," her second single from "Am I the Drama?" since its announcement earlier this year. In June, she had unveiled "Outside," a track that delved into her past relationship with Offset. The album's tracklist will also feature the 2020 hit "WAP" and the 2021 single "Up," promising fans an eclectic mix of sounds and stories.
