“THIS IS SO ICONIC” - Netizens react to thousands of Cardi B fans crowding her pop-up event in New York

Cardi B made an unannounced appearance at a neighborhood deli in Washington Heights, New York City, on Saturday, September 13, 2025. This happened ahead of the release of her long-awaited new album AM I THE DRAMA?.

The rapper organized an unexpected pop-up event in Cloud Deli on 159th Street. Hundreds of fans reportedly attended the gathering, with many standing outside for hours, hoping to catch a glimpse of her and take part in the spectacle.

According to The New York Post, Cardi gave out approximately 200 deli sandwiches and 300 beverages to the crowd who were dancing on the top of a parked car outside the venue.

The video clips of this pop-up event started circulating on social media, with fans highlighting the atmosphere and divided opinions about Cardi’s latest promotional tactic. One netizen shared an enthusiastic response on X:

“THIS IS SO ICONIC.”

Others believed that this NYC stunt blurred the distinction between art and marketing.

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Cardi B’s expansive promotion strategy

The promotional campaign by Cardi B for her upcoming album, Am I the Drama? has been very visible and interactive. Among these, the surprise pop-up event in New York is one of the most recent and notable events. On September 14, 2025, the rapper also uploaded the video of the crowd gathered at the event. The X post reads:

Besides this pop-up, Cardi B has been employing various promotional strategies. In early September, she made a humorous video on TikTok and Instagram where she was seen selling vinyl and CDs of Am I the Drama? off a blanket, invoking old-school “on the street” hustling.

Cardi was also spotted at fashion events with visual motifs associated with Am I the Drama?. At the Paris Fashion Week in July 2025, she wore a black pearl-fringe gown with matching gloves and held a real crow in her hand, which was inspired by her new album cover. On the cover, Cardi posed in a red outfit and heels with a swarm of crows gathering around her.

Album cover art (Image via Instagram/@iamcardib)

The rapper has also been active in social media, teasing fans with snippets, cover art, and messages explaining the creative decisions behind her album, like the inclusion of older singles WAP and Up.

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Cardi B’s Am I the Drama?

Am I the Drama? is an upcoming second studio album by Cardi B, and is set to be released on September 19, 2025, on Atlantic Records. The project is the result of years of work, after the success of her Grammy-winning debut studio album Invasion of Privacy (2018).

The album reportedly includes 23 tracks, including a combination of new content and some of Cardi's most well-known hits. Confirmed inclusions include WAP (2020) and Up (2021), and both made it to the top of the charts on release, still being central to her artistic persona.

In addition to these, the album will also feature more recent singles like Outside and Imaginary Playerz, as a signal of trying to balance the older successes with her new sound.

Cardi B at the Paris Fashion Week on July 07, 2025. (Image via Getty)

Commercial expectations for Am I the Drama? are high. Pre-sales are said to be more than 1.5 million units in the U.S. across both physical and digital formats before release. According to Rap-Up, Cardi plans to schedule a set of in-store meet-and-greet events related to the purchase of albums, starting the week of its release.

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Stay tuned for more updates.

Edited by DEEPALI