Yes, Cardi B Is Black & Proud of It: Why the Rapper's Afro-Latina Heritage Shouldn't Be Erased

Cardi B was already destined for fame, even when she was a young stripper trying to make ends meet in the Bronx and when she was a cast member of Love & Hip-Hop: New York. Now, with a few (and impressive) No. 1 singles under her belt, the rapper is projected to rise even higher. But as with many people of color, her success has come with the erasure of her ethnicity.

As the "Bodak Yellow" starlet's celebrity presence became more mainstream, people have either been quick to criticize her for not explicitly stating her blackness or simply disregard her roots. But as Cardi B will tell you, she is Black and displays a confident assurance when it comes to being Afro-Latina. "One thing that always bothers me is that people know so little about my culture. We are Caribbean people. And a lot of people be attacking me because they feel like I don’t be saying that I’m black." she explained to Zendaya in a recent interview with CR Fashion Book. "Some people want to decide if you’re black or not, depending on your skin complexion, because they don’t understand Caribbean people or our culture."