Cardi B wants more rappers to speak out about Breonna Taylor’s death

Cardi B called out fellow rappers for not being more vocal about the death of the 26-year-old EMT

Cardi B thegrio.com
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 15: Cardi B attends Metro By T-Mobile Presents: Live In LA Powered By Pandora Featuring Cardi B And Jhené Aiko at Academy Nightclub on November 15, 2018 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for Pandora Media Inc. )

While social media remains abuzz about Cardi B‘s new single “WAP” featuring Megan Thee Stallion, the politically savvy rapper has opted to stay more focused on social justice issues. In particular, her mind is on the death of 26-year-old EMT Breonna Taylor.

“That is so insane to me,” the Bronx native opined in her cover story for Elle’s September issue.

Cardi B Elle thegrio.com
(Credit: Elle Magazine)

“[I saw] Breonna Taylor’s name everywhere, but I didn’t really know her story. What they did to her is really f–ked up. Really f–ked up. What’s the excuse? Why is the cop not in jail? Wasn’t what he did a crime? It’s a crime! And no apology. No apology. No video of the cop coming out crying, ‘I f–ked up’ … Nothing. It’s nothing. I don’t even know how her mom still holds her head up. Unbelievable.”

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Recently, activist Tamika Mallory set up a meeting with Taylor’s mother, Tamika Palmer, to meet with Cardi and several other celebrities wanting to help advocate for her daughter. The police officers responsible for her death have not yet been arrested.

Ever since that interaction, the entertainer – who is a mother herself – has felt overwhelming empathy for how Palmer must be feeling about the lack of response from Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron.

Cardi B Elle thegrio.com
(Credit: Elle Magazine)

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“Imagine how frustrated her mom was, crying, probably hysterical. The cops call her saying her daughter is in the hospital, and her daughter is not even there,” Cardi B said.

“Then the person who’s supposed to protect her is asking her mom, ‘Do you know anybody who [would] want to hurt Breonna Taylor?’ when you guys know who killed her!”

She also called out fellow rappers for not being more vocal about this case, noting, “A woman like Breonna Taylor, she was young. She looked like she was listening to your music. She looked like she was your fan. You should stick up for her.”

Cardi B thegrio.com
(Credit: Elle Magazine)

As for her new album, whose lead single has already caused tons of heated debate, she explained the intent.

“My music is always going to make a woman feel like a bad bitch. When you make a woman feel like she’s the baddest bitch in the room, to me, that’s female empowerment,” the rapper said.

“But this album is going to be really different. Of course, it’s going to have my Lemonade moments, my personal relationship moments.”

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