If you thought motherhood was going to hurt Cardi B’s pockets, you thought wrong. Cardi pulled out of her scheduled tour with Bruno Mars because neither she nor her infant daughter, Kulture Kiari, were ready for extensive travel. It was a setback in the wave of success that she’s experienced since releasing her album, Invasion of Privacy. But that doesn’t mean that she’s out of the game. TMZ is reporting that Cardi B is asking for a minimum $300,000 (£230,000) performance fee following her maternity leave, which is no chump change. That’s not her only stipulation — apparently she is also taking gigs that are close to home so that she doesn’t have to be too far away from her baby.
When Cardi accepted the coveted Best New Artist Award at this year's MTV VMAs, she gave a speech and mentioned all of the people who insisted that she was putting her career in jeopardy by going through with her pregnancy. “I had a baby, I carried the baby, and now I’m still winning awards!” she bragged. Thanks to those awards, she has now upped her asking fee to perform. Apparently Cardi booked Coachella, which she performed at while five months pregnant, for a smooth £77,000. Since then, she’s won three VMAs, and even surprised fans at the NYC stop of the Aubrey & The Three Migos tour when she came out to spit her verse on “Motorsport.” It’s clear that Cardi is not throwing in the towel any time soon. So I hope you've been saving up if you're trying to book her for your company or birthday party.
But what is more important than the serious money moves she’s making now —TMZ added that Cardi has been courted for offers in the $500,000 (£385,000) range since giving birth — is the important message that she is sending to women. Motherhood does not have to signal the end of a fruitful career, and vice versa. Cardi is certainly in a position of privilege as an entertainer to dictate the terms of her schedule and can afford additional childcare that other moms cannot. But if there was ever an example of creating a sense of balance of the two responsibilities and asking for the things you need to make that balance possible, Cardi is it. Not all heroes wear capes. Some of them wear long weaves and nails.