Cardi B frames her May 25 wins as a victory lap for the Bardi Gang, publicly committing to perform at next year's AMAs no matter what—classic Cardi humble-brag wrapped in gratitude.
Insiders note this wasn't just any awards night—three trophies in one ceremony puts Cardi back at center stage after some turbulent years. Her Knicks obsession is also very calculated New York cred.
Cardi B won three AMAs on May 25, 2026: Best Female Rapper, Best Hip-Hop Album (Am I the Drama?), and Best Hip-Hop Song (ErrTime). She now has nine total AMA wins. The Knicks swept Cleveland in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals by 37 points—their first NBA Finals berth since 1999.
Cardi B just pulled off a rare doubleheader—dominating at the AMAs while riding New York's basketball renaissance. That's not luck, that's cultural positioning done right.
Cardi B had herself one hell of a Monday night, and she made sure everyone knew it. The Bronx native took to her Instagram Stories on May 25 to celebrate winning three awards at the 2026 American Music Awards—Best Female Rapper, Best Hip-Hop Album for "Am I the Drama?" and Best Hip-Hop Song for "ErrTime." But that wasn't all that had her hyped. The New York Knicks also clinched their first NBA Finals berth since 1999 by demolishing the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals, winning by a staggering 37 points to complete the sweep.
Cardi called it: "What a great day: the Knicks is going to the motherf–king finals, I won three award shows! What's next?" In her victory video, Cardi addressed the fans directly, saying: "AMAs! Thank you so much for giving me three awards tonight.
Best female rapper, best hip-hop song and best hip-hop album. Thank you so much and I promise you, not only am I gonna attend next year, I'm gonna perform." She doubled down on that commitment, adding with characteristic bluntness: "That's word to everything, I don't give a f–k what I'm doing." The rapper also made sure to specify where her trophies should be sent—her house, not her mom's place. "Don't send to my mom house because she be keeping my awards," Cardi explained.
The Knicks victory hit different for Cardi, who posted footage of herself watching the game with her engineer in the studio—who was fittingly rocking a Jalen Brunson T-shirt. She later shared clips of the Empire State Building lit up in orange and blue for New York's playoff run. "Fire!
We ain't f–king around," the 33-year-old said in awe. This latest AMA showing brings Cardi B's total wins at the ceremony to nine, solidifying her grip on the Best Female Rapper category. Her album "Am I the Drama?" dropped in September and topped the Billboard 200 with 200,000 total album units earned, according to Luminate data.
The LP standout "ErrTime" reached No. 43 on the Billboard Hot 100 and dominated the Rhythmic Airplay chart, with Jeezy later hopping on an official remix. With the NBA Finals returning to Madison Square Garden for Games 3 and 4 in June, don't be surprised if Cardi shows up courtside again—she previously made headlines last May when she attended a Knicks playoff game against the Boston Celtics, marking her first public appearance with NFL star Stefon Diggs.
