Cardi B Says She Nearly Fell Asleep During Assault Trial, Teases Tour News Coming Soon

Cardi B admitted she briefly nodded off during a recent courtroom proceeding, but she’s moved quickly from that stressful chapter to preparing for a major milestone: a tour in support of her forthcoming album, Am I the Drama?.

Appearing on The Jennifer Hudson Show on Monday, September 15, the Bronx rapper discussed what it was like to testify during a weeklong trial and confirmed she’ll be hitting the road to promote her new record. The interview arrives nearly two weeks after a judge ruled in Cardi’s favor in the suit brought by former security guard Emani Ellis, concerning an incident alleged to have occurred in 2018 — claims Cardi has repeatedly denied.

“I was very, very upset,” Cardi told Hudson, describing the strain of balancing an album rollout with court obligations. She also said the trial being broadcast nationally compounded the stress and cost her time with family: “I missed my kids’ first day of school!”

Viewers who watched the proceedings online noticed a brief moment when Cardi appeared to fall asleep in court. When Hudson asked whether she had dozed, the rapper laughed and admitted she had, explaining, “I had a long night… I was so sleepy, I was trying to fight it.”

With the trial concluded, Cardi can now turn her full attention to Am I the Drama?, which is scheduled for release on Friday, September 19, 2025. She even leaned into the publicity around the courtroom appearance by issuing alternate album artwork featuring photos from the proceedings.

On Hudson’s show Cardi confirmed plans for a concert run: “Yes, I actually have an announcement coming soon!” she said, sounding excited. She added that she’s already training — going to the gym and taking dance classes — to prepare for the stage.

Though Cardi has long been an experienced live presence, this upcoming itinerary is widely anticipated to be her first full-scale headlining tour. In a recent Billboard cover conversation she addressed criticism about the pace of her releases and emphasized that live performances are a vital part of her career, noting, “The most money I make is when I go and do shows.” She stressed that artistic quality, not speed, guides her decisions.

Shortly after that feature ran, Cardi accepted Billboard’s Impact of the Year award during the 2025 R&B/Hip‑Hop Power Players event, reflecting on how meaningful it is to build a career she once only dreamed about.

Watch Cardi speak about the trial and her touring plans below.

Source