Belcalis Almanzar: A Week in Review

Cardi B has given us so much: the non-problematic hit of the summer "Bodak Yellow," infinite Real Talk free advice on her Instagram, and a new face for the concept of The American Dream. But this week in Cardi's life has proved that no one can escape the occasional rough week.

If you're unfamiliar with the majesty that is Belcalis Almanzar, the Bronx-born grocery store cashier-turned stripper-turned Instagram celebrity-turned reality TV star-turned Billboard No. 1 rapper, where have you been? Queen Cardi started dancing after getting fired for being terrible at her "normal" person job. The abundance began flowing. With the money she made shaking everything her mama gave her, she started paving her way in a world stacked against her. She started posting little rants on Instagram about everything from bad relationships, to fake friends, to authenticity and self-love. People started responding. It wasn't long before fame and Cardi started flowing together. She landed a recurring spot on the show Love & Hip-Hop, where her authenticity continued to catch on. When Almanzar began talking about branching out into the boy's club of hip-hop, she was met with side-eyes and jokes; but she knew better than to give the haters any energy. That was simply misogynoir at work. She knew what she was capable of.

Cardi proved the haters wrong. After "Bodak Yellow" hit and sat on the top of the charts for weeks, it was released that she was branching out again! Queen Cardi had landed a major book deal, with the star proclaiming "Bodak Yellow"was "just the beginning." I can only imagine what kind of real-life advice served with a side of humor could come out of such a creation and I CANNOT wait to read it. All while all this was going on, Cardi seemed to find true love in one-third of the hit trap group Migos, rapper in his own right, Offset. The pair have often been seen canoodling, palpable mutual attraction ruminating, and support each other very vocally on social media, as well as in their real lives. She often credits Offset with helping her grow, and he frequently brags on how amazing she is. They really are the more forthcoming Jay and Bey of our time.

Well, everything is temporary, even smooth sailing. This week began with Cardi B posting a rare, very serious video to Instagram. "Somebody on my team is f***ing up." After quite a rant, where Bardi named names and raised the volume of her voice to that hilarious, but also you know not to mess with her, yelling level 11, she finally revealed that her beloved purple baby blanket had gone missing. She posted pictures of her with it, from better days gone by. She begged. She pleaded. She cried.

As if the lack of sleep over this missing prized possession caused a negativity spiral, Cardi B also contracted some kind of monster cold. She posted story after story of her laying in the dark, congested and miserable. Not a few days later, another rant of Cardi's surfaced. She claimed that, despite not being a doer of weed (because it makes her paranoid), some cops came to her hotel room, claimed the hallway reeked of marijuana, and asked Almanzar and her team to leave the premises. Never one to hold back, Cardi told the whole story of how none of her staff smokes weed, but the whole hotel floor was filled with white people and her staff does consist mostly of people of color. Put two and two together and it seems like the authorities chose to target and punish the brown people on the floor for something they didn't do. Surprise, surprise. It is, after all, Trump's America. Her and her staff were the only ones kicked out of the Albany hotel. The warrior princess called them out on their racism, just like the time an NYPD officer put her in a choke hold a couple months ago; Cardi never shies away from her truth. No matter who she's up against.

So, to keep track, now Cardi B is sick, without her baby blanket, and unceremoniously removed from her hotel in the middle of the night.

It doesn't matter how many red bottom shoes you own, bad luck touches us all from time to time.

In this same week, in the life of Cardi B, another Instagram story popped up of the rapper showing off her cleavage in a lace-up low-cut top and pouting her lips; the caption the star provided was one word, but the weight of that word was clear-cut and undeniable. "Single."

What happened? Were Cardi B and Offset over? I was really rooting for them! We were ALL rooting for them!

Well, just like in life, everything is temporary, even our suffering. Cardi B posted yesterday that her dad found her purple blanket. She woke up the next morning feeling regretful and more clear-headed about her breakup with Offset, posting a very Cardi apology, "So listen babes, I exaggerated a lil bit earlier cause I was real upset and the Bronx girl in me always have to go to extremes. I came to my sense now. I'm sorry... waffle house on me??" And, her complaints about the racism of the hotel staff and the police on hand have further opened up a dialogue about discrimination, which is very important, and a fight that Cardi and her Bardi gang won't give up on.

There it is. When it rains it pours, but the clouds will part, and the sun will shine again. Let Cardi B guide you through your dark days, so that they pass without affecting your inner-peace. She made it through her's, you can make it through your's too.

Cuz can't nothin' keep Cardi B down.