In 2018, rapper Cardi B, born Belcalis Almánzar, was involved in a bottle-throwing incident at a strip club in Queens. The “Bodak Yellow” artist turned herself into New York City police after being in connection with an assault on two bartenders at a Queens strip club.
Now, she is pleading guilty to two misdemeanor charges, avoiding jail time.
The 2018 Bottle-Throwing Incident
MEGACardi B was one of 10 people accused of assault, including throwing bottles and chairs, during an incident that took place on August 29 in Flushing, Queens.
According to Good Morning America, the “WAP” rapper was “charged with one count of misdemeanor assault for striking a bartender, causing a laceration to that person’s foot and bruising the individual’s legs. She was also charged with two counts of misdemeanor reckless endangerment for throwing items at the bartenders.”
The rapper ended up turning herself in to New York City police after being in connection with the assault.
It is still unclear, but at the time of the incident, police said were investigating the possibility of one of the bartenders having an affair with Cardi B’s then-husband, Offset.
Cardi B Pleads Guilty, Avoids Jail Time
MEGACardi B pleaded guilty Thursday, September 15, to two misdemeanor charges for her part in the 2018 bottle-throwing incident. Because she pleaded guilty, the rapper will avoid jail time and agreed to 15 days of community service, as reported by Good Morning America.
“Part of growing up and maturing is being accountable for your actions,” Cardi B said in a statement. “As a mother, it’s a practice that I am trying to instill in my children, but the example starts with me. I’ve made some bad decisions in my past that I am not afraid to face and own up to. These moments don’t define me and they are not reflective of who I am now. I’m looking forward to moving past this situation with my family and friends and getting back to the things I love the most — the music and my fans.”
Cardi B appeared in court alongside two other co-defendants, both of whom also pleaded guilty to their involvement in the bottle-throwing incident. All three agreed they will stay away from the two victims, who police speculated may have been sexually involved with Cardi B’s husband, Offset.
The two have two children together, Kulture, 4, and Wave, 1. Cardi B and Offset married in 2017, but the “Up” rapper filed for divorce from Offset in September 2020. However, she then decided to cancel the filing two months later.
Cardi B has set records for the female music industry, having received two nominations for the Brit Award for International Female Solo Artist (in 2019 and 2021). Aside from Missy Elliott, Cardi B is the only other female rapper to be nominated multiple times in that category, making history.
