Bartier Cardi
by Cardi B (featuring 21 Savage)

Album: Invasion of Privacy (2017)
Charted: 40 14
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Société Cartier is a French luxury goods company which is well known for its jewellery and watches. Founded in Paris in 1847 by Louis-François Cartier, the company has a long history of sales to royalty and celebrities. During this track, Cardi spits rapid-fire bars about her lavish lifestyle after the success of her previous single, "Bodak Yellow." "Cartier" and "Cardi" sound alike, so the rapper compares herself to the luxury brand.
  • So why "Bartier"? During an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon Cardi explained: "I had to name it 'Bartier' because I didn't want Cartier to sue me."
  • Cardi B started dating fellow rapper Offset in early 2017 and during the hook, Cardi brags about her sexual exploits with the Migos spitter. She says Offset's name a total of 16 times throughout the song, referencing her beau four times per chorus.
  • Cardi B is accompanied by 21 Savage, who brags about his luxury items as well as rhyming about his own activities in the bedroom. The song is the first collaboration between the pair.
  • The fast-paced trap beat is courtesy of:

    Mike WiLL Made-It's in house producer 30 Roc, whose other credits include T-Wayne's "Nasty Freestyle," Rae Sremmurd's "Real Chill" and Yo Gotti's "Rake It Up."

    Miami native Darryl McCorkell, whose production moniker is Cheeze Beatz. He is best known for supplying beats for Migos including the tracks "Handsome and Wealthy," "Wishy Washy" and "Cocoon."
  • This was the first instrumentation that 30 Roc and Cheeze Beatz had done for Cardi B. "While we created this beat, it don't sound nothing like 'Bodak Yellow'," 30 told Genius. However the pair were confident from the start that the soundscape would go to Cardi.

    "It took us about two months to get the beat to her. About seven weeks to get the record done," Cheeze added. "When I heard the finished product I was like, 'Hell yeah. This bitch gon' go.'"
  • Cardi B recorded the songs on Invasion of Privacy multiple times as she is self-conscious about her distinct Dominican accent. She explained to GQ that the first take of her songs often feature pronunciations that she isn't satisfied with.

    "That's my biggest problem, that takes me a long time in the booth," Cardi said. "I be trying to pronounce words properly and without an accent. Each and every song from my album, I most likely did it over five times, because I'm really insecure about my accent when it comes to music. In person, I don't care."

    Cardi pointed to this song's chorus as an example. "I will say, 'turning you awhn,' not 'turning you on,'" she said. "'Turn Offset awhff.' There's that 'awhff.' Turn Offset off. S--t like that drives me insane… It's a really bad pet peeve of mine. I can't help it."
  • Directed by Petra Collins, the music video shows Cardi B performing in red fur, satin lingerie and diamonds. It cost $150,000 to film.

    We also see Cardi in the back of a vehicle with Offset. The rapper revealed she was pregnant with the couple's daughter, Kulture, while filming the clip. "I was trying my best to conceal my tiny belly," she tweeted. "I felt uncomfortable in the car cause I really wanted to be sexy with Offset but I was looking very pregnant so I didn't feel sexy."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Laura Nyro

Laura NyroSongwriting Legends

Laura Nyro talks about her complex, emotionally rich songwriting and how she supports women's culture through her art.

Roger McGuinn of The Byrds

Roger McGuinn of The ByrdsSongwriter Interviews

Roger reveals the songwriting formula Clive Davis told him, and if "Eight Miles High" is really about drugs.

Gary Brooker of Procol Harum

Gary Brooker of Procol HarumSongwriter Interviews

The lead singer and pianist for Procol Harum, Gary talks about finding the musical ideas to match the words.

Jack Blades of Night Ranger and Damn Yankees

Jack Blades of Night Ranger and Damn YankeesSongwriter Interviews

Revisit the awesome glory of Night Ranger and Damn Yankees: cheesily-acted videos, catchy guitar licks, long hair, and lyrics that are just plain relatable.

Rock Stars of Horror

Rock Stars of HorrorMusic Quiz

Rock Stars - especially those in the metal realm - are often enlisted for horror movies. See if you know can match the rocker to the role.

David Bowie Leads the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Long-Haired Men

David Bowie Leads the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Long-Haired MenSong Writing

Bowie's "activist" days of 1964 led to Ziggy Stardust.