For as long as she’s been around, Cardi B has had to battle the perception that while she is a certified hit maker, she hasn’t always been the best straight-up rapper. While that narrative is usually pushed by out-of-touch old dudes who mostly seem to resent that a woman could be so successful in what’s seen as a male-dominated genre, it has unfortunately been something of a smudge on an otherwise pristine career.

Cardi B’s new single, “ Imaginary Playerz ,” should finally put that narrative to bed — with a horse head on the pillow.

It’s got a bunch of the aesthetic things that old heads listen for subconsciously before giving new artists a chance. It draws on hip-hop history , borrowing a beat, flows, and conceptual vibes from a 1997 Jay-Z deep cut (“Imaginary Player” from In M

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