Grammy-winning rapper Cardi B opened her Little Miss Drama Tour on February 11 with characteristic ferocity, transforming her performance into a charged spectacle that extended far beyond music.
Fresh from a whirlwind Super Bowl weekend, she appeared energised, unfiltered, and ready to confront controversy head-on.
Midway through the show, Cardi delivered a fiery warning directed at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), a remark that reverberated across social media within minutes.
In a now-viral clip, she declared that if ICE agents entered the venue, the crowd would “jump they a**,” adding theatrically that she had “bear mace in the back.” The statement electrified the audience and immediately ignited online debate, with supporters praising her defiance and critics condemning the rhetoric as reckless.
“If ICE come in here, we’re gonna jump they a**es… They ain’t taking my fans, b**ch!”
— Cardi B before performing “I Like It” on the ‘Little Miss Drama’ Tour pic.twitter.com/fHlTpE1Nhz
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) February 12, 2026
The comments did not go unanswered. The United States Department of Homeland Security issued a pointed response via its official X account, referencing coverage of the moment and reviving Cardi’s past admission that prior to her rise to fame she had drugged and robbed men while working as an exotic dancer. The agency’s retort carried a sharp undertone, framing its response as both a warning and a public rebuke.
Cardi has previously addressed that turbulent chapter with stark honesty. In 2019, she acknowledged making desperate choices during a period of financial hardship, emphasising that she never glorified those actions nor embedded them in her music as something aspirational.
She has repeatedly stated that while she owns her past, she does not celebrate it positioning her confession within hip-hop’s tradition of raw, autobiographical storytelling rather than self-exoneration.
Yet this latest confrontation saw Cardi pivot aggressively. Rather than retreat under federal scrutiny, she redirected public attention toward the long-running scandal surrounding convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Questioning the selective outrage, she invoked the controversial “Epstein files,” reigniting discourse around powerful figures whose historical associations with Epstein continue to surface following recent document releases by the US Department of Justice.
Her remarks expanded the scope of the controversy from a concert outburst to a broader critique of institutional accountability and elite networks.
The ripple effects of renewed scrutiny have also extended into the entertainment industry. Wasserman Group founder Casey Wasserman has faced mounting criticism over historical links to Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s longtime associate who is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for sex trafficking.
In response to the growing backlash, several artists including Chappell Roan and Orville Peck have reportedly severed ties with the agency, calling for structural reform and ethical transparency.
Meanwhile, Cardi’s personal life has added yet another layer to the unfolding drama. The 33-year-old rapper recently unfollowed her boyfriend, NFL wide receiver Stefon Diggs, on Instagram a move he promptly reciprocated.
The digital distancing ignited speculation of tension between the couple, who welcomed a baby boy in November, whose name remains undisclosed.
The timing intensified public curiosity, particularly as Diggs’ team, the New England Patriots, suffered a championship defeat to the Seattle Seahawks, amplifying scrutiny around his own professional setbacks.
In a matter of days, what began as a tour opening has evolved into a multifaceted saga a combustible mix of performance bravado, political confrontation, resurfaced controversies, institutional responses, and personal upheaval.
Whether celebrated as fearless or criticised as incendiary, Cardi B once again stands at the epicentre of a media storm, wielding her platform with unapologetic intensity and refusing to temper her voice in the face of backlash.
