American rapper Cardi B greeted her fans at Riyadh’s MDLBEAST Soundstorm festival, saying, “Salam alaikum, everything is mashallah,” during her performance on Sunday, December 14. Her appearance came shortly after she went viral on social media for a series of livestreams documenting her time in Saudi Arabia.
Ahead of the concert, Cardi B sparked widespread online discussion through videos in which she compared her experience in Saudi Arabia to life in the United States. In one livestream, she remarked, “America just got no courtesy. We just dusty. I’m sorry to say it,” contrasting what she described as a lack of consideration in the United States with her experience abroad.
She also expressed frustration about returning to the United States, particularly regarding taxes and feeling underappreciated. In one video, she said, “Let me tell you something, Saudi Arabia, I like discounts, I like tax-free. I don’t like alcohol. I follow all the rules. I am a good woman.”
In another clip, the rapper praised the country’s rapid development, saying, “Everything is brand new, honey. This country looks like it was just opened up yesterday.”
For her Riyadh performance, Cardi B changed both her sound and style to align with the local context. The set was delivered without her most explicit material, while her outfit favored full coverage rather than her signature revealing looks.
Her appearance and comments sparked significant online debate, particularly around whether international artists should respect local cultural values when performing abroad. The discussion also extended to whether artists have a responsibility to learn about and positively represent the cultures of the countries they visit to global audiences.
In one widely shared video, a Saudi fan praised Cardi B’s “modest” outfit and her decision to cover her hair. “I’m not someone who usually goes to concerts, but after watching her videos and how she was learning words and going around Riyadh, you can tell she really wanted to be there and actually get to know the place,” the fan said.
Following online commentary suggesting she was paid to promote Saudi Arabia, Cardi B clarified that she was compensated solely for her performance at the festival and not for making positive statements about the country or promoting it.
Her actions also drew reactions from fans, with some agreeing that cultural respect is important when traveling. One commenter wrote, “There’s nothing wrong with being respectful when you’re a tourist. More people should be.”
Riyadh’s MDLBEAST Soundstorm festival brings together more than 200 artists from across the global music scene, with recent additions including Pitbull, Halsey, and Swedish House Mafia’s Sebastian Ingrosso.
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