American rapper Cardi B has generated significant social media attention in Saudi Arabia following her headline performance at Riyadh’s MDLBEAST Soundstorm festival in the early hours of Sunday. The artist captivated audiences with her cultural sensitivity and enthusiastic appreciation for the Kingdom.
During her set, Cardi B greeted the thousands-strong crowd with the traditional Muslim salutation ‘Salam alaikum’ and repeatedly used the Arabic phrase ‘mashallah’ (meaning ‘God has willed it’) to express her admiration for the wealthy Gulf state. In widely shared Instagram videos, the performer remarked, ‘Everything is brand new, honey. This country looks like it was just opened up yesterday.’
The artist demonstrated notable adaptation to local cultural norms, opting for a flowing outfit that covered her from neck to toe—a departure from her typically revealing stage attire. Known for her explicit language, Cardi B maintained a more restrained tone throughout her performance, avoiding her most graphic expressions.
In the days leading up to the festival, the rapper documented her Saudi experience through social media posts from Riyadh’s luxury shopping malls, where she donned a hijab and enthusiastically praised both the retail opportunities and the opulence of the Saudi capital. ‘The shopping is great, Mashallah!’ she exclaimed in one video, while also expressing delight at her recognition in the Kingdom: ‘I’m somebody over here.’
Cardi B’s Saudi appearance follows her recent legal victory in a $24 million civil trial where she was cleared of assault charges alleging she had slashed a woman’s face with her fingernails. The rapper joins a growing list of Western celebrities who have recently performed in Gulf states, including Jennifer Lopez, Celine Dion, and Eminem, as the region continues to attract international talent across entertainment and sports.