Cardi B Says Grandmother Told Her 'You're Going to Be a Star' as a Child: 'She Saw Something'

Sometimes a grandparent sees the vision before anyone else.

In a newly released interview with Alanté Serene for NPR Music, Cardi B looked back on her childhood interest in the art of performance at large, noting that she wasn’t “the best singer” but still brought something special to the stage from the very beginning.

“I did went to school for musical theatre,” the likely 69th Annual Grammy Awards contender said. “I always wanted to act. I used to love making songs. I used to like to sing. They never let me get into plays because I had bad grades, but I always entered the talent show. I used to rob the show, honey. I wasn’t the best singer. I wasn’t the best dancer.”

Cardi said her ability to “rob the show” extended to her time as a stripper, though it was her grandmother who recognized her burgeoning stardom at a decidedly early age.

“My grandma has, like, I don’t know, like 50 grandkids,” Cardi said during the conversation, which took place after she hit the Tiny Desk stage with a live band. “And she would tell me, like, ‘You’re going to be a star.’ And I’m five. So she knew, she knew something, she saw something. Something that I didn’t used to see.”

Needless to say, Cardi’s grandmother was right.