Cardi B isn’t easing into 2026 quietly. The Grammy-winning rapper opened her “Little Miss Drama” tour in California’s Coachella Valley on Feb. 11 with a line that quickly ricocheted beyond the arena, and into the federal government’s mentions.
During her set at Acrisure Arena, the Bronx native addressed immigration enforcement in a way only she can: loudly and without a filter. If Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents showed up, she told the crowd, fans would “jump” them. She added that she had bear mace backstage, framing the moment as protective banter aimed at defending her audience.
Clips spread across social media within hours.
DHS Responds
By the next day, the United States Department of Homeland Security weighed in on X. The agency referenced a resurfaced 2019 Instagram livestream in which Cardi B spoke about drugging and robbing men during her early days as a stripper, a controversy that went viral at the time.
“As long as she doesn’t drug and rob our agents, we’ll consider that an improvement,” the department wrote.
The exchange escalated from there.
Cardi B fired back on X, pivoting to the ongoing release of federal documents tied to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. She questioned why public discourse fixated on her past while, in her view, avoiding deeper scrutiny of Epstein’s associates.
“If we talking about drugs,” she wrote, “let’s talk about Epstein and friends drugging underage girls … Why y’all don’t wanna talk about the Epstein files?”
The comment drew thousands of reactions within minutes, fueling an already heated online debate.
From the Super Bowl to the Stage
The controversy arrives days after Cardi B appeared during the Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show, joining Bad Bunny for a surprise cameo. The halftime performance sparked backlash from some conservative commentators after the Puerto Rican star criticized ICE in past remarks and performed largely in Spanish.
An online petition briefly circulated calling for country singer George Strait to replace him. A conservative group, Turning Point USA, even promoted an alternative viewing event headlined by Kid Rock.
Bad Bunny closed his set by saying “God Bless America” and naming countries across the Americas beneath a billboard reading that love outweighs hate — a message that resonated with supporters and critics alike.
On-Stage Shade and Setlist Moments
Back in Palm Desert, Cardi B kept the energy high. She launched into “I Like It,” her hit collaboration with Bad Bunny and J Balvin, following her ICE remarks. Later in the show, she revived her ongoing feud with rapper BIA through a “mute challenge” tied to her track “Pretty & Petty,” prompting fans to name five BIA songs, then stay silent.
The tour opener blended spectacle with provocation, a formula that has long defined Cardi B’s public persona. Whether sparring with critics or federal agencies, she rarely lets commentary linger unanswered.
As the “Little Miss Drama” tour continues, it’s clear the title fits. The music may headline the night, but the conversation often extends well past the encore.
