Overview

• Joe Budden criticized Cardi B’s delivery on The Joe Budden Podcast, calling the beat choice risky and saying she should not repeat the move.
• Joey Bada$$ praised the song’s New York energy, describing it as an homage that carries the city’s lineage.
• Forbes, citing Billboard data, reports Jay‑Z’s “Imaginary Players” jumped 313% in U.S. streams to 427,000 during Aug. 15–18 after Cardi’s release.
• The Source, citing Music Data, says Jay‑Z’s In My Lifetime Vol. 1 re‑entered the iTunes Hip-Hop charts with “Imaginary Players” reaching the Top 40.
• “Imaginary Playerz” previews Cardi B’s album Am I The Drama? due Sept. 19, with Cardi defending the inclusion of hits like “WAP” and “Up” and noting Jay‑Z approved the sample.