I Like It by Cardi B Lyrics Meaning – Unpacking the Cultural Cachet of a Chart-Topping Anthem

You can view the lyrics, alternate interprations and sheet music for Cardi B's I Like It at Lyrics.org.

Lyrics

Yeah baby, I like it like that
You gotta believe me when I tell you
I said I like it like that
You gotta believe me when I tell you
I said I like it like

Now I like dollars, I like diamonds
I like stunting, I like shining
I like million dollar deals
Where’s my pen? Bitch I’m signin’
I like those Balenciagas, the ones that look like socks
I like going to the jeweler, I put rocks all in my watch
I like texts from my exes when they want a second chance
I like proving niggas wrong, I do what they say I can’t
They call me Cardi Bardi, banging body
Spicy mami, hot tamale
Hotter than a Somali, fur coat, Ferrari
Hop out the stu’, jump in the coupe (coupe)
Big Dipper on top of the roof
Flexing on bitches as hard as I can
Eating halal, driving the Lam’
Told that bitch I’m sorry though
‘Bout my coins like Mario (Mario)
Yeah they call me Cardi B, I run this shit like cardio
Oh, facts

Diamond district in the Jag’ (I said I like it like that)
Certified, you know I’m gang, gang, gang, gang (I said I like it like)
Drop the top and blow the brains (I said I like it like that)
Oh, he’s so handsome, what’s his name? (I said I like it)
Oh, I need the dollars (I said I like it like that) (ch-ching)
Beat it up like piñatas (I said I like it like)
Tell the driver, close the curtains (I said I like it like that)
Bad bitch make him nervous (I said I like it)
Cardi B

Chambean, chambean, pero no jalan (¡jalan!)
Tú compras to’a las Jordan, bobo, a mí me las regalan (jejeje)
I spend in the club (wuh), what you have in the bank (yeh)
This is the new religion, bang, en latino gang, gang, yeh
Trato de hacer dieta (yeh)
Pero es que en el closet tengo mucha grasa (wuh)
Ya mude la Gucci pa’ dentro de casa, yeh (¡wuh!)
Cabrón, a ti no te conocen ni en Plaza (no)
El Diablo me llama pero Jesucristo me abraza
Guerrero como Eddie, que viva la raza (yeh)
Me gustan boricuas, me gustan cubanas (rrr)
Me gusta el acento de las colombianas (¿qué hubo pues?)
Cómo mueve el culo la dominicana (¿qué lo que?)
Lo rico que me chingan las venezolanas (woo!)
Andamos activos, Perico Pin Pin (woo)
Billetes de cien en el maletín (ching)
Que retumbe el bajo, Bobby Valentin, yeh (boo)
Aquí es prohibido amar, diles Charytín
Que pa’l picor les tengo Claritin
Yo llego a la disco y se forma el motín (rrr)

Diamond district in the Jag’ (I said I like it like that)
Bad Bunny, baby, be, be, be, be
Certified, you know I’m gang, gang, gang, gang (I said I like it like-)
Drop the top and blow the brains (I said I like it like that)
Oh, he’s so handsome, what’s his name? (I said I like it)
Oh, I need the dollars (I said I like it like that)
Beat it up like piñatas (I said I like it like)
Tell the driver, close the curtains (I said I like it like that)
Bad bitch make him nervous (I said I like it)

Como Celia Cruz tengo el azúcar (azúca’)
Tu jeva me vio y se fue de pecho como Jimmy Snuka (ah)
Te vamos a tumbar la peluca
Y arranca pa’l carajo cabrón
Que a ti no te vo’a pasar la hookah (hookah, hookah)
Mis tenis Balenciaga, me reciben en la entrada (woo)
Pa-pa-pa-pa-razzi, like I’m Lady Gaga (woo)
Y no te me hagas (ey)
Que en cover de Billboard tú has visto mi cara (ey)
No salgo de tu mente
Donde quieras que viajes has escuchado “Mi Gente”
Yo no soy high (high), soy como el Testarossa (‘rossa)
Soy el que se la vive y también el que la goza (goza, goza)
Es la cosa, mami es la cosa (cosa, cosa)
El que mira sufre y el que toca goza (goza, goza)

I said I like it like that
I said I like it like that (rrr)
I said I like it like that (woo)
I said I like it like that

Diamond district in the Jag (I said I like it like that)
Certified, you know I’m gang, gang, gang, gang (I said I like it like-)
Drop the top and blow the brains (I said I like it like that)
Oh, he’s so handsome, what’s his name? (I said I like it)

In the swirling vortex of beats and rhymes that defines modern hip-hop, Cardi B’s ‘I Like It,’ featuring Bad Bunny and J Balvin, emerges as a kaleidoscope of cultural references, personal anthems, and musical homage. The infectious 2018 bop nods not just to the genres of rap, trap, and reggaeton, but also to the rich tapestry of Latinx identity and the celebration of luxury.

Beyond the hypnotic sample of Pete Rodriguez’s 1967 boogaloo hit, ‘I Like It Like That,’ Cardi’s take is a multi-layered composition. It’s a mosaic of her personality, the assertion of her successes, and a nod to the legends of Latin music. As we dive into the meaning behind the anthem’s playful lyrics and braggadocious lines, we unveil a narrative that’s as empowering as it is hedonistic.

The Ballad of the Boss Bitch: Cardi’s Self-Made Sovereignty

Cardi B doesn’t just like luxury; she likes what it stands for – power, autonomy, and the freedom to be unapologetically herself. The song’s opening salvo, where she lists her penchant for dollars, diamonds, million-dollar deals, and expensive fashion, double up as a catalogue of conquests and a celebration of her rags to riches story.

‘I Like It’ is as much a personal narrative as it is a universal one. It’s a track where Cardi lays claim to her own agency in the male-dominated world of hip-hop, all the while weaving in her identity as a woman of Dominican-Trinidadian descent who’s proud of her roots and her ascent.

Walking in Rhythms: The Cultural Homage and Latinx Pride

With its boogaloo backbone, ‘I Like It’ grooves to a beat that is inexorably tied to Cardi’s Bronx upbringing and the Latinx community. Featuring Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny and Colombian singer J Balvin, the song becomes a bridge between generations and cultures – reviving a classic sound for a new audience.

The lyrics also turn to Spanish, with verses from Bad Bunny and J Balvin adding an authentic flare that emphasizes Cardi’s affinity with her cultural roots. Lines like ‘Como Celia Cruz tengo el azúcar’ not only reference the Queen of Salsa but also link Cardi to a timeless lineage of iconic Latinx artists.

Flashing Gems of Lyricism: The Song’s Most Memorable Lines

A lyrical gemstone in itself, Cardi delivers lines with a mix of wit and gravity. When she proclaims, ‘I like texts from my exes when they want a second chance,’ there’s a sense of power in her dismissal of the past and ownership of her present.

Equally, Bad Bunny’s line ‘Te vamos a tumbar la peluca’ (we’re going to knock your wig off) is not just a snappy retort, but a metaphor for the song’s attitude towards disrupting the status quo – shocking, exhilarating, and unexpected.

Unveiling the Song’s Hidden Meaning: Consumerism as Empowerment

On the surface, ‘I Like It’ oozes with consumerist ethos, where luxury goods serve as the tokens of victory. However, when dissected, the song serves as an emblem of empowerment, particularly for marginalized communities who see success and material wealth as a means of defying socioeconomic constraints.

The song is not just about having things; it’s about having the right to want and obtain them, a right historically denied to many of the identities Cardi B represents. Each brand name and dollar sign is a reclamation of agency in a world that often sidelines stories and successes such as hers.

Echoing Beats Across Borders: The Global Reception and Impact

While the rhythm of ‘I Like It’ reverberates with a familiar Latin strut, its reach has been undeniably global. The song’s blend of English and Spanish, its mix of cultural references, and universal themes of aspiration have resonated with audiences worldwide.

The track holds a dual charm of being a summer party anthem while also embedding itself into the landscape of political discourse about identity and success. It’s proof that sometimes, music can be both a reflection of the ‘now’ and a harbinger of an evolving societal fabric.