Cardi B has said her third studio album is planned for next year, while making clear that the record is only beginning to take shape. Speaking during the iHeartRadio Music Festival in Las Vegas on September 18, the rapper said she intends to devote time to recording after her birthday in November.

“I am doing a new album,” Cardi B said. “After my birthday in November, I’m shipping myself away just to record.”

The important qualifier is that this is a stated plan rather than a completed album campaign. Asked how much work had already been done, Cardi B said she was not finished and had “like, two” songs. That leaves substantial room for the project’s sound, collaborators, tracklist, title, release schedule and rollout to change before it reaches listeners.

Still, she was direct when pressed on timing. After initially acknowledging that there was work left, Cardi B corrected the idea that the process would necessarily take a long time and said the album would arrive “absolutely” next year. “I’m not even playing around,” she added.

A shorter gap is the stated goal

Cardi B framed the proposed schedule against the long gap between her debut studio album, Invasion of Privacy, released in 2018, and its 2025 follow-up, Am I the Drama? Her comments suggest that she does not expect listeners to face another multi-year wait before a new full-length project.

That comparison matters because a studio album is more than a collection of recordings. It typically requires an artist and their team to move through writing, recording, selection, sequencing and release planning. Cardi B has not provided details about those steps for the third album, nor has she named a release date or indicated whether any current songs will make the final cut. Her estimate should therefore be read as a target and a public commitment, not as a locked calendar entry.

When asked why she believed the turnaround could be faster, Cardi B pointed to a feeling of confidence. She also referenced Patti LaBelle’s “New Attitude,” signaling that readiness and momentum are central to how she currently views the next chapter.

In practical terms, her plan to remove herself and concentrate on recording after her birthday may be significant. A focused recording period can help turn scattered ideas into a defined album, but it does not guarantee a deadline. Cardi B’s own description emphasizes both sides of the situation: she is confident in the intention, yet candid that the material is still in its infancy.

What “two songs” does — and does not — tell fans

An early song count is one of the clearest pieces of information in Cardi B’s update, but it should not be overinterpreted. Having roughly two songs does not establish that the album will contain those exact tracks, that they are complete, or that they represent the project’s direction. Songs can be reworked, replaced, held for another release or simply remain part of the creative process.

It does, however, put the announcement in perspective. There is no revealed album title, no announced lead single, no cover art and no confirmed tracklist in these comments. Fans looking for a formal rollout should treat those elements as unannounced. The next meaningful signs of progress could come in many forms, including additional music, a more specific release window or further remarks from Cardi B—but none of those have been confirmed.

This distinction is especially useful in an era where album speculation can accelerate well ahead of an artist’s production schedule. A plan to make an album and a finished album are very different stages. Cardi B has offered a timeline goal while also giving listeners an unusually plain assessment of how early the recording process remains.

Recent releases keep attention on the next move

Although the next studio album is not close to finished by Cardi B’s own account, she has released music this year. She put out the song “AH HA” in July and recently appeared as a guest on the posthumous Nipsey Hussle album PROLIFIC, a project made in collaboration with Bino Rideaux.

Those releases do not confirm a sonic blueprint for the third album. A standalone song and a guest feature serve different purposes from a studio album, and Cardi B has not connected either release to the new project. But they do mean the forthcoming album discussion is happening amid continuing musical activity rather than a complete absence of new material.

For listeners, the safest expectation is that any future singles, features or other appearances may provide context for Cardi B’s current creative pace, but should not automatically be treated as album-era material. Until she confirms a song’s place on the record, its connection remains uncertain.

There is a broader pop-culture backdrop, too: music news often moves through individual songs, video releases, features and touring talk long before a full album is formally defined. That incremental approach is visible elsewhere in current coverage, including Drake’s separate releases for segments connected to “FOMO”. Cardi B’s case is different, but her comments similarly underline how a larger project can remain a future-facing prospect even while individual music continues to arrive.

Why Cardi B’s certainty is notable

The strongest part of the update is not a production detail; it is the certainty of her language. Cardi B did not present next year as a vague wish. She repeated it when questioned and contrasted it with the extended period between her first two studio albums.

That directness naturally gives fans something concrete to anticipate. It also creates a high bar: the record will need to progress from a couple of songs to a finished body of work within the period she described. Her confidence does not erase the work ahead, but it explains why this particular statement is more substantial than generic hints that someone may be in the studio.

Cardi B also said she had been “outside all summer” and that she is not much of a vacation person. Her post-birthday recording plan appears to divide that public, active stretch from a more dedicated creative period. No additional schedule details have been disclosed, so it is unclear how long she expects to record or when listeners might hear the first official album-related release.

What has been confirmed and what remains open

  • Confirmed: Cardi B says she is making a third studio album and intends to release it next year.
  • Confirmed: She plans to focus on recording after her November birthday.
  • Confirmed: She said the project currently has about two songs.
  • Confirmed: She cited confidence and a sense of readiness when discussing the shorter proposed turnaround.
  • Unconfirmed: The album’s title, precise release date, tracklist, collaborators, label details, cover art and lead single.
  • Unconfirmed: Whether “AH HA,” the PROLIFIC appearance, or future releases will be part of the album campaign.

The clearest reading is straightforward: Cardi B has put a next-year target on the table, but the album is still being built. Her remarks establish intention and urgency, not a complete rollout. For now, the story is a promise of focused work after November—and a noticeably shorter wait than the one between her first two studio LPs.