In a candid and emotionally charged interview that aired on Monday, October 6th, on Jay Shetty’s On Purpose podcast, chart-topping rapper Cardi B pulled back the curtain on one of the most difficult chapters of her personal life—the dissolution of her eight-year marriage to fellow hip-hop artist Offset.
The 32-year-old Bronx native, born Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar, didn’t mince words when describing the painful realization that her marriage had reached its breaking point. “I also feel like my marriage, I felt the love dying—from my end, from his end,” Cardi told Shetty with striking vulnerability. “I was very lonely, because I chose to be lonely.”
During this turbulent period, Cardi found an unexpected source of wisdom and comfort in Colombian superstar Shakira. The two artists had been collaborating on “Puntería,” and it was during their time working together that Cardi reached out for guidance from someone who understood the pain of a high-profile breakup.
Shakira, 48, had recently navigated her own devastating split from Spanish footballer Gerard Piqué in 2022, a separation that played out under intense media scrutiny and inspired some of her most powerful recent work. The “Hips Don’t Lie” singer’s experience gave her unique insight into what Cardi was experiencing.
“Around that time, I was working with Shakira, and I was like, ‘How the f–k did you overcome this?'” Cardi recounted, her characteristic frankness evident even in her most vulnerable moments. “Like, how did you overcome this? And she’s like, ‘It’s going to happen.’ And [I’m] like, ‘It will never happen.'”
At the time, Cardi admitted she couldn’t envision a path forward. The idea that she would eventually heal and move past the pain seemed impossible. But Shakira’s prophecy proved accurate.
“And it happened,” Cardi told Shetty, her voice carrying a note of hard-won triumph. “It took some crying, it took some thoughts, scary thoughts. But I’m here, honey, and I’m the strongest I’ve been.”
The timing of this revealing interview is particularly significant. It comes just weeks after Cardi released her highly anticipated sophomore album, Am I the Drama?, a project many industry observers believe serves as a musical diary of her emotional journey through the breakup. The album’s tracks reportedly contain veiled—and not-so-veiled—references to her estranged husband, known offstage as Kiari Kendrell Cephus.
The legal end of the couple’s relationship has been protracted and, at times, acrimonious. Cardi filed for divorce from Offset in July 2024—marking the second time she’d initiated such proceedings. The first filing came in 2020, though the couple reconciled shortly afterward. This time, however, appears to be permanent.
Since filing, the former couple has engaged in public disputes through social media and interviews, trading barbs as they work through the complexities of their separation. The split is particularly complicated given their shared business interests and co-parenting responsibilities for their children.
Despite the lingering legal matters, Cardi has decisively turned the page on that chapter of her life. Earlier this year, she began a relationship with NFL wide receiver Stefon Diggs, and the couple recently announced they are expecting their first child together. For Cardi, who already has children from her marriage to Offset, this represents not just a new relationship but a fresh start.
The rapper’s willingness to discuss her struggles so openly offers a rare glimpse behind the carefully curated personas that often define celebrity culture. In an era where social media can create an illusion of perfection, Cardi’s honesty about her “scary thoughts” and emotional turmoil provides a reminder that even the most successful entertainers face deeply human challenges.
As she told Shetty, she’s emerged from the darkness stronger than ever—a testament not just to her own resilience, but to the power of seeking wisdom from those who’ve walked a similar path before.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
Cardi B has emerged from the painful collapse of her eight-year marriage to Offset stronger and more resilient, crediting Latin superstar Shakira as a crucial source of guidance during her darkest moments.
When the two artists collaborated on “Puntería,” Cardi sought advice from Shakira—who had recently endured her own public split from Gerard Piqué—asking how she survived such heartbreak. Though initially skeptical of Shakira’s assurance that healing would come, Cardi now confirms, “It happened.”
