‘Let's Get Sexy': Cardi B Hits LadyLand Stage After Surprise Guest Scarlet Envy Brings the Drama
While the wider worlds of pop and hip-hop may not have realized it when it was announced earlier this week, the name of Cardi B's long awaited sophomore album, Am I the Drama?, is suspiciously close to a viral quote from Scarlet Envy's time on RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars season six.
But for the predominantly (if not close to exclusively) LGBTQ revelers at Brooklyn's annual LadyLand Festival, 'am I the drama?' is queer meme canon. So when Scarlet Envy emerged onstage at 1:35 a.m. on Friday night (technically Saturday morning, but who's counting) to introduce Cardi's headlining set, absolutely everyone knew why she was there.
More from Billboard
How LadyLand, the Scrappy Festival That Could, Is Shaping Queer Culture & Live Music In NYC
Olivia Rodrigo & Ed Sheeran Perform 'The A Team' in Surprise London Duet
Rihanna & A$AP Rocky Walk the Blue Carpet at 'Smurfs' Movie Premiere in Brussels
'Happy Pride, New York City!' Scarlet shouted, prowling the stage in a shimmering red outfit and gigantic wig. 'I'm here every single year — it's good to be on the stage this year, bitch. My name is Scarlet Envy: I'm the drama,' she said to cheers and finger snaps. 'I'm blessed to introduce this performer to you. She's an icon, she a legend and she's a hometown hero.'
'Who's tucking today?' Cardi B yelled at the LadyLand crowd as she rolled up on stage in a black-and-white horizontal-striped jumper. 'I'm an old bitch,' she joked. 'I have like 100 kids, I'm ready for bed.'
What happened next was not the handiwork of someone with one foot in slumberland: Cardi led the eager crowd through a breathless tour of her biggest hits, despite the growing rain. 'Let's get sexy y'all!' Cardi shouted at the top of her set, perhaps needlessly – the LadyLand attendees, who had been gathering, gyrating, kiki-ing and flirting for hours, were way ahead of her, singing along and shaking ass the moment her tiny frame emerged on the fest's Fist Stage. (For those interested, 'Fist and Resist' keychains were available at the merch table.)
Flanked by two giant inflatable fists with nails even longer than hers, Cardi B delivered hits like 'She Bad,' 'Money' and her new single, the Offset-eviscerating 'Outside,' with the effortless fervor and personality-drenched flow that catapulted her to fame.
'Imma spill some tea, get ready for the tour,' the five-time Billboard Hot 100 topper promised the audience of what was to come. Four of those five chart toppers ('WAP,' 'Bodak Yellow,' 'I Like It,' 'Up') were accounted for during her show. Despite the persistent rain that gathered strength throughout Cardi's set, the audience remained undaunted and rapt; after all, it's not every day you get to see a hip-hop superstar perform under the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (LadyLand has called Greenpoint's Under the K Bridge Park home since 2023).
Prior to Cardi B's headlining set, Ladyfag, the LadyLand founder and a driving force in NYC nightlife, told the crowd about her history with the Bronx-raised rapper. 'It's a full circle moment for me and Cardi,' she explained: back in 2017, before Cardi ascended to mainstream success with 'Bodak Yellow,' she performed up at Holy Mountain, LadyFag's legendary NYC monthly throwdown.
'She got very excited about being with the gays,' Ladyfag recently told Billboard of that February 2017 party. 'She was only supposed to do a few songs, but she wouldn't stop. Within a few months, she became one of the biggest stars in the world — and she always remembered it.' That connection and warmth was obvious on Friday night, with Cardi blowing past her bedtime to give the gays, the dolls and everyone else an experience beyond what any other NYC festival provides.
Saturday (June 28) is the second and last night of LadyLand 2025, with FKA Twigs headlining and performances from Pabllo Vittar, Boris, Eartheater, VTSS, Isabella Lovestory and Kevin Aviance.
Best of Billboard
Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1
Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits
H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
20 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Is the Prostate Cancer Plot on 'And Just Like That' Realistic?
Kristin Davis as Charlotte, and Evan Handler as Harry in season 3 episode 5 of And Just Like That... Credit - MAX On this season of And Just Like That…, Harry Goldenblatt couldn't help but wonder if his health had taken a turn. On the June 26 episode of the show, Charlotte's affable husband goes from wetting his pants in a nightclub to joining a club he'd rather not be part of—even though, as he points out, it also includes Robert De Niro, Warren Buffett, and Nelson Mandela. During an evening walk past the Guggenheim Museum, Harry tells Charlotte there's a reason he asked her to go for a stroll. 'To get away from the kids? Me too,' she quips. Not exactly: Because of a couple strange symptoms he'd been experiencing, Harry decided to go to the doctor for a check-up. 'What do you know? I got prostate cancer,' he tells his wife, who immediately dissolves into panicky fear. 'Everything is going to be fine,' he reassures her. 'We caught it early.' Charlotte might not be happy about Harry's news, but some experts are pleased with the development. 'I'm ecstatic about this plotline, because the awareness and discussion around prostate cancer is often hidden,' says Dr. Phillip Koo, chief medical officer at the Prostate Cancer Foundation. 'Men don't like talking about it—I think we often put up that tough shell on the outside, especially when it involves the sort of organs that men define their masculinity based on. I think it's wonderful we're raising awareness.' Still, that doesn't necessarily mean the show's depiction is accurate. We asked experts how realistic Harry's experience is—and what they want men to know about prostate cancer. Harry went to the doctor after experiencing two symptoms (played for cringey laughs from viewers). Earlier in the season, he hits the clubs with Charlotte, who's trying to finagle an art sale for the gallery she manages. As the group plots their move to an after-party, Harry makes a pit-stop at the bathroom, where he finds, much to his horror, that he can't undo his fancy jeans quickly enough. 'Oh boy, oh boy,' he mutters. 'These buttons! Why so many?' And just like that, Harry pees in his pants. 'It's a good thing these babies are so dark,' he says to Charlotte when he meets up with her again. 'You can't tell they're soaked.' Then, in the next episode, Harry has trouble performing in the bedroom with Charlotte. As he wonders in exasperation what is—or, he clarifies, isn't—"going on down there,' he bemoans how out-of-character this is for him. 'Is this it? The beginning of the end?' he spirals. 'Knock knock, who's there? Old age!' Read More: Why Some Men Keep Their Prostate Cancer a Secret Cut to the latest episode, and Harry has been diagnosed with prostate cancer based on those symptoms. 'There's definitely some creative liberties the show has taken,' says Dr. Julia Willingham, a urologist who treats prostate cancer patients at Texas Oncology. 'It makes sense—it helps drive the plot forward—but most early-stage prostate cancer has no symptoms at all.' That's why some people call the disease—which will affect more than 313,000 men in the U.S. in 2025—a silent killer. It's almost always detected via a routine prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test, a screening blood test that most men undergo every couple of years or so starting around age 50 for those with average risk. (Exact screening frequency depends on a person's age and risk factors.) When a man's PSA level is high, doctors typically do a biopsy and, potentially, tests like a CT scan or bone scan to confirm the diagnosis. 'Sometimes men say, 'Oh my gosh, I feel great,'' Willingham says. ''There's no way I can have prostate cancer. I have no symptoms.' And then they do.' Before the PSA test was approved as a diagnostic tool in 1994, men were more likely to figure out something was wrong because they were experiencing urinary retention, rather than Harry's incontinence. That can mean difficulty starting to pee, a weak stream, trouble fully emptying the bladder, or sometimes, an inability to pee at all. 'The prostate is in a very busy neighborhood,' says Dr. Mark Pomerantz, clinical director of the Lank Center for Genitourinary Oncology at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. 'It sits right under the bladder and the urethra—and if there's a large prostate tumor, in theory it could press against that tube and cause urinary retention.' Other times, men were diagnosed because their prostate cancer spread, leading to symptoms that affected other parts of the body. 'Prostate cancer loves to go to bone,' Pomerantz says. 'It was not uncommon, prior to PSA testing, for people to show up in the emergency room with terrible back pain.' There, they'd get an X-ray that ultimately led to a diagnosis of metastatic prostate cancer that had spread to the bones in their back. 'We don't see that nearly as much anymore now that we have a test that can catch the cancer early,' Pomerantz says. 'When it does cause symptoms, typically the disease is pretty far along.' That means, if Harry were a real-life patient, there'd be reason to believe his disease was advanced. 'It could still be local'—which means it hasn't yet spread beyond the prostate—'but it would take a tumor that's pretty far along to get to the point where it would cause those symptoms.' Read More: The Race to Explain Why More Young Adults Are Getting Cancer Overall, Harry's path to diagnosis is 'possible, but certainly not typical,' Pomerantz says. That said, he understands why the show's creators probably chose to highlight urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction. 'Those side effects are famously common consequences of prostate cancer treatment, but are rarely the symptoms that lead to diagnosis.' Sometimes, doctors recommend active surveillance, or watchful waiting. But if a man's cancer is aggressive, doctors typically take the prostate out, and that's when side effects enter the picture. 'The way the surgery works is the whole prostate has to come out, and when you remove the prostate, you must remove the part of the urethra that runs right through the middle of the prostate,' Pomerantz says. 'The surgeon takes the remaining urethra that's still in the body and drags it up and sews it into the bottom of the bladder to make a new connection. That connection can be a little fragile.' Urine might have an easier time getting through, for example, which can lead to leakage. Plus, there are critical nerves that run alongside the prostate and are in charge of the sphincter muscle, which closes the bladder and keeps urine contained. 'If those nerves get damaged in surgery, then you can have the side effects that were depicted in the show,' he says. Throughout the episode, Charlotte—who promised Harry she wouldn't tell their kids about his diagnosis—struggles to contain her emotions. During a pre-planned glamping trip, she repeatedly snaps at her kids about the importance of savoring every moment together, and appears on the verge of an emotional breakdown. That's a natural reaction, experts say. 'Everyone always talks about the C word,' Koo says. 'I think your mind automatically jumps to the worst scenario, and the impact it will have on your life expectancy.' Many men worry about how they'll continue working—and the impact their disease will have on their family's finances. 'Someone like Harry, who has young kids, might wonder: 'How am I going to support them?''' he says. 'It's devastating,' no matter how optimistic the prognosis. Experts hope Harry's diagnosis encourages more men to get screened. 'Men should not be afraid of prostate cancer screening,' says Dr. Jamin Brahmbhatt, a urologist at Orlando Health. 'It's a simple blood test, just like you're getting your cholesterol checked.' Prostate cancer is one of the most common diagnoses among men, he adds, and it's also very treatable, especially when caught early. More men die with the disease than of it. 'It's not like some of those other rare cancers,' he says. 'The more we get screened, the healthier we can get people.' Read More: Why Are So Many Young People Getting Cancer? It's Complicated Willingham has seen an increasing number of men come in proactively for screening, and she believes knowledge is power. That's why she applauds Harry's new storyline. 'If anything, we should take this as encouragement to get those annual checks in, to take care of ourselves, and to know what's going on,' she says. 'Cancer aside, if you're having urinary or sexual symptoms, go talk to your doctor, because these are things that we can handle and take care of—you don't have to suffer with these symptoms.' Contact us at letters@
Yahoo
20 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Chrisleys reveal prison conditions, future plans after controversial Trump pardon
In one of their first interview since being released from federal prison, reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley spoke out about their experience behind bars and their controversial presidential pardon. The former "Chrisley Knows Best" stars were freed about one month ago after serving just over two years of their sentences for bank fraud, wire fraud and tax evasion. They were originally sentenced to 12 and seven years respectively, but received a pardon from President Donald Trump in May. "You don't realize how much your freedom means to you until you don't have it," Todd Chrisley told ABC News' Juju Chang. ABC News Studios' "IMPACT x Nightline: The Chrisleys: Life After Lockup" is streaming on Hulu. The couple revealed that their first post-prison meals were from Pizza Hut and Zaxby's. As for the first shower back in their own home? "It was almost like your first sexual encounter," Todd joked. The couple described difficult conditions in prison, with Todd reporting issues of black mold and asbestos at his facility in Florida. Julie, who was held in Kentucky, said she developed health problems including asthma. "I could see my health deteriorating," Julie told ABC News. The Federal Bureau of Prisons responded to the Chrisleys' claims about prison conditions, stating they operate "facilities that are safe, secure, and humane" with regulated temperatures and nutritionally adequate meals. MORE: 'Still don't believe it's real': Savannah Chrisley reacts to parents being pardoned by Trump Their daughter Savannah Chrisley, 26, emerged as their strongest advocate, campaigning for their release while also becoming legal guardian to her younger brother Grayson and niece Chloe. "I forced myself into rooms I was never invited into. I educated myself," Savannah told ABC News of her efforts to secure her parents' freedom. The pardon came after Savannah, a vocal Trump supporter, spoke at the 2024 Republican National Convention. She received a personal call from the president informing her of his decision to pardon her parents. Critics questioned whether the Chrisleys deserved the pardon, noting that both a jury convicted them and an appeals court upheld the conviction. Todd defended their pardon, questioning the makeup of their jury and comparing their case to other presidential pardons. MORE: Trump's flurry of pardons include some to campaign contributors Despite their time in prison, the Chrisleys said they remain unapologetic about their lifestyle. "I don't have an apology to give you or anyone else over the money that I've made," Todd said. The couple said they're now focused on prison reform, inspired by the people they encountered while incarcerated. "I have met some amazing women. I've met some women that I will be friends with till the day that I die," Julie said. "Chrisley Knows Best" aired on USA Network from 2014 to 2023, filming mostly in Georgia and Tennessee. The family plans to return to television with a new show on the Lifetime network. Todd and Julie said they are considering relocating to Charleston, South Carolina, where they hope to convert a mansion into a hotel -- with cameras rolling. "I've always told my children that it doesn't matter what someone else's opinion is of you unless it causes you to question who you are at your core," Todd said. "No one's opinion of me has ever caused me to question who I am at the core, so I don't worry about someone else's opinion." ABC News' Karin Weinberg, Anthony McMahon and Deborah Kim contributed to this report.
CBS News
40 minutes ago
- CBS News
Passing the baton: How a father and daughter built a legacy of love and law in Delaware
In Wilmington, Delaware, a remarkable story of generational strength, sacrifice and service is unfolding – one that proves the power of love, vision and perseverance. Meet Veda Davida Wooley, a 28-year-old deputy attorney general who has already passed two bar exams, earned multiple degrees, and is paving the way for others—all while raising a son and mentoring the next generation of changemakers. But behind her meteoric rise is a father who once stood in the spotlight himself, only to step away and dedicate his life to raising his daughter. "Children are the destiny of our legacy," said Dave Wooley, former entertainment executive turned Wilmington University professor. CBS Philadelphia Dave Wooley gave up a high-profile career working alongside sports and music icons to become a single father and educator. His classroom at Wilmington University would one day include a very special student: his daughter. "As an African American man with a master's degree, to be up there educating, you know, a lot of faces that don't look like him—it was powerful," Veda Davida Wooley recalled. The 28-year-old excelled from the start. She graduated at the top of her class, earned her MBA and went on to law school at Drexel's Kline School of Law. By 23, she passed the Nevada Bar on her first try—then did it again in Delaware. "Studying for the Delaware Bar Exam was by far the most difficult thing I've ever done," she admitted. "I don't want people standing behind me, I want everybody standing next to me or in front of me. I want to start pushing people forward." In addition to working as a deputy attorney general, Veda Davida Wooley also teaches at Wilmington University, just like her father once did. Off the clock, she's a mom to her son King and a mentor to many. CBS Philadelphia "Your Blackness is a competitive advantage – don't let anyone tell you differently," she said. And the journey continues. She is currently studying for the Pennsylvania Bar Exam. "Why? To spread more love—and more jurisdictions!" she laughed. The Wooley family legacy is still growing. Dave Wooley now holds another important title: grandfather. And with support from his close friend and Veda Davida Wooley's godmother—legendary singer Dionne Warwick—this story of love and leadership shows no signs of slowing down.
