Cardi B Advises Girls Not to Smoke to ‘Look Cool,’ Reflects on Stripping Days

Cardi B is offering some advice to her young fans—put the cigarettes down.

The Invasion of Privacy rapper decided to post some throwbacks on Instagram Sunday and gave some advice while doing so. She gave fans a look at three photos of herself at 15, including one where she can be seen with a cigarette in her mouth. “Dear little girls don’t smoke cigarettes or weed trying to look cool for the seniors ’cause you really gonna grow up and see how dumb you look doing it,” she wrote on Instagram. “Seriously tho what was I thinking? Anyways naaa my mustache was too much.”

The now-27-year-old also posted a picture of herself from her days as a stripper. “THIS SOUND LIKE CARDI WITH THE BRAIDS …bro I should strip on the weekends cause my body was killa when I used to hit them poles,” she mused in the caption.

The rapper took to social media to make things clear Monday, however. She didn’t view her upbringing as unnecessarily strict, despite what detractors had to say about her posts.

“KIDS there’s a difference between ABUSE and being STRICT. My parents were very strict and I’m thankful. Being strict it’s a form of love and protection,” she wrote on IG. “Girls around my age were growing too fast and I though I could fool my momma but boy o boy she be knowing. If it wasn’t for the voice of my parents in the back of my head my life would have been way different. I hope when I’m strict to my daughter, I hope she don’t think I’m “mean” “ or I hate her “ like I used to think of my parents I’m just not trying to lead my kid in the wrong direction these roads have to offer.”

She also clapped back at someone who clearly didn’t understand what Cardi was trying to do—offer advice in her own way.

Obviously, Cardi didn’t need cigarettes to try and look cool for the seniors. On top of becoming one of the hottest rap stars in the world, the artist has been making inroads into the film industry as well. Cardi was featured in the Jennifer Lopez-starring Hustlers and is set to appear in the forthcoming installment of the Fast & Furious franchise.

“I’m tired, but I can’t wait. I ain’t gonna front, I think this is going to be the best one,” she said in an Instagram video with her fellow Fast 9 actor Vin Diesel. “I need to take a nappy-nap. I’m ready to take my nappy-nap.”

Fans won’t have to wait that much longer for new music from Cardi. Her second album is set to drop in 2020.