US rapper Cardi B has gone viral in Saudi Arabia, where the artist performed in the early hours of Sunday morning and unleashed a torrent of praise for the kingdom in a series of social media videos.
Saudi Arabia has been splashing out in recent years amid an ambitious economic reform drive that has included spending vast sums on celebrity appearances as it seeks to rebrand its image and attract non-oil investment.
“Everything is brand new, honey. This country looks like it was just opened up yesterday,” the artist said in a video posted on Instagram that has been widely shared online.
Cardi B was one of the headline performers at Riyadh’s MDLBEAST Soundstorm festival, where she welcomed the thousands in attendance with the traditional Muslim greeting “Salam alaikum” before later stating that “everything is mashallah” in the wealthy Gulf monarchy.
The Arabic word, meaning “God has willed it”, is a common term of praise in Muslim countries.
Known for her explicit language, the rapper adopted a more restrained tone during her set, avoiding her most graphic expressions.
She wore a flowing outfit that covered her from neck to toe, a departure from her usual, often revealing, stage attire.
In the run-up to the performance, the artist posted videos at Riyadh’s luxury malls and donned a hijab, while praising the shopping, ranting against paying American taxes and raving over the levels of opulence in the Saudi capital.
“The shopping is great, mashallah!” she added, while gushing over the fame she enjoyed in the kingdom.
“I’m somebody over here,” she said.
“I do recommend to come over here for vacation. There’s no alcohol, but some of y’all don’t need to be drinking and having S-E-X.”
Cardi B’s appearance in Saudi Arabia also comes just months after she was cleared of an assault charge in a $24 million civil trial in which the star was accused of slashing a woman’s face with her fingernails.
The rapper — whose real name is Belcalis Marlenis Almanzar — was just the latest American to make waves in the Gulf region in recent days.
Last week, right-wing media personality Tucker Carlson announced he would be buying property in neighbouring Qatar as he rebuffed accusations he had taken money from the Gulf state.
Celebrities, athletes and social media influencers have increasingly been drawn to perform, compete and make appearances in the Gulf states in recent years, where they receive eye-watering sums but are also criticised for turning a blind eye to rights abuses.
Jennifer Lopez, Celine Dion and Eminem are among the most high-profile names to have performed in Saudi Arabia recently.
Earlier this year, the Riyadh Comedy Festival sparked a controversy in the US, as comics who staunchly defended free speech back home were accused of hypocrisy for performing in Saudi Arabia.
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