In a beautiful cover story for Essence Magazine, Cardi B and Offset talk about how they balance out having a healthy marriage and successful careers all while making sure they have a happy, loving, and safe home for their kids.
Cardi, 29, who shares daughter Kulture, 3, and 7-month-old son Wave, with Offset, 30, recalled the first time she met his other kids from his previous relationships: daughter Kalea, 7, and sons Jordan, 12, and Kody, also 7. Cardi explained how she made it a priority to make them all feel comfortable and never left out: “After we got married, that’s when I first met his kids,” Cardi said during their sit-down interview. “I always wanted them to love me, and they really do. They tell me that. I feel it, and I hope that we always have a great relationship.” Coming from a blended family herself, having a sister and six other siblings on her dad’s side, it wasn’t a challenge for Cardi or Offset to blend their families. In fact, Essence writer Brande Victorian notes that Cardi asked on a Zoom call whether she could talk to the “editorial and creative team, woman to woman, about the possibility of including her stepchildren in our photoshoot,” a thoughtful move that never seems to go unnoticed by her hubby. He said, “It’s a blessing to be able to have them all together, and to have a wife who’s open and treats them as if they’re her kids.” Offset added, “It could be an issue, but I don’t have to go through that, and that’s beautiful.”
While they have their family situation perfectly figured out, it’s not that easy when it comes to sharing that side of their life on social media. Cardi went on to explain why she and Offset waited to share their precious new baby boy with everyone after he was born on September 4: “We went through a lot of sad things when it comes to Kulture—terrible behavior that not even the older kids have ever been through,” Cardi reveals. “So many people will post mean, disgusting things, just to get a reaction from us,” Cardi admitted. “We want to protect our feelings because we get very, very angry and upset.” As hard as that is to deal with, thankfully, Offset and Cardi have each other to get through the BS.
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Aside from that, the New York rapper also reflected on the beauty of her blended family: “I feel like sometimes people go into a relationship with a man or a woman who has kids with negativity—and I feel like people should embrace it, and love it. I love our family, and I wouldn’t want it any other way.”
During the interview, Cardi also talked about being married to her “hubbington” Offset and how they give each other freedom to prioritize their careers when necessary. “It might sound weird, but we don’t always put love first—because sometimes you can put love before work and mess up your career because you’re not focused,” Offset says. “Love is important, but if you’ve got that foundation, we should respect each other and what we have going on. I had never experienced a woman that was working like me and doing what I’m doing. It turns me on. She does her own thing. She likes the hustle, so that ain’t never getting in between our love,” Essence quotes.
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