In a past life, country music icon Garth Brooks held the all-time attendance record at Houston’s rodeo. But after selling out her RodeoHouston debut in 40 minutes for a jaw-dropping 75,580 attendees, it’s safe to say that Cardi B is breaking more than records these days—she’s breaking boundaries.
And while performing in front of damn near 76,000 people would give most artists an anxiety attack, the “Please Me” rapper admits that she’d be in the same boat had she not drawn courage from the Queen of Cumbia herself, the late singer Selena.
In an Instagram video she posted to her 41 million followers, she revealed the source of her superpowers.
“I was so nervous to perform in front of 70,000-plus people, but when I saw this picture,” she divulged, pointing to a portrait of the “I Could Fall in Love” songstress. “Like, out of all the outfits that she wore, for me to see this picture with this outfit—this was the inspiration for ‘Please Me’—I knew I was gonna be alright.”
And after the record-breaking show she gave Houston Friday night, I think it’s safe to say that “be alright” is an understatement.
According to CBS News, the Houston Rodeo and Livestock Show is a 20-day livestock show, rodeo and festival that features concerts, a barbecue contest, carnival, ranching and wildlife expo, and other activities—so it’s safe to say the Bronx native’s performance was a bit of a surprise.
“Most rappers aren’t at the rodeo,” a fan named Talan said.
“It’s very diverse, so that’s pretty good that the rodeo decided to expand their horizons, you know,” another fan said.
But according to its website, the charitable organization raises millions of dollars for scholarships—awarding over $14 million in scholarships in 2019 alone, while presenting over 19,000 since the first scholarship was awarded in 1957.
“The purpose of the rodeo is to collect money, to give scholarships out,” Cardi explained between sets, according to the Houston Chronicle. “Any job you pick, whether it’s a doctor [...] or a fucking stripper, you gonna need some education.”
So shoutout to the self-professed “Trap Selena” for breaking yet another record and keeping the spirit of the late Tejano singer alive in the process.