Cardi B headlined the popular Rolling Loud festival in Los Angeles over the weekend. And despite her history-making performance as the first female rapper to headline show, her estranged husband’s surprise appearance ended up stealing her hard-earned shine.
Many criticized Rolling Loud organizers for allowing Offset to crash Cardi’s set, but Tariq Cherif, the festival’s co-founder, issued a statement via Twitter denying they were in on the stunt.
“Headliners and their teams have full control of the state and who is allowed on it during their set at Rolling Loud. The Festival does not interfere with or influence a headliner’s setlist,” the statement read. “We have never and will never do anything to change a headliner’s set. We were tipped off that something was going to happen, but had nothing to do with the organization or execution of it.”
During Cardi’s set, Offset appeared to catch her off guard when he walked on stage to apologize for his (reportedly repeated) infidelity.
“I just wanna tell you I’m sorry, bruh,” he said, while Cardi looked visibly upset.
While many have accused Cardi of being in on the stunt — something she vehemently denied on social media — others blamed Rolling Loud organizers because they tweeted (and deleted) that Cardi’s set would go viral, thanks to a “surprise.”
If y’all are wondering what I’m referring to, this is what @RollingLoud said BEFORE Cardi’s performance. THEY KNEW Offset was going to do something…. during their HEADLINER’S performance… the FIRST female headliner ever.
https://twitter.com/gdagreat/status/1074443678947598336
While Offset’s apology became the story, Rolling Loud lavished praise on Cardi, who they said “electrified the crowd.”
“Rolling Loud is proud to provide the platform for a queen like Cardi B to absolutely slay her performance,” Cherif wrote. “Cardi B proves herself as a top tier headliner last night and that should be the story.”