Cardi B is feeling the financial pressure as she gears up for her first headlining run, revealing that her upcoming “Little Miss Drama” tour is already “a couple of million” over budget just weeks before she returns to Saturday Night Live as musical guest alongside host Alexander Skarsgård on January 31. According to Billboard, the Bronx star opened up about the mounting costs during a recent Instagram Live, admitting she may have to dip into her own pockets to deliver the level of production she wants for fans.[3]
The “Bodak Yellow” rapper reportedly told viewers, “I’m over a couple of million on my tour budget,” explaining that the numbers keep shifting as her team revises plans for the show.[3] “We redid the budget, so now it’s just like I gotta go find the f***ing money, or I would have to put some of my own money for things that I want because I went over my budget. I feel like we do the budget every other week and s***,” she added, in comments also cited by Rap-Up.[1][3] Despite the financial strain, Cardi emphasized that she is determined to craft an experience tailored to her core fanbase, BardiGang, and anyone looking for a high-energy night out.[1][3]
Rehearsals for the trek are already underway in Los Angeles, where Cardi has been putting in hours on choreography and staging. She admitted the preparation has been exhausting, noting that there are “a lot of dance moves” to lock in and confessing she’s “just ready to go home,” as reported by ABC Audio.[2][3] The Grammy winner also joked about expectations around tour production, stressing she is not competing with arena titans like Beyoncé. “I ain’t no damn Beyoncé, so don’t be expecting any of that. I don’t got that production money, but b****, I’m gonna give it all I got. I’m working hard, I’m popping it,” she said.[1][2][3]
The “Little Miss Drama” tour is scheduled to kick off February 11 in Palm Desert, California, before hitting major North American markets including Houston, Detroit, New York, Chicago, Seattle, Dallas, Denver, Toronto and more, with multiple dates set to wrap in Atlanta.[1][2][3] Cardi’s upcoming January 31 return to SNL comes as she continues to push her sophomore album, reportedly titled Am I The Drama?, making 2026 a pivotal year for her live show and recording career.[3] Her candid comments about being millions over budget offer a rare, unfiltered look at the escalating costs behind modern arena-level hip-hop tours and the financial risks artists take to keep their stage shows competitive and fan-focused.[1][3][4]
