American rapper Cardi B has responded to criticism from Elon Musk, who recently labeled her a “puppet” for Vice President Kamala Harris after she publicly endorsed her at a rally.
Cardi, whose real name is Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar Cephus, spoke in support of Harris at a Milwaukee event on Friday. Her candid criticism of Donald Trump—whom she described as a “hustler”—drew cheers from the crowd at the Wisconsin State Fair Park Exposition Center, but Musk, one of Trump’s prominent supporters, was quick to respond.
“Another puppet who can’t even talk without being fed the words,” Musk posted to X on Saturday. “The Kamala campaign has no authenticity or true empathy.”
RELATED STORIES
Musk’s comments referenced a brief delay at the start of Cardi B’s appearance due to a teleprompter glitch. The rapper read her speech from a phone provided by a staffer.
Hours later, Cardi B took to X to respond. “I’m not a puppet, Elon,” she wrote. “I’m a daughter of two immigrant parents that had to work their ass off to provide for me!”
Cardi B, whose parents are Dominican and Trinidadian, also told Musk she was a “product” of welfare, poverty, and Section 8—the federal program offering rental assistance to low-income households.
“I’m a product of what happens when the system is set up against you,” she added. “But you don’t know anything about that. You don’t know one thing about the American struggle.”
She ended her post with a jab at Musk’s ownership of X, writing, “PS fix my algorithm.”
READ ALSO: Cardi B chastised on social media following ‘freak accident’ revelation
This is not Musk’s first “puppet” accusation; he has previously used the term against political figures he views as insincere. Since publicly endorsing Trump in July after an attempted assassination at an event in Butler, Pennsylvania, Musk has emerged as one of Trump’s staunchest supporters.
Facing backlash in September for posting “No one is even trying to assassinate Biden/Kamala,” Musk later explained to Tucker Carlson in an interview, “I made a joke…I deleted it, but the point was that nobody is trying to kill Kamala because there’s no point. They’d just put in another puppet.”
Musk has not only vocally supported Trump but also contributed more than $118 million to Trump’s campaign through the America PAC, according to Federal Election Commission records.
Recently, Musk launched a contest offering a $1-million prize for registered swing-state voters who sign a petition supporting the First and Second Amendments. However, the initiative has sparked controversy.
A lawsuit from Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, labeling the contest an “illegal lottery scheme,” was recently sent back to state court in Pennsylvania by a federal judge, despite Musk’s attempt to move it to federal court.
Meanwhile, Elon Musk’s post and Cardi B’s response have sparked mixed reactions online.
“Being poor sucks—we know it very well. When elitists like Elon push this narrative, they’re not winning any of us over at all. He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. Fist high, Cardi ✊—together we win this. Much love, #Anonymous,” commented @YourAnonNews.
@friendomedia wrote: “Cardi B built her life from the ground up while Elon Musk built his off his family’s mining wealth. The audacity of a billionaire to call her a ‘puppet’—he wouldn’t last a day in her shoes. He’s out here cheerleading for Trump, jumping around his stage like an idiot. Comedy gold. Musk’s strings (to Putin and Trump) couldn’t be more obvious.”
On the other hand, @BehizyTweets criticized the rapper, saying: “You are a puppet. You didn’t even know what you were saying on that stage. It wasn’t from the heart.”
Another critic, @mommyrn88, added: “You were on live talking shit about Biden/Harris, now you’re pretending to support the very system that kept you a slave until you became a famous stripper. P.S. You are, in fact, a puppet.”
READ ALSO: Elon Musk prevails in court over 2018 labor dispute tweet
