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At first glance, you may not think Cardi B and Mariah Carey have much in common. But the two chart-topping divas might actually be more similar than they are different.

Cardi B once called herself the “strip-club Mariah Carey”, so Interview magazine recruited the Afro-Venezuelan songstress herself to interview Belcalis.

In a new conversation in Interview magazine, Cardi B and Mariah Carey teamed up to talk about the challenges they’ve had to face as famous women of color coming from tough backgrounds.

Cardi B on the March 2021 issue of Interview Magazine.

Photographed by AB+DM. pic.twitter.com/stECippWJG

— IAMFASHION (@IAMFASHlON) February 23, 2021

And in case you thought otherwise, Mariah Carey was not throwing any softballs. The conversation was intense. The women covered everything from confidence, to body image, to prejudice in the music industry. It didn’t seem like either of the women held back.

Mimi opened the interview by asking Cardi if she ever felt beautiful as a child. Surprisingly, Cardi responded opened up about a topic that society doesn’t take about very often: anti-Blackness in the Latino community.

“I’m Trini and I’m Dominican, there’s a lot of Dominicans that look a certain type of way [in the Bronx]. They have soft, pretty, curly hair. Growing up, guys would ask me weird questions like, ‘If you’re Dominican, why is your hair so nappy?'”

Thank you soo much .This is like a dream to me.I been so fascinated with your story .You are amazing . https://t.co/SdrW4YbMaU

— iamcardib (@iamcardib) February 23, 2021

Cardi went on to admit that she bleached and permed her hair when she was young to the point where she damaged her hair. But she soon learned to take care of her natural hair and appreciate it for what it was.

Cardi’s confession about her hair prompted Mariah to reveal her own vulnerable story. “It was a very traumatizing thing for me having a black father and a white mother, because my mother, who raised me, didn’t really know about textured hair,” Mariah said.

The superstar duo also touched on the sensitive topics of racism and prejudice in the music and fashion industries.

I know I said a lot of curse word and talk a little too spicy in my Interview with INTERVIEW magazine with Mariah Carey but I can’t help it she made me feel comfortable 🤷🏽‍♀️ I didn’t felt like I was doing a robot interview I felt like I was a having a real conversation.

— iamcardib (@iamcardib) February 23, 2021

In fact, MC point-blank asked Cardi B: “Do you feel that the record industry or the fashion industry, from your perspective, is inherently racist?”. Cardi explained that she wouldn’t technically use the word racist, but has “felt prejudice.”

“I have been involved in endorsement deals, and then I found out that certain white people got more money for their deals from the same company,” she said. “So it’s like, ‘When you’re not paying me what you’re paying these other people, why is that?’ It’s kind of insulting.”

Cardi also added that Black artists have a tougher time getting dressed by designers and getting seats at fashion shows, even though hip-hop culture influences fashion in so many ways.

Cardi B and Mariah Carey then bonded over the fact that both of them could only be themselves throughout their careers in the public eye.

It didn’t felt like a interview it felt like a deep ass conversation that you have with a real woman with a real life story .Like you can feel the New York energy.I felt so comfortable we kept talking and talking and talking . https://t.co/5roCEQL1Ef

— iamcardib (@iamcardib) February 23, 2021

Mariah applauded the fact that the public doesn’t require celebrities to have a squeaky-clean image anymore. “I do think people are much more accepting now,” she said. “…I do feel like people are, at least in some circles, allowed to be themselves and express themselves more than they were back in the day.”

“People expected me to be something specific, but I can only be me,” she added. “We’re similar in that way.”

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Credit: mariahcarey/Instagram

Mariah Carey continues to show us that it’s her world and we’re just living in it. The Songbird Supreme has never been shy about standing up for what she believes in, now matter how salty her critics can get.

On Sunday, when the rest of America was glued to their TV screens watching the Super Bowl, Mariah Carey tweeted out: “Happy Colin Kaepernick Appreciation Day!”

Happy Colin Kaepernick Appreciation Day!

— Mariah Carey (@MariahCarey) February 8, 2021

Man interpreted the tweet as shade directed at the NFL for airing a seemingly anti-racism commercial that simultaneously revealed that the organization would be committing $250 million to ending systematic racism.

The commercial consisted of an inspirational speech being played over footage of Black Lives Matter protests.

While our season is ending, our fight for equity is not.

It takes all of us to create change and advance social justice.

Learn more at https://t.co/1n7GSdNDx6. #InspireChange pic.twitter.com/NdKd8JkW1W

— Inspire Change (@InspireChange) February 8, 2021

“Football is a microcosm of America. All races, religions, living, playing, competing, side by side,” said the commercial.

Many viewers pegged the ad and announcement as tone-deaf, considering the NFL’s containing failure to support Colin Kaepernick’s (and now other Black football players’) protests against police brutality.

“Just saw a commercial that the NFL is committing $250 Million to end systemic racism yet they can’t even commit a couple million to get Colin Kaepernick signed to a team…” wrote one skeptical Twitter user.

“The NFL creating a commercial that shows players kneeling, putting “Breonna Taylor” on the back of their helmets, and ends with the league committing $250 million to end systemic racism must have @Kaepernick7 feeling some type of way,” wrote another.

This isn’t the first time Mariah has publicly showed her support for the former quarterback for the 49ers.

In 2018, Carey posted a picture on her Instagram of herself and Kaepernick together in a photo-op that (most of) her fans were going crazy over. She captioned the picture: “Such an honor to meet @kaepernick7 today!”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Mariah Carey (@mariahcarey)

Carey, who is of Afro-Venezuelan descent, has always been frank about her support of racial equality and the end to police violence. She notably postponed the release of her 30th anniversary album to not detract attention from the BLM movement.

“As we continue to fight for equality and justice within our broken systems, I thank you for using your platforms to educate, inform and invoke change. Together let’s bring on a change,” she wrote on her Instagram.

While she was at it, Mariah also used her Twitter account to bring attention to another grave injustice that took place at a previous Super Bowl: the blackballing of Janet Jackson.

Yes it is! ❤️

— Mariah Carey (@MariahCarey) February 8, 2021

When one fan replied to her “Colin Kapppp appreciation thread” with the tweet, “Don’t forget it’s also Janet Jackson appreciation day,” she responded with a sly: “Yes it is! *Heart emoji*”

Sigh. No one is able to shade like the Queen.

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