Cardi B during meet and greet (Photo Via X)
Fans stood out for over 10 hours outside a small record store in West Babylon. Why? To get a few seconds with Cardi B.

The rapper showed up Friday afternoon at Looney Tunes record store, ready to sign copies of her brand-new album, Am I the Drama? And snap photos with fans who had traveled from as far as Canada.

Cardi made sure everyone had a good time. She wore a brown dress that showed her baby bump, with a patterned headscarf and blonde waves framing her face. She smiled, posed playfully, and even had some fun for the cameras.

The timing of Cardi’s appearance couldn’t have been hotter. Her album dropped Friday, and the Recording Industry Association of America confirmed platinum status the same day.

Older singles WAP and Up carried the album over the finish line, having topped the Billboard Hot 100 years earlier. But on Friday, it wasn’t just about the music. It was about Cardi’s presence.

Cardi’s relationship with New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs added another layer of hype to the event. Diggs, now in his first season with the Patriots, didn’t confirm or deny the pregnancy news when reporters asked. He just smiled and said, “Oh, my personal life? I told you about that. We don’t talk too much about my personal life, but I heard about it.” The room laughed, but he quickly shifted back to football talk.

Cardi, however, had already confirmed the news days earlier during a sit-down on CBS Mornings. She said the couple is expecting their first child together. The pair went public in May when they appeared courtside at a Knicks-Celtics game. Since then, fans have been watching every move.

Diggs, meanwhile, keeps grinding through the early weeks of the NFL season. He has ten catches for 89 yards through two games as he works his way back from an ACL tear. He’s also learning a new offense, a challenge he has called “all business.” Still, his off-field connection to Cardi ensures his name stays in conversations outside the locker room.

For Cardi, though, the viral pictures tell the story. She gave fans a moment they’ll brag about forever, and she did it in the same way that keeps her at the top of rap’s biggest stage.