Cardi B draws students to Sunday concert after Daniel Caesar cancels

Cardi B performed a one-night-only concert at Johns Hopkins University on Sunday evening, stepping in for a last-minute cancellation by singer-songwriter Daniel Caesar. The event took place in the Ralph S. O'Connor Center for Recreation & Well-Being as part of the university's annual Hoptoberfest festival.

The Hopkins Student Organization for Programming, supported by the Hopkins Parents Fund, originally planned the Saturday concert to feature Caesar. A social media post from the student group on Saturday confirmed Caesar's withdrawal due to unforeseen circumstances. The performance was rescheduled for Sunday and restricted to current university students, who presented school identification for entry.

Cardi B, who holds the record for the most No. 1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 among women rappers, replaced Caesar. She was the first solo woman artist to win the Grammy for best rap album in 2019 for her debut, Invasion of Privacy. Her 2025 release, Am I the Drama?, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and received a triple platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America.

The setlist focused on her rap catalog, delivered in a more intimate setting than her usual arena shows. According to social media posts from the artist and the university, she wore a green wig, black leggings, and a pink striped T-shirt. During the performance, she addressed the student audience directly. "Y'all better pass y'all motherf, in' semester," she told the crowd. "And don't ask ChatGPT for the answer."

The university did not disclose the performance fee. A request for comment regarding the cost of the last-minute booking remained unanswered as of Sunday evening. The festival also included carnival games, a pumpkin patch, and a haunted house experience organized by the student affairs team.

Cardi B posted behind-the-scenes images from her green room on Instagram after the show. She departed Baltimore on a private plane immediately following the concert. In a video timestamped at 4:08 a.m., she showed a large bag of Old Bay-seasoned crabs. "We gonna have a long night," she said. "Or not we, just me."

The performance marks another recent appearance by the rapper in the mid-Atlantic region. Her partner, Washington Commanders wide receiver Stefon Diggs, is the father of her youngest child.