Rapper Cardi B pleaded guilty on Thursday to third-degree assault and reckless endangerment stemming from a 2018 fight at a strip club in Queens, New York.
The Bodak Yellow star will avoid jail time for pleading guilty to the charges, which were upgraded to felonies in 2019. The musician, born Belcalis Almánzar, agreed to 15 days of community service and will serve 15 days in jail if she fails to complete the service.
The brawl ensued at the Angels Strip Club in Flushing after a longtime feud between the 29-year-old and two women who are both bartenders at the club. According to court documents, Cardi B accused one of the women in the fight of having an affair with her husband, Offset, who is one-third of the rap trio, Migos. The fight involved the throwing of bottles, chairs and hookah pipes.
“Part of growing up and maturing is being accountable for your actions. As a mother, it’s a practice that I am trying to instill in my children, but the example starts with me,” Cardi B said in a statement. “I’ve made some bad decisions in my past that I am not afraid to face and own up to. These moments don’t define me and they are not reflective of who I am now. I’m looking forward to moving past this situation with my family and friends and getting back to the things I love the most–the music and my fans.”
The two co-defendants, Tawana Jackson-Morel and Jeffrey Bush, also pleaded guilty in court. As part of the plea deal, Cardi B admitted that she orchestrated a plan with the co-defendants to attack the women. All three have agreed to not come in contact with the two victims.
Cardi B’s attorney, Drew Findling, said that the rapper agreed to take a plea because she has “moved to another part of her life” and “a three-week jury trial would be a distraction from the things that she felt were most important.” He added that the 15 days of community service will be of no difference to the other forms of service she has done for her community over the years.
“As soon as she does this community service, which will obviously be consistent with community service she does anyway, that will be the end,” Findling said outside of the courthouse.
