A demo of some lines for "Be Careful" was first recorded by Pardison Fontaine, the stage name of Jordan Thorpe.[5] Later, Cardi B added the hook and wrote the rest of the song, with production completed with the help of producers Frank Dukes, Boi-1da and Vinylz.[6] Cardi was motivated to write the song when she was in New York City finishing her debut album, Invasion of Privacy (2018). Annoyed about her past romantic relationships and the unfaithfulness in them, she found herself tense and upset – prioritising work, with too many bad thoughts.[7] Initially some listeners believed the song was addressed to Cardi's fiancé, rapper Offset, however she denied this.[8] The song was released a week after its recording with "Drip" in February 2018.[9][10][11]
Composition
Cardi B performs the hook using a softly sung vocal style over a "laidback" beat. The song also comprises "flickering" hi-hats and "slick" synths.[12] Lyrically, "Be Careful" is a song about infidelity, where the performer warns her cheating partner and asks him to treat her better.[13][14] During an interview, Cardi B expressed she drew inspiration from past relationships, while denying that the song was directed at her fiancé Offset.[15]
Chart performance
"Be Careful" debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at 16 on April 14, 2018, before rising and peaking at 11 the next week after the release of Invasion of Privacy. The song spent 20 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100.[16]
Music video
Directed by Jora Frantzis, the song's music video premiered on May 21, 2018. The clip opens with a wedding in a church filled with Jesus statues and crucifixes located in the middle of the dessert. Cardi B walks down the aisle in a wedding dress. The clip shifts to a darker hue as the rapper returns to the church, this time for her husband's funeral.[17][18] The music video was filmed at the Sanctuary Adventist Church in Lancaster, California.[19]
Live performances
On April 7, 2018, Cardi B performed "Be Careful" on Saturday Night Live. During the performance she revealed her pregnancy.[20]
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