Below, find a full timeline of Selena and Cardi’s relationship, as they’ve evolved from fans to collaborators to friends.
November 2017: Selena Gomez reveals she’s listening to Cardi B
In an interview with YouTuber Hugo Gloss, Selena is asked who she’s listening to at the moment and her fandom is revealed. “Oh man, I love Cardi B!” Gomez tells Gloss. “I listen to a lot of pop and hip-hop.” This is early on in Cardi’s mainstream success, as her breakout hit “Bodak Yellow” had just topped the Billboard Hot 100 two months prior.
September 2018: “Taki Taki” is released
From a fan to collaborators: DJ Snake pairs the two superstars for the first time — alongside Latin chart-topper Ozuna — on the brand-new bilingual song “Taki Taki.” The international hit peaks at No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 and goes all the way to the top on the Hot Latin Songs and Latin Airplay charts.
October 2018: Selena & Cardi co-star in the “Taki Taki” video
In the Colin Tilley-directed “Taki Taki” music video, fans finally get to see Selena and Cardi together onscreen. The best part? When Gomez pops up during Cardi’s verse to mouth along to the line: “But I’m a boss bi—, who you gonna leave me for?!” The video has now racked up more than 2 billion views on YouTube.
October 2018: Cardi sends love to Selena while she’s in treatment
In an interview with E! News, Cardi offers a message of support to her “Taki Taki” collaborator after it’s reported that Gomez has checked into a mental health facility for anxiety and depression. “I just want to let her know, Girl, you’re beautiful, you’re rich and hold on, because even sometimes I feel like I’m losing my mind,” Cardi tells E! “I just got to pray hard to God and get away from social media.” In the same interview, Cardi gushes about working with Gomez on the “Taki Taki video set. “When I met her, she was such a sweet, adorable person. She’s really what you see. She’s really a sweetheart.”
April 2019: Cardi & Selena join DJ Snake onstage at Coachella
DJ Snake makes the most of his 2019 Coachella set, bringing all three of his “Taki Taki” collaborators — Cardi B, Selena Gomez and Ozuna — onstage for the first (and so far only) full live performance of the song. (Gomez and Snake have since reunited on “Selfish Love,” for her just-released first Spanish-language EP Revelación.)
April 2019: Selena reacts to Cardi’s video message
When an Entertainment Tonight reporter shares a video message from Cardi (“You’re so amazing! You’re so bee-yootiful! Such a pretty girl!”) on the WE Day red carpet, Gomez beams: “She’s so sweet! I’m obsessed with her. She’s so sweet and she’s so honest, and I respect that.” Gomez also says she treasured the time she had with Cardi on the “Taki Taki” set. “When we got to work on the video, we were able to be there for a while and there was no pressure. Everything was laid-back. I just think she’s hilarious and she brings a fiery energy into anything.”
March 2021: Cardi tells Selena not to retire from music
In her Vogue cover story, Gomez hints that she might be ready to retire from music — and Cardi is having none of it. “It’s hard to keep doing music when people don’t necessarily take you seriously,” Gomez told Vogue, while Cardi offers a counterpoint on Twitter: “I don’t think Selena should retire. She makes good music & her fans love her. I think she needs one more Era. A edgy one that no one ever seen her as. I would love to give her some ideas.” Cardi also sticks up for her friend against the constant barrage of hate celebrities face online. “I like Selena tho. I defend her cause she is such a sweetheart in person. Us celebs get picked apart all the time but she is just [too] sweet to go thru that. If she wants to leave, leave cause you want [to,] not cause of these f—ers.”
March 2021: Cardi can’t wait to hear Selena’s Spanish-language EP
Cardi B hasn’t had a chance to check out Selena’s just-released Revelación set, but she knows just the place to listen. When a fan tweeted, “Love you queen but have you listened to #Revelación,” Cardi shoots back, “Not yet. When I get to Ny in the middle of the day or while I’m [in] the shower.”
