Cardi B says she was ‘fighting for her life’ ahead of New Year’s Eve show

Mon, 01 Jan, 2024 - 14:51

By Laura Harding, PA Deputy Entertainment Editor

Cardi B said she was “fighting for her life” ahead of her performance at Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve.

The 31-year-old rapper took to the stage in Miami for the show at the Fontainebleau hotel as planned but told fans she had been struggling with illness.

It's a 2024 party with @iamcardib at the @Fontainebleau! 🎉 #RockinEve pic.twitter.com/MLfGSYC6aT

— New Year’s Rockin’ Eve (@RockinEve) January 1, 2024

In a video on her Instagram story before the New Year’s Eve show, she said: “I am fighting for my life right now. I’m literally fighting for my life right now.

“Like, I am so sick and I don’t understand why because when I was in New York I was going out in sweaters, toes out, everything. I was good.

“Soon as I landed in Miami bro… I’ve been telling people I am allergic to Miami. I’m allergic to Florida. I’m allergic to this state. Like I’m allergic to this state.

“It doesn’t even make no sense. Like, as soon as I landed four hours later, I felt a little cough, my chest started getting tight.

“Well, I’ve been fighting for three days and I have a huge performance later. Huge performance, like I get that it’s New Year’s but I have this huge performance. And I’m fighting, fighting.”

The musician was joined on the bill for the US celebration of the new year by rapper Megan Thee Stallion, who performed in New York.

Cheers to a ✨ classy, bougie, rachet ✨ 2024! @theestallion pic.twitter.com/GRREazIOJZ

— New Year’s Rockin’ Eve (@RockinEve) January 1, 2024

Also in the line-up were Ellie Goulding, Janelle Monae, 30 Seconds To Mars and Renee Rapp.

Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve is an annual broadcast in the US, featuring the countdown to midnight and the drop of the crystal ball in Times Square.

The show is best known in the UK for its association with the sitcom Friends, when Monica and Ross Gellar (played by Courteney Cox and David Schwimmer) tried to recreate a school dance routine during a broadcast.