Cardi B Says She Fell Asleep During Assault Trial: ‘So Sleepy’

During Cardi B‘s civil trial over claims the rapper physically assaulted a security guard, footage from the court room battle was quickly memeified thanks to Cardi’s viral witness-stand interrogation.

Along with her memorable testimony, the Grammy-winning artist was also caught on camera dozing off as the $24 million trial was underway. When appearing on The Jennifer Hudson Show in an episode aired Monday, Cardi addressed the caught-on-camera clips and fully admitted to catching a few Z’s in the courtroom.

“I’m not even going to lie, I was,” said Cardi on the talk show. “I had a long night! I’m in the middle of an album rollout. I was so sleepy, I was trying to fight it.” She added that despite trying a breathing exercise, she couldn’t stay awake.

When host Hudson asked how she was feeling post-trial, Cardi replied, “I’m so overwhelmed.” She continued, “I’m in the middle of an album rollout, and I have to go to court. And then, when I get to court, I realize that it’s going to be on national TV, being televised. It’s like, ‘You’ve got to be kidding me’ … I missed my kids’ first day of school.”

Earlier this month, Cardi won her civil trial over claims she assaulted a security guard during an argument on the fifth floor of a Beverly Hills medical building seven years ago, with all 12 jurors unanimously agreeing Cardi did not swing at Emani Ellis or scratch the plaintiff’s face.

While the rapper asked her supporters not to “bother” Ellis following the verdict, Cardi warned that she won’t be so forgiving going forward. “The next person who tries to do a frivolous lawsuit against me, I’m going to counter-sue, and I’m gonna make you pay, because this is not OK,” she said outside the courthouse in Alhambra, California. “I am not that celeb that you sue, and you think it’s going to settle. I’m not gonna settle. Especially when I’m super completely innocent. I know I got a little reputation, but I swear to God, I’m innocent.”

Cardi’s highly anticipated sophomore album, aptly titled Am I the Drama?, is set to release Sept. 19 with star-packed features from Janet Jackson, Selena Gomez, Megan Thee Stallion, Lizzo, Kehlani, Tyla, and more.