NEW YORK — Bronx-born rapper Cardi B pleaded guilty on Thursday and was sentenced to community service for her role in a bottle-throwing attack at a strip club in Queens.
The deal allows the hip-hop star to avoid jail time — and gave the flashy performer to show off yet another ensemble on the Queens courthouse steps.
Cardi B, whose real name is Belcalis Almanzar, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor counts of assault and reckless endangerment, and agreed to 15 days of community service.
If she fails to complete the service, she will have to serve 15 days in jail.
“Part of growing up and maturing is being accountable for your actions,” Cardi B said in a statement.
“As a mother, it’s a practice that I am trying to instill in my children, but the example starts with me. 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.”
Cardi B was accused of trying to beat a pair of bartenders during during a strip club bar melee in 2018.
The “WAP” performer was charged after a fight with the bartenders, sisters Jade and Baddie Gi, at the Angels Strip Club in College Point on Aug. 29.
Prosecutors said Cardi, 29, was one of about 10 people involved in the brawl. The rapper appeared in court with two co-defendants, who also pleaded guilty to their roles in the bar fight. All three agreed to stay away from the victims.
“No one is above the law,” said Queens DA Melinda Katz. “In pleading guilty today, Ms. Belcalis Almanzar and two co-defendants have accepted responsibility for their actions. This office is satisfied with the resolution, which includes appropriate community service.”
On Thursday morning, the rapper walked into the courthouse wearing a knee-length dress, with matching designer heels and long, French tip nails.
Cardi’s guilty plea came two days after she surprised students at a Bronx school with a $100,000 donation.
The Grammy-winning rapper greeted a screaming crowd of more than 100 students at Intermediate School 232, the Alexander Macomb School in Morris Heights. She spoke to them about the importance of working hard and the role the school played in her life.
“I was trying to do this last year, but couldn’t because of all the COVID rules at the time,” Cardi said in an Instagram post. “This middle school, I.S. 232 in the Bronx, has a very special place in my heart! It turned me from an 11-year-old girl into a little teenage adult. Kids in the Bronx have to grow up quickly due to our circumstances and our environment.”
She said the donation could go toward supporting after-school programs, including tutoring, music and dance.
“This school means a lot to me, more than any school I’ve ever been to,” said Cardi, who was joined at the school by city Schools Chancellor David Banks. “The decisions you make now are very pivotal.”
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