In a recent interview with Billboard, Cardi B is opening up about the real side of parenting while navigating the highs and lows of fame, fortune, and family.

In a recent cover story, the Grammy-winning rapper, 32, reflected on how raising her three kids has shaped her into the woman she is today.

Cardi, who shares daughters Kulture, 7, and Blossom, 11 months, and son Wave, 3, with estranged husband Offset, didn’t hold back about the sacrifices motherhood has brought.

“It turned me into a real woman. I was like, ‘What makes a woman? Her body? Her cooking?’ It’s her maturity and her thinking,” she shared. “If I didn’t have kids, I wouldn’t sacrifice so much.”

While her career keeps her busy, Cardi said her children come first.

“This summer, I haven’t even put my feet in a pool. I do everything for my kids. I’m the only provider and you know what? Ain’t no complaining about it,” she explained. “I love them so much and they ground me.”

That balance between work and motherhood, she admits, can leave her exhausted at times, but she sees it as a non-negotiable part of giving her children the stability she didn’t always have growing up.

“If you think when you get rich you’re going to stop working, you’re never going to stop working,” she said. Cardi recalled her own mother’s determination, adding, “My mom used to be a freakin’ cashier and she used to work every single day. To this day, I still talk about how hard my mom worked. I had a very rough childhood, but my mom always made sure we ain’t go to no shelter.”

Cardi hopes her children carry that same memory of her hustle. “I want my kids to be like, ‘My mom made sure I had everything that I wanted,’” she added.

Photo Credit: Cardi B Instagram