Cardi B to Bernie Sanders: 'What are we going to do about wages in America?'

WASHINGTON – Rapper Cardi B wants to know how Democratic presidential candidates are going to help everyday Americans make money moves.

The Grammy Award-winning rapper posted a video on Instagram Tuesday in which she discussed the unemployment rate and increasing the minimum wage with 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders

"A couple of weeks ago I asked my followers if you all had the chance to ask a Democratic candidate a question, what would that question be? The topic that was mentioned the most by all of you was about raising MINIMUM WAGE," she wrote in the caption of her roughly 90-second video.

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Cardi B, whose real name is Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar, has been outspoken on social media about her politics, particularly about her support for Sanders and her criticisms of President Donald Trump.

In Tuesday's video clip, Cardi B began by saying: "What are we going to do about wages in America?"

"Like, for example me, as a New Yorker, not now, but you know, when I was not famous, I just felt like no matter how many jobs I get, I wasn't able to make ends meet," she continued. "Like, I wasn't able to pay my rent, get transportation and eat."

Sanders said that it was an "excellent and important question." Increasing the federal minimum wage has been one of Sanders' key policy initiatives for years. He wants to increase the national minimum wage to $15/hour.

"Right now we have tens of millions of people who are earning what I consider to be starvation wages. Can you imagine somebody today earning $9 an hour?" Sanders said.

"It don't make no sense," Cardi B responded.

"No, it doesn't," Sanders replied.

Sanders also highlighted legislation passed by the House of Representatives in June that would increase the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour by October 2025.

Cardi B also seemingly dissed Trump, who has repeatedly touted the low unemployment rate in America, particularly for African Americans and Latinos, and claimed credit for the statistics as he seeks re-election.

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"My thing is certain people like to brag that there is more jobs now in America, but it's like, yeah, there's an increase of jobs given, but what are they paying in these jobs? They're practically paying nothing," she said.

"You got it," Sanders replied. "That is exactly the issue. So you can get a job, but maybe you're gonna have to work two or three jobs."

The Bronx rapper first hinted at her interview with Sanders on July 29, when she posted a photo of the two.

"Not me, US. Thank you Senator Bernie Sanders for sitting with me and sharing your plans on how you will change this country," she wrote in the caption of that post last month.

On his Twitter account, Sanders also previewed the full interview with Cardi B, which will go live on Thursday.

"Cardi B knows this is the most important election of our lives," Sanders wrote in the tweet. "So we sat down to talk about the pressing issues facing people today."

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2020 Democrats: Cardi B, Bernie Sanders discuss minimum wage