The First Official Pictures of the Couple’s Blended Family Is Featured on ESSENCE’s Cover

ESSENCE has always been a place that nurtures, uplifts and inspires the notion of family. The magazine is proud to announce its May/June 2022 Anniversary issue featuring hip-hop royalty Cardi B and Offset and their amazing family—with a first look at the couple’s youngest son, Wave!

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ESSENCE Features Global Music Stars Cardi B and Offset’s Family on the Cover of Its May/June Issue With Their Son, Wave, Making His Debut (Photography: AB + DM)

As the publication enters its 52^nd year fresh off receiving a 2022 National Magazine Award for Photography, ESSENCE is pleased to have Senior Entertainment Editor Brande Victorian speak with the “Rapped in Love” couple about everything from what makes their marriage work to the trials they faced together to the importance of family and the longevity they foresee in the entertainment business. What makes their marriage work is the respect and trust Cardi B has for her husband, who has not only united their family but has also been a confidante who ensures that she remains a business savvy artist beyond the stage.

Despite their public ups and downs the Cephus’s are here to stay, and their love is one for the books. The sanctuary they have created not only for themselves, but also their children is evident throughout their honest dialogue. Welcome to “The Safe House.”

• CARDI B ON MEETING OFFSET’S CHILDREN: “After we got married, that’s when I met his kids. I always wanted them to love me, and they really do. They tell me that. I feel it, and I hope we always have a great relationship.”

• OFFSET ON FAMILY: “It’s a blessing to be able to have them all together, and to have a wife who’s open and treats them as if they’re her kids. It could be an issue, but I don’t have to go through that, and that’s beautiful.”

• CARDI B ON HOW OFFSET SUPPORTS HER: “When I had my baby, I felt like things were going to be alright, because I know the type of man that he is with his kids. It’s hard for me to explain, but I see how much he loves his kids and how passionate he is about his kids, and I love that.”

• OFFSET ON HOW THEY STAY MOTIVATED: “It might sound weird, but we don’t always put love first—because sometimes you can put love before work and mess up your career, because you’re not focused. Love is important, but if you’ve got that foundation, we should respect each other and what we have going on. I had never experienced a woman that was working like me and doing what I’m doing. It turns me on. She does her own thing. She likes the hustle, so that ain’t never getting in between our love.”

“Honoring the full spectrum of parenthood will always be a priority for ESSENCE. From the Obamas (2008) to Sean “Diddy” Combs with his daughters (2019), we have lovingly celebrated the Black family dynamic on our covers. The Cephus’s, one of the most influential couples in music, have granted us a personal look into what’s forging their family bond—blended bliss,” says deputy editor Cori Murray. “As Senior Entertainment Editor Brande Victorian opens in the Cardi B and Offset cover story, The Safe House, they ‘are locked in for life.’”

“There is an unregulated pathology that has intentionally attacked and dismantled the institution that is the Black family. The same systems that committed this unresolved atrocity then blame the lack of parity in Black community on the very same institution that they blatantly dis-assembled with malice. For over 50 years, ESSENCE has proudly countered the narratives that position our communities as symbols of deficit and instead chronicled the resilience, strength and fortitude that have sustained and fueled our families throughout time,” says Caroline Wanga, CEO of ESSENCE. She continues, “This month, we celebrate the family of Offset and Cardi B. We know there are many ways to define family, but how a family defines themselves is of most importance. Whether they are birthed, blended, or chosen, the nucleus of every family is a love and connection that offers joy and comfort throughout life’s journey. Added factors like being in the public eye amplify the necessity for a family unit to exercise perfect love and compassion in an imperfect and demanding world, as Cardi B, Offset and their family have modeled time and time again. The health of Black and Brown communities is grounded in the health of the families within it and as we also spotlight mental, maternal/paternal, physical, and other determinants of health this month, we honor the way in which sharing this family’s story will inspire all families to advocate for WHAT they uniquely need/want to be and WHO they publicly need/want to be.

“We are not just the place 31 million Black women call home, we are a safe harbor for all community members to find resources, safety, and celebration for themselves and those they love—and will continue to do so going forward.”

ESSENCE’s May/June issue hits newsstands April 26. For more on this month’s issue, visit ESSENCE.com.

(Writer: Brande Victorian, Photography: AB + DM)

ABOUT ESSENCE COMMUNICATIONS, INC.

Essence Communications, Inc., is the number one—and only 100% Black-owned—media, technology and commerce company at scale dedicated to Black women and communities. With a community of more than 31 million Black women, ESSENCE inspires a global audience through diverse storytelling and immersive original content rooted in CULTURE, EQUITY and CELEBRATION. The brand’s multi-platform presence in publishing, experiential and online encompasses its namesake magazine; digital, video and social platforms; television specials; books; and signature live events, including Black Women in Music, Black Women in Hollywood, Black Women in Sports, Fashion House, Street Style and the ESSENCE Festival of Culture.

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