Cardi B Takes the Judge’s Seat: Her RuPaul’s Drag Race Debut
- Je-Ree
- 5 days ago
- 2 min read
RuPaul’s Drag Race premieres are designed to make a statement, but Season 18 went for volume. When Cardi B made her debut as judge on RuPaul’s Drag Race, subtlety exited the Werk Room immediately. From her first reaction on the runway to her brutally honest critiques, Cardi didn’t just guest judge, she took over the episode in a way only Cardi B can.
The premiere welcomed a fresh batch of queens into the Werk Room, all eager to prove they belong in the race. That confidence was tested almost instantly with a design challenge that required contestants to create high-fashion runway looks using recycled materials pulled from Drag Race’s past. It was a classic sink-or-slay setup, and the results were all over the map.
On the runway, Cardi B was locked in. She reacted to looks in real time, gasping when a queen delivered and visibly cringing when one didn’t. Her critiques were blunt, sometimes brutal and refreshingly honest. When a design felt sloppy or unfinished, she said it. When a queen relied too heavily on body instead of construction, she clocked it. And when a look worked? Cardi hyped it like she was front row at Fashion Week.
Standouts of the night quickly emerged. Nini Coco impressed the judges with a polished, fashion-forward look that transformed basic materials into something genuinely runway-ready. Vita VonTesse Starr also delivered, combining strong construction with confidence and storytelling. The two were named the top queens of the episode and faced off in a lip sync for the win rather than the usual fight for survival.
The lip sync delivered energy, precision, and star power, exactly what a season premiere needs. Nini Coco ultimately walked away with the win, setting herself up as an early frontrunner and giving the season its first benchmark moment.
True to Drag Race tradition, no queen was sent home in the premiere, allowing everyone another chance to step it up. Still, the message was clear: this cast isn’t playing, and neither is Cardi B.
By the end of the episode, Cardi B’s judging debut had already become the talking point. Her unfiltered commentary, genuine enthusiasm for drag and zero-patience approach to mediocrity injected fresh chaos into the panel. Love her or fear her, Cardi B brought exactly what RuPaul’s Drag Race thrives on: spectacle, honesty and unforgettable television.
If this episode is any indication, Season 18 is coming in hot and Cardi B made sure it arrived loud.
What did you think of the premiere? Sound off below.
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