Cardi B is racing to finalize her divorce from Offset, but the road to freedom is proving bumpier than she’d hoped. The rapper, born in 1991 and a key figure in the trio Migos, has thrown a wrench into the process with demands that have left Cardi reeling. What started as a mutual parting has devolved into a tangled mess of legal filings, public spats, and unresolved tension, with their three children—Kulture, Wave, and a six-month-old daughter whose name remains under wraps—caught in the middle. As Cardi pushes to reclaim her independence, Offset’s moves signal he’s not ready to let go without a fight.

Legal documents unearthed by TMZ reveal Offset’s bid for joint legal custody of their kids: seven-year-old Kulture, four-year-old Wave, and their infant daughter. He’s willing to let Cardi’s home remain their primary residence, a nod to stability for the children. But his requests don’t end there. Offset wants the court to spell out exactly who pays what for their upbringing, a demand that hints at deeper financial friction. He’s also calling for a judicial split of their marital assets and insists each cover their own legal fees, drawing a firm line in the sand. For Cardi, who’s spent years building her empire through music and savvy branding, these terms are a bitter pill, complicating her bid for a clean break.

The saga took a dramatic turn in 2024 when Cardi announced her pregnancy on August 1, just 24 hours after filing for divorce. It wasn’t her first attempt—she’d filed in September 2020 only to back off two months later—but this time feels different. A rep for Cardi told People in July 2024 that infidelity rumors, long a shadow over their marriage, weren’t the trigger. Instead, this split has been brewing for ages, a slow burn rather than a sudden snap. A close friend backed this up, telling People that Cardi and Offset had been hashing it out for over a year. “She didn’t just wake up one day and decide to ditch him after some blowout,” the insider said. “She’s been calm, focusing on her kids, excited for the new baby and her music. Life’s actually pretty good for her.”

That calm facade, though, has cracked under mounting pressure. At first, things seemed civil—Cardi even praised Offset publicly as a great dad. But the gloves came off as their disputes spilled onto social media, turning a private unraveling into a public spectacle. Offset fired a salvo, branding Cardi “single and miserable,” a jab that lit the fuse. She clapped back, unflinched: “I don’t care about the girls you’re sleeping with, but the second I talk to someone, you’re texting me, badmouthing me.” The exchange laid bare a rift that’s been festering, fueled by mistrust and clashing egos, despite their shared history as parents and partners since 2017.

Offset’s custody push isn’t just about time with the kids—it’s about control. Joint legal custody would give him a voice in their upbringing, a prospect that could chafe against Cardi’s fiercely independent streak. His financial demands add salt to the wound, suggesting a tug-of-war over the wealth they’ve amassed together. For Cardi, who dropped the divorce bomb amid her third pregnancy, the timing screams defiance—she’s not just leaving Offset but stepping boldly into her next chapter. Yet his resistance, from courtroom filings to online barbs, keeps her tethered to the chaos she’s trying to escape.

Theirs was once a power couple story, blending raw talent with headline-grabbing romance. Now, it’s a war of attrition, played out in legal briefs and Instagram jabs. Cardi’s friend insists she’s thriving—her focus split between motherhood and music, her spirit buoyed by the promise of a fresh start. But Offset’s shadow looms large, his demands a reminder that disentangling their lives won’t be quick or quiet. The courts will settle the nuts and bolts—custody, cash, property—but the emotional fallout is harder to judge.

As Cardi navigates this storm, she’s betting on herself, as always. The public sniping might sting, but it’s the kids she’s shielding, the career she’s guarding. Offset’s accusations and legal plays paint him as a man unwilling to fade out gracefully, clinging to influence over a family slipping from his grasp. What began as a love loud enough to fill arenas has soured into a standoff, with Cardi determined to write the ending on her terms. For now, the battle rages—messy, public, and unrelenting—proving that even in divorce, these two can’t help but steal the spotlight.