How It Was Recorded

Cardi B · Invasion of Privacy, 2017

Bodak Yellow

Lead vocal (mix)808s, claps and hi-hats (mix)Synth (mix)Beat bus, mix bus and masteringVerified18

What the sources do and do not say

Single Sound On Sound Secrets of the Mix Engineers interview with mixer Evan LaRay, read in full. It covers the mix and mastering of this song, almost entirely plug-ins in Pro Tools. The recording itself was done by Michael Ashby at Krematorium Studios and is not described; the Sony C800, Neve 1073 and Tube-Tech mentioned relate to later sessions and are excluded.

Lead vocal (mix)

Cardi B

Mix effects

FabFilter Pro-DS

Verified

De-esser first in the chain on the main vocal aux group.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. This is already software, so the stand-in is the thing itself. No product link has been added for it yet.

Waves C4

Verified

Multiband compressor on the main vocal aux, lifting the top end and holding back the low end of her voice.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. This is already software, so the stand-in is the thing itself. No product link has been added for it yet.

Waves CLA Vocals

Verified

Vocal processor on the main vocal aux and on the ad-lib aux, which he says he uses on every mix.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. This is already software, so the stand-in is the thing itself. No product link has been added for it yet.

Waves CLA-76

Verified

Compressor on the Hook and Verse vocal tracks to keep peaks in check.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

The plugin used on the record

Waves CLA-76 Compressor / Limiter

compressor

The plugin named in the source.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

FabFilter Timeless 2

Verified

Stereo delay on the Hook vocal, with width and wet level lowered from a preset, to separate it from the verse.

Settings
Stereo delay preset with width and wet value lowered

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. This is already software, so the stand-in is the thing itself. No product link has been added for it yet.

Soundtoys Decapitator

Verified

Adds harmonic distortion on the main vocal aux group.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. This is already software, so the stand-in is the thing itself. No product link has been added for it yet.

Waves PuigChild 670

Verified

Heavy parallel compression on the ELR aux so the vocal stays centred and cuts through.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

The plugin used on the record

Waves PuigChild 660 & 670

compressor

The plugin used on the record.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

Waves Aphex Vintage Aural Exciter

Verified

Exciter on the parallel ELR aux for crispness and clarity on the vocal.

Settings
AX Mix 6

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. This is already software, so the stand-in is the thing itself. No product link has been added for it yet.

Waves RVerb

Verified

Reverb on the shared aux fed by both vocal auxes, which he says glues everything together.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. This is already software, so the stand-in is the thing itself. No product link has been added for it yet.

808s, claps and hi-hats (mix)

J White (programmed beat)

Mix effects

Universal Audio SPL Transient Designer

Verified

Brings out more attack on the second 808 so it cuts through, as the song has no real kicks.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. This is already software, so the stand-in is the thing itself. No product link has been added for it yet.

Waves RBass

Verified

Adds low end to the second 808 so it cuts through.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. This is already software, so the stand-in is the thing itself. No product link has been added for it yet.

Waves API 550A

Verified

EQ on both clap tracks to give them body.

Settings
6dB boost around 200Hz

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. This is already software, so the stand-in is the thing itself. No product link has been added for it yet.

Synth (mix)

J White (programmed beat)

Mix effects

Waves Vitamin Sonic Enhancer

Verified

Boosts low and high mids on the main synth and widens it.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. This is already software, so the stand-in is the thing itself. No product link has been added for it yet.

Waves L1

Verified

Limiter on the main synth to tame piercing frequencies.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

The plugin used on the record

Waves L1 Ultramaximizer

limiter

The plugin named in the source.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

Beat bus, mix bus and mastering

Mix effects

Waves NLS Channel

Verified

Only plug-in on the beat aux group, used to give an in-the-box mix some analogue character.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

The plugin used on the record

Waves NLS Non-Linear Summer

console emulation

The plugin named in the source.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

Nomad Factory E-Tube Vintage Warmer

Verified

Adds body to the whole mix on the stereo mix chain.

Settings
Tone brought down a bit; Tube B

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. This is already software, so the stand-in is the thing itself. No product link has been added for it yet.

iZotope Ozone 7

Verified

Mastering the track on an insert, starting from a Greg Calbi preset and tweaking it.

Settings
Greg Calbi preset General Clarity, Maximizer added 3dB

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. This is already software, so the stand-in is the thing itself. No product link has been added for it yet.

Sonnox Oxford Limiter

Verified

Used in mastering after the Ozone Maximizer, enhancing it and making the track much louder.

Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. This is already software, so the stand-in is the thing itself. No product link has been added for it yet.

Sources

  1. Inside Track: Cardi B 'Bodak Yellow', Sound On Sound, 2018-02. Accessed 15 Nov 2026.
Verified

Stated by the engineer, producer or artist, or by the manufacturer.

Reported

Stated by a reputable secondary source.

Inferred

An educated suggestion, not a documented fact.

Disclosure: plugin links currently go straight to the maker and earn us nothing. If that changes, affiliate links will be marked here. Suggestions are chosen on fit, never on commission, and are kept separate from the recording facts. More.