Rapper Cardi B has strongly criticised the 35-year prison sentence given to Karmelo Anthony, calling the verdict “disgusting” and questioning the handling of the case.
A jury in Collin County, Texas, found Anthony, 19, guilty of murder on 9 June over the fatal stabbing of Austin Metcalf at a school track meet in Frisco on 2 April 2025. Both teenagers were 17 at the time of the incident.
Posting on social media shortly after the verdict, Cardi B said the sentence was not justice but an attempt to “make an example”. She later expanded on her views in an online audio discussion, where she expressed sympathy for both families involved.
The rapper said Metcalf’s parents had “lost a child”, while Anthony’s parents had “lost a child to the system”. She described Anthony as a teenager from a stable background who showed visible emotion after the incident and during sentencing.
Cardi B also raised concerns about racial bias, suggesting the outcome might have been different if the individuals involved were of different races. She said the case had changed how she would advise her own children about handling confrontations.
Discussing the incident itself, she argued Anthony may have acted in self-defence, claiming he was outnumbered during the altercation. She also questioned whether the situation could have been de-escalated earlier by involving school staff.
The artist criticised the jury’s decision-making and said a manslaughter charge would have been more appropriate, arguing there was no evidence of premeditation. She described the 35-year sentence as excessive for a teenager with no prior criminal record.
The case has become one of the most debated legal stories of the year, drawing strong reactions on social media and raising broader questions about youth violence, race, and the justice system in the United States.
