Cardi B Shades Nicki Minaj With Jay-Z 'Imaginary Players' Sample

Cardi B is answering the question to her own upcoming album -- "Am I The Drama?" by remaking a classic Jay-Z track -- when everyone knows Nicki Minaj is on his head!!!

For her newest single, "Imaginary Playerz," Cardi and her day-one partner, Patientce Foster, share directing duties as she takes over a private jet runway, draped in bejeweled outfits, while boasting about her hip hop fashion dominance ... "The first rap b*tch on the cover of Vogue!!!"

Cardi also drops a curious line on the 2nd verse of the track ... "Now you’re 15 up, you already out of time / I’m a legend, they gon' hang my heels from the power lines."

"The Brimcess" has had several clashes with female rappers over the years, but none as tenured as Ms. Minaj!!!

Jay-Z's 1997 "Vol. 1" album cut "Imaginary Players" famously mocked rappers and hustlers alike for faking it until they made it -- or got exposed.

Song samples don't get cleared out of thin air, and Nicki has been ripping anything Jay and Roc Nation-related to shreds for months now ... Dez Bryant has been the only one to find common ground as of late.