Cardi B is an American rapper born on October 11, 1992. She grew up in New York City and became famous through videos on Vine and Instagram. From 2015 to early 2017 she appeared on the reality show Love & Hip Hop: New York while pursuing her music career. Cardi B gained more attention with her mixtapes “Gangsta Bitch” Music Vol. 1 and Vol. 2.
Her first official album “Invasion of Privacy” debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart and was named the top female rap album of the 2010s by Billboard. It received critical acclaim and made Cardi B the first solo female artist to win the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album. The album’s lead single “Bodak Yellow” made her the first female rapper in the 21st century to top the Billboard Hot 100 chart on her own. “I Like It” also hit number one making her the first female rapper with multiple solo number-one hits.
Cardi B’s collaboration with Maroon 5 on “Girls Like You” also reached number one and she’s the only female rapper with multiple diamond-certified singles by the RIAA. Her songs “WAP” featuring Megan Thee Stallion and “Up” topped the charts in 2020 and 2021 setting streaming records. Her second album is expected in 2024.
Forbes recognized Cardi B as one of the most influential female rappers ever. She holds several records in hip hop including the most number-one singles (five) by a female rapper on the Billboard Hot 100. She’s also the only female rapper with multiple solo number-ones across two decades (2010s and 2020s) and the most diamond-certified songs (three) by the RIAA among female rappers.
Beyond music, Cardi B was a judge on “Rhythm + Flow,” appeared in films like “Hustlers” and “F9” and voiced a character in Baby Shark’s Big Movie!. She became the creative director of Playboy magazine in 2022. Her accolades include a Grammy Award eight Billboard Music Awards six Guinness World Records and more. Time magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2018 and Billboard honored her as Woman of the Year in 2020.
| Full Name | Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar (Cardi B) |
| Date of Birth | October 11, 1992 |
| Place of Birth | The Bronx, New York City, New York, USA |
| Occupation | Rapper, Singer, Songwriter |
| Height | 5 feet 3 inches (160 cm) |
| Spouse | Offset |
| Children | 2 |
| Net Worth | $80 million |
Cardi B’s Early Life and Education
Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar was born on October 11, 1992, in Washington Heights Manhattan New York City. Her father Carlos is Dominican and her mother Clara is Trinidadian with African and Spanish roots. Almánzar considers herself Afro-Latina. She grew up in the Highbridge neighborhood of the South Bronx and spent a lot of time at her grandma’s place in Washington Heights which she credits for her distinctive accent.
She adopted the stage name “Cardi B” from her childhood nickname “Bacardi” inspired by the rum brand. Cardi B has a younger sister named Hennessy Carolina born in 1995. During her youth, she was involved with the Bloods gang from age 16 but has since discouraged others from joining gangs.
Cardi B attended Renaissance High School for Musical Theater & Technology part of the Herbert H. Lehman High School campus. In her teens, she worked at a Tribeca grocery store before becoming a dancer at a nearby strip club. She has spoken positively about her time as a stripper noting it helped her financially and enabled her to return to school.
Stripping became a way for Cardi B to escape poverty and domestic abuse after leaving her mother’s home. She initially lied to her mother claiming she was babysitting for income. She later attended Borough of Manhattan Community College but eventually dropped out.
Career
In 2015, Cardi B joined VH1’s reality series Love & Hip Hop: New York debuting in season six. She quickly became the standout star of that season praised for her witty one-liners by The New York Times. Her journey through seasons six and seven showcased her rise to fame and tumultuous relationship with her fiancé who was in prison. She left the show in December 2016 to pursue music.
Cardi B made her musical debut in November 2015 on a remix of Shaggy’s “Boom Boom” with Popcaan. Her first music video released in December 2015 was “Cheap Ass Weave” her take on Lady Leshurr’s “Queen’s Speech 4.” She followed this with her first mixtape Gangsta Bitch Music Vol. 1 in March 2016 and appeared on the digital cover of Vibe magazine’s “Viva” issue in November 2016.
In September 2016, Cardi B collaborated on the album Underestimated: The Album with KSR Group aiming to create music that empowered women while making them dance and enjoy themselves. She also made appearances on shows like Uncommon Sense with Charlamagne and Khloé Kardashian’s Kocktails with Khloé where she shared personal stories.
In 2016, Cardi B began her endorsement career with Romantic Depot a New York lingerie chain. Her breakthrough came in 2017 with her second mixtape “Gangsta Bitch” Music Vol. 2 and signing with Atlantic Records. She toured with The Lox and appeared on i-D’s “A-Z of Music” video sponsored by Marc Jacobs. She gained further recognition with her freestyle “Red Barz” and nominations for the 2017 BET Awards.
In June 2017, Cardi B’s commercial debut single “Bodak Yellow” was released by Atlantic Records reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100. This achievement made her the first solo female rapper to top the chart since Lauryn Hill in 1998. The song’s success led to numerous accolades and nominations including Grammy nominations.
Cardi B’s debut studio album Invasion of Privacy released in April 2018 received critical acclaim and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart. It featured hits like “I Like It” which also reached number one on the Hot 100 making her the first female rapper with multiple chart-topping singles. Her collaboration with Maroon 5 on “Girls Like You” further solidified her chart dominance.
Cardi B received five nominations at the 61st Grammy Awards including nods for Album of the Year Best Rap Album and Record of the Year for “I Like It.” She became only the third female rapper ever nominated for Album of the Year following Lauryn Hill in 1999 and Missy Elliott in 2004. On February 10, 2019, she performed at the Grammy Awards and made history by becoming the first solo female rapper to win Best Rap Album adorned in three vintage Thierry Mugler couture outfits.
At the 2019 Billboard Music Awards Cardi B led with 21 nominations the highest ever for a female artist in a single year and the third highest overall (behind Drake and The Chainsmokers). She went on to win six awards including Top Hot 100 Song bringing her total career wins to seven—the most of any female rapper in history. The Omaha World-Herald dubbed her “the biggest rapper in the world.”
On February 15, 2019, Cardi B released “Please Me” a collaboration with Bruno Mars that became her seventh top-ten hit on the Hot 100 peaking at number three. This marked their second collaboration following “Finesse” in 2018 with the official music video dropping two weeks later. She also set a new attendance record at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo on March 1, 2019, with a crowd of 75580.
Cardi B made headlines again with “Backin’ It Up”, “Twerk”, and “Money” becoming the first female artist to claim the top three spots on the Billboard Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop airplay chart. Her single “Press” released on May 31, 2019, featured a music video that marked her directorial debut released on June 26, 2019. She showcased her talent at the 2019 BET Awards where she received seven nominations and won Album of the Year.
In her film debut in “Hustlers” in September 2019 directed by Lorene Scafaria Cardi B starred alongside Jennifer Lopez Constance Wu and Lili Reinhart. She also joined Chance the Rapper and T.I. as a judge and executive producer on the Netflix series “Rhythm + Flow” a hip-hop talent search that premiered on October 9, 2019.
Cardi B’s global impact continued as she embarked on her first tour of Africa in December 2019 performing in Nigeria and Ghana. Her collaboration “Clout” received a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Performance and Spotify named her the most streamed female rapper of 2019 in the US. Consequence of Sound hailed her as “one of the most influential hip-hop artists of the decade.”
In March 2020, Cardi B captured global attention with her candid reaction video on the coronavirus pandemic. DJ iMarkkeyz transformed her response into a viral song titled “Coronavirus” further amplifying her cultural presence. Netflix announced the return of “Rhythm + Flow” for 2021.
Cardi B’s musical prowess soared with the release of “WAP” featuring Megan Thee Stallion on August 7, 2020, as the lead single from her anticipated second studio album. The track celebrated for its empowering messages received critical acclaim and set a new record for the biggest 24-hour debut for an all-female collaboration on YouTube.
“WAP” debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 marking Cardi B’s fourth chart-topper in the US and solidifying her status as the female rapper with the most number-one singles. The song’s success extended globally topping charts in multiple countries and breaking barriers for women in hip-hop.
Continuing her streak Cardi B released “Up” on February 5, 2021, as the second single from her upcoming album. It debuted at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 making history as the highest debut for a solo female rap song since Lauryn Hill’s “Doo Wop (That Thing)” in 1998.
Cardi B’s achievements continued with multiple wins at the Billboard Music Awards BET Awards and American Music Awards solidifying her as a dominant force in music. She expanded her artistic ventures into film television and philanthropy maintaining her influence and reshaping the landscape of hip-hop.
In October 2021, Cardi B teased her second album to Atlantic Records signaling a new chapter in her musical journey. Her impact extends beyond music with notable appearances in film and television and a commitment to empowering women in the industry.
Net Worth
Cardi B has an estimated net worth of $80 Million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. The main source of Cardi B’s net worth mainly comes from her successful music career. She rose to fame with hits like “Bodak Yellow” and has released several chart-topping albums.
Besides music, Cardi B earns money from endorsements, acting roles, and her own business ventures, including a partnership with Fashion Nova. Her social media presence also boosts her income through sponsored posts and promotions. All these sources combined contribute to her impressive net worth.
Personal life
Cardi B started dating rapper Offset. They got engaged on October 27, 2017. During a performance on Saturday Night Live on April 7, 2018, Cardi B announced her pregnancy when she was about six months along. TMZ later discovered that Cardi B and Offset had secretly married in September 2017 before their public engagement.
They welcomed their daughter on July 10, 2018. In December 2018, Cardi B announced their separation on Instagram but they reconciled later. They made a public appearance together at the Grammys in February 2019 where Offset joined Cardi B onstage during her acceptance speech.
In September 2020, news surfaced that Cardi B had filed for divorce from Offset but they reconciled the following month. In June 2021 Cardi B announced her second pregnancy giving birth to a son on September 4, 2021. On their fifth marriage anniversary, Cardi B revealed plans for their official wedding.
However, by December 2023, she confirmed via Instagram that she had been single for a while indicating she and Offset were no longer together. As of March 2024, their marital status remained unclear but they continued to collaborate with Offset directing one of Cardi B’s music videos.
On October 1, 2018, Cardi B faced accusations of assaulting two female bartenders who claimed she and her group threw bottles and alcohol at them. She denied involvement but was charged with assault and reckless endangerment. In June 2019, a jury indicted her on 14 charges including felony assault. She pleaded not guilty and later in September 2022 pleaded guilty to lesser charges resulting in community service.
In January 2022, Cardi B won a defamation lawsuit against YouTuber Latasha Kebe receiving damages for false rumors. In March 2022 she and her sister won a defamation lawsuit filed against them. In July 2023, Cardi B threw her microphone into the crowd at a Las Vegas concert after a fan threw liquid at her leading to an investigation that did not result in charges.
In September 2018, Cardi B attempted to physically confront Nicki Minaj at a New York Fashion Week event alleging Minaj had disparaged her parenting and career. Minaj denied the allegations criticizing Cardi B on her radio show. The incident garnered attention with Cardi B later appearing on the cover of Harper’s Bazaar in 2019 sparking interpretations related to the altercation.
Following the release of “Girls” in May 2018 Cardi B responded to criticism that the song trivialized LGBT relationships stating it was not intended to cause harm and reflecting on her own experiences with women.
Other ventures
Cardi B has been actively involved in numerous high-profile collaborations and ventures over the years. Here’s a simplified overview:
In early 2017, she partnered with M.A.C and Rio Uribe’s Gypsy Sport for a New York Fashion Week event. Her appearance in i-D’s “A-Z of Music” video in April was sponsored by Marc Jacobs. She graced the cover of The Fader’s Summer Music issue in July/August 2017. Tom Ford released a lipstick inspired by Cardi B in September 2018 which sold out in just 24 hours.
Cardi B launched a clothing line with Fashion Nova in November 2018. She also partnered with Reebok that month to promote their Aztrek sneaker. This collaboration expanded into a full footwear and apparel collection in 2020 drawing from classic 80s style.
In 2021, she released her second collection with Reebok “Let Me Be…In My World” featuring sneakers, tracksuits, and corsets inspired by New York City life. The third collection “Mommy & Me” debuted in May 2021 celebrating Mother’s Day with matching shoes for adults children and infants. In mid-2022, she launched “Let Me Be…Enchanted” a collection themed around euphoria and featuring crop tops, faux, fur jackets, and leotards.
The final collection with Reebok “Let Me Be…Next Level Energy” debuted in late 2022 reflecting Cardi B’s vibrant energy with bodysuits crop tops leggings and jackets in crystal-inspired colors.
Cardi B collaborated with Pepsi on three TV commercials aired during major events like Super Bowl LIII and the Grammy Awards in 2019. She also joined other hip-hop artists in launching her flavors of Rap Snacks snack foods that year. In December 2021 she became creative director in residence for Playboy and co-founded Centerfold focusing on fashion and sexual wellness products.
In February 2023, Cardi B and Offset introduced the Cardi B and Offset meal at McDonald’s launched on Valentine’s Day. She later appeared in Skims’ Cotton Collection campaign in October 2023 generating significant media impact.
In December 2023, Cardi B made her runway debut at the Balenciaga Fall 2024 show in Los Angeles. In February 2024 she starred in NYX Cosmetics’ Super Bowl commercial and appeared in a commercial for the 2024 Summer Olympics with Sha’Carri Richardson in May 2024.
In December 2021, Cardi B launched Whipshots a vodka-infused vegan whipped cream that has sold over five million cans as of March 2024. She also premiered the series Cardi Tries via Facebook Messenger in December 2020 running for three seasons until April 2023.
In terms of philanthropy, Cardi B donated $100000 to her elementary school I.S. 232 in The Bronx in 2022.
