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There’s no other way to put it—Cardi B is a phenom. When she burst onto the scene in the late 2010s, the entire rap industry was bowled over by her uncanny charisma and irresistible tracks. Breaking records left and right like they were going out of style, Cardi ascended to hip hop’s summit whether her detractors liked it or not.
Make no mistake about it: the lineage of hip hop’s greatest female emcees is a murderer’s row. Lil’ Kim, Missy Elliott, Ms. Lauryn Hill, and Nicki Minaj are artists of the highest order, ready to chop off rappers’ heads regardless of gender. By virtue of her unprecedented success, Cardi B takes a comfortable seat among these legends. Indeed—and with all due respect to the iconic Queen Latifah—I’d say the contemporary crown rests rightfully on her head.
Quick Facts
| Birth Date | October 11, 1992 |
| Birth Place | Manhattan, New York |
| Nationality | American |
| Zodiac Sign | Libra |
| Siblings | Hennessy Carolina |
| Children | Kulture (b. 2018)
Wave Set (b. 2021) |
| Partner/Spouse | Kiari “Offset” Cephus (m. 2017) |
| Most Successful Songs | “Bodak Yellow”
“I Like It” “WAP” (feat. Megan Thee Stallion) |
| Net Worth | Estimated value of $40 million (as of 2022) |
| Social Media | twitter.com/iamcardib
instagram.com/iamcardib facebook.com/cardib |
| Major Awards | 2x Grammy Award winner
14x BET Hip Hop Award winner 7x Billboard Music Award winner 6x American Music Award winner |
| Last updated | August 28, 2022 |
Early Years
This queen was born Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar on October 11, 1992 in Washington Heights, Manhattan. (If this locale rings any bells, it’s because this also happens to be the old ‘hood of Lin-Manuel Miranda, whose cultural impact rivals that of Cardi.)
As you can tell by Cardi’s distinct accent, she is of Caribbean heritage. Her father Carlos Almánzar hails from the Dominican Republic, while her mother Clara Almánzar traces her roots to Trinidad. Aside from Cardi, Carlos and Clara have another daughter named Hennessy Carolina, who was born in 1995). Of course, the liquor-themed name had to carry over to her big sister, who came to be called “Bacardi” by the people around her. Years later, Bacardi would be transformed into the stage name that the world came to love.
Cardi’s formative years were spent in the Highbridge neighborhood of the Bronx, as well as her grandmother’s house in Manhattan. In a 2017 interview for The FADER, Cardi described her young self as “a regular girl from the hood, in a New York City that had a lot more grime and a lot fewer Starbuckses.” She certainly couldn’t evade the harsh realities of family life: in her preteens, her parents went their separate ways. Thankfully, the impact of Carlos and Clara’s split was mitigated by the proximity of her numerous relatives.
Still, Cardi ran into rough patches every now and then. She missed opportunities to appear in school musicals due to bad grades; she attended hooky parties; and she even joined the Bloods when she was 16. In her 2018 Carpool Karaoke appearance, Cardi confirmed a story that James Corden had heard: she used to walk around with a razor blade in her mouth, just in case she needed to defend herself. (Honestly, I don’t even understand how that works.)
During her teenage years, did Cardi show signs that she would be a hip hop megastar? Barely. Though she had an affinity for getting cast in (and getting booted from) musicals, as well as joining talent shows here and there, there weren’t many indications that Cardi would soon be dropping hot verses for a living. She did grow up listening to Lil’ Kim and Remy Ma—fearless New York femcees that paved the way for her future career and success.
Life-Changing Decisions
At the age of 18, Cardi had to manage her time between her courses at a downtown Manhattan college; and her job as a cashier at an Amish Market. Unfortunately, both of these endeavors came to a screeching halt. Cardi dropped out of college as she couldn’t juggle school and work; she then got fired for tardiness and a propensity to give discounts to her fellow workers.
During these trying times, Cardi was financially dependent on her then-boyfriend, with whom she lived in a modest Bronx apartment. As if Cardi wasn’t going through enough, she endured physical abuse from her boyfriend (and, for good measure, his sister allegedly stole weed from Cardi as well).
In dire straits, Cardi took the suggestion of her former supermarket boss: maximize her physical attributes by becoming a stripper. Though she shuddered at the thought of what her mother would say, Cardi went ahead and took to the pole. In her first week, she earned more than her weekly salary at her former job.
The stripper gig eventually became a stable means of livelihood that enabled Cardi to sever ties with her boyfriend. (As for her mother, Clara only found out about the stripper thing over a year after it started—at which point she supposedly pushed Cardi down a staircase!)
Soon, Cardi was working poles across the country. It was during this national tour of sorts that she started paying close attention to the music preferences of Americans. As she learned more about these different tastes, Cardi wondered what it would be like to present music that the entire nation would enjoy.
Cardi, the Social Media and TV Star
By 2014, Cardi was harnessing the power of an up-and-coming platform called Instagram. In a sign of things to come, Cardi’s popularity on IG grew rapidly, as evidenced by the thousands of followers attracted by her wildly entertaining videos. In 2015, she put a stop to her stripping endeavors, in favor of club hosting gigs and other opportunities brought about by her immense presence on social media.
I look at this point in Cardi’s life and wonder, what would have happened if she had committed herself to the social media influencer route? With her quick wit and theatrics, Cardi could have gone the way of a Lele Pons or an Addison Rae as one of the most successful Internet celebrities of all time. As fate would have it, this was by no means the peak of Cardi’s career. In fact, she was just getting started.
Unsurprisingly, Cardi’s social media brilliance led to a TV venture. In 2015, she joined the season six cast of the VH1 series Love & Hip Hop: New York. Rubbing shoulders with artists like Remy Ma, Yandy Smith-Harris, and Tara Wallace, Cardi stood out thanks to her humor and genuine vibes. Cardi also appeared in the show’s seventh season, after which she decided to leave in order to focus on a career you might have heard of.
The Music Industry Beckons Cardi
Shortly before debuting in Love & Hip Hop, Cardi had already tried her hand at music at the suggestion of one of her managers. In November 2015, she appeared on the remix of Shaggy’s track “Boom Boom.” When I first listened to her verses on this remix, I had to chuckle at the raw quality of her lines and delivery. It was almost like she was whispering her words, thereby accentuating the fact that she was the shy newcomer. Nevertheless, this guest appearance showed her potential as an emcee chomping at the bit to make an impact.
She began carving her own niche by releasing her first full-length project, the mixtape Gangsta Bitch Music, Vol. 1, on March 7, 2016. Released under the imprint of KSR Group, Vol. 1 channels Cardi’s strong, “take no B.S.” personality—the one that made her popular on social media and on TV—and amplifies it with elements of trap and Latin music. On tracks like “Sauce Boyz” and “Lit Thot,” she unapologetically gets on the case of dudes with fake claims and trash personalities. Though Vol. 1 didn’t crack the Billboard 200, the mixtape managed to peak at number 20 on the US Top Rap Albums list.
After the release of Vol. 1, Cardi’s superstar power continued to grow. She made guest appearances on the FYI talk show Kocktails with Khloé and the BET series Being Mary Jane. Cardi also graced the digital cover of Vibe Magazine’s “Viva” issue (which is devoted to Latin culture). Slowly but surely, Cardi was becoming a bona fide household name.
Cardi Takes Over the Industry
In 2017, the floodgates finally opened for Cardi.
On January 20 of that year, she dropped her second mixtape Gangsta Bitch Music, Vol. 2. Spawning the single “Bronx Season,” Vol. 2 was awarded Best Mixtape at the 2017 BET Hip Hop Awards. As a live performer, Cardi got to turn it up as an opening act for The Lox (Jadakiss, Styles P, and Sheek Louch); and as a featured act at the MoMA PS1 Warm Up.
Talk about milestone moments: at the Hot 97 Summer Jam, she shared the stage with luminaries like Queen Latifah, Remy Ma, The Lady of Rage, and MC Lyte to perform Latifah’s “U.N.I.T.Y.” If there was ever a performance that covered the spectrum of femcees’ history (give or take a Missy Elliott or a Nicki Minaj), that Hot 97 moment was it.
There’s no denying, though, that the biggest moment of Cardi’s 2017 came in February when it was announced that she had officially signed with Atlantic Records. With the backing of a powerhouse record label, Cardi could unleash the full might of, well, Cardi. Using the biggest platform of her career thus far, the gal from South Bronx could now set her sights on total dominance.
That’s exactly what she achieved when “Bodak Yellow” came out in June 2017. Released via digital distribution, this single put Cardi on the map and amassed accolade after accolade. “Bodak Yellow” became the first femcee track to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100 since 1998, when Lauryn Hill’s “Doo Wop (That Thing)” reigned atop the chart. (I absolutely love “Doo Wop.” Major props to Cardi for breaking Lauryn Hill’s 19-year record!)
Cardi ended up filling her shelf with numerous plaques and awards earned by her smash hit. “Bodak Yellow” won Best Rap Performance at the 2018 Grammy Awards; Single of the Year at the 2017 BET Hip Hop Awards; and Favorite Song — Rap/Hip Hop at the 2018 American Music Awards, just to name a few. And, most impressively, “Bodak Yellow” was certified diamond, making Cardi the first female rapper to achieve this distinction.
If that’s not a crowning achievement I don’t know what is.
Invasion of Privacy (And Other Box Office Releases)
This was the scary part about Cardi’s 2017: she had merely fired the opening salvo.
It was just a matter of time before her debut album took the industry by storm. Leading up to the release of this album, she continued to make waves with big-time features. She appeared on the G-Eazy song “No Limit” (alongside fellow New Yorker A$AP Rocky) and the Migos track MotorSport (which also featured Nicki Minaj). Both of these songs made it to the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100. In January 2018, she graced the remix of Bruno Mars’ “Finesse.” (This isn’t such a hot take, y’all: that Cardi remix was better than the Bruno Mars original.)
Then, on April 6, 2018, Cardi dropped the big one. Invasion of Privacy, her first ever studio album, was released under the imprint of Atlantic Records. If “Bodak Yellow” was any indication, Invasion of Privacy was a record destined to break a whole lot of records—and it did. All 13 tracks of this trap/R&B/Latin music-influenced album charted at the same time on the Billboard Hot 100, making Cardi the first female artist to pull off this feat. Invasion of Privacy owns the distinction of being the most streamed female rap album on Spotify; and it also holds the record for most first-week streams on Apple Music.
My favorite song on this album is a no-brainer. “I Like It” presents Cardi at the height of her powers: a vibrant song infused with colorful lyrics, fantastic production, and an unlimited supply of fun. Bad Bunny and J Balvin heighten the Caribbean goodness on this track, which became Cardi’s second diamond-certified single. (Let that sink in for a moment. An album with two tracks, “Bodak Yellow” and “I Like It,” that went diamond? Giddada here.)
Here’s another no-brainer: at the 2019 Grammy Awards, Cardi won her second Grammy when Invasion of Privacy was named Best Rap Album. ¡Muy bien!
Breaking New Ground
At the turn of the decade, Cardi showed that she wasn’t quite done with exploring new ventures and smashing multiple records.
Between 2018 and 2019, she was involved in multiple firsts on TV. Cardi made her first appearance as a musical guest on Saturday Night Live; she told riveting tales on the premiere episode of Untold Stories of Hip Hop; and she was a judge and executive producer in the maiden season of Rhythm + Flow. I am a huge fan of the Rhythm + Flow series, and I agree with the critics who said that Cardi stole every segment that she was in, thanks to her trademark mannerisms and vocal inflections.
In another “first time ever,” Cardi made her film debut in 2019’s Hustlers. As fate would have it, her role as Diamond was a callback of sorts to her past as a stripper. Unsurprisingly, Diamond was a hilarious character to watch in this film (which was LOADED, mind you. Jennifer Lopez, Constance Wu, and Keke Palmer were in it!) Cardi also joined the ever-expanding cast of the Fast and Furious franchise in 2021’s F9. As Dom’s associate Leysa, she appeared very comfortable in that role too.
That’s not to say that she’s making a full transition to the film/TV realm, though. During this same time frame, Cardi continued to drop mesmerizing features and singles. For one, she propelled the Maroon 5 song “Girls Like You” (you know, the one with the awesome panoramic angles and all the fantastic women) to diamond certification. If you’re keeping score at home, Cardi currently has the most diamond-certified songs (three) among all female rappers. Her other collaborative tracks are with artists like Jennifer Lopez, Ed Sheeran, Lizzo, and French Montana.
As for singles, Cardi has already given glimpses of what her sophomore album will sound like. Two singles from her upcoming project have already been released. On August 7, 2020, she dropped “WAP,” a Megan Thee Stallion-assisted track that was critically hailed for its sex-positive message. On February 5, 2021, Cardi released “Up,” which debuted at number two on the Billboard Hot 100.
If these tracks are any indication, Cardi’s second album will once again conquer the charts and shatter a record or two. And if anyone still harbors any doubt that Cardi B is a juggernaut on the hip hop scene, they need to reread that last sentence carefully. She has achieved all that mind-boggling success with only one studio album to her name.
The word you’re looking for? It’s phenom.
Legacy
If I were to put Cardi B’s career thus far into perspective, I’d go ahead and compare her to Drake. Like Drizzy, Cardi has done so much to expand the reach of the rap genre. While some fans might call her a pop-rap sellout, I consider her a transcendent star whose music remains rooted in the genre that she claims to represent. Cardi’s legacy, then, is her uncanny knack for moving the goalposts of hip hop’s popularity with her sensational songs.
Why Is Cardi B Influential?
In the early 2010s, Cardi was already a master of the social media game. It’s impossible to imagine the heights that her popularity has reached without the digital platforms (particularly Instagram and Vine) in her arsenal. Clearly, Cardi is superb when she’s working in front of a camera—be it a short video clip, a music video shoot, a reality TV show, or a full-length film. Small wonder, then, that millions around the world are copying her vocal shenanigans and blasting her music at maximum volume.
FAQs
Answer: After meeting at an “industry event” in 2016, Cardi and Offset saw more of each other in the ensuing months. They had a secret marriage ceremony in September 2017 (which was exposed by, who else, TMZ the following year). In August 2018, rumors emerged about Cardi ordering an attack on two women at a strip club, supposedly because Offset had cheated on her with one of those ladies. (Cardi was eventually charged with assault and reckless endagerment.)
Over the next two years, Cardi and Offset went through their highs—exchanging lavish gifts, attending events together—and lows—like more rumors of Offset’s cheating and Cardi filing for divorce in 2020. As of 2022, the couple is still together.
Answer: Cardi and Offset share two children: their daughter Kulture (born in 2018) and their son Wave Set (born in 2021).
Answer: Cardi’s most prominent beef is with Nicki Minaj, whom I consider to be the Queen that she succeeded in the lineage of greatest femcees. It’s possible that Nicki didn’t take too kindly to Cardi performing alongside Remy Ma—Nicki’s nemesis at the time—at the Hot 97 Summer Jam in 2017. After that performance, hip hop fans claimed that Nicki and Cardi exchanged sneak disses in a number of songs. Though both artists denied any beef over the next several months, things finally came to a head at the 2018 Harper’s Bazaar Icons party in New York City. Cardi supposedly approached Nicki’s table to confront Nicki; moments later, a physical altercation breaks out in which Cardi attempts to throw a shoe at her adversary.
In the years that followed, the two Queens continued to trade verbal barbs via social media and, yes, more sneak disses.
Bottom Line
Here’s the simplest way that I can sum up Cardi: she has a keen ear for what her global audience likes, and she makes music accordingly. The result of this straightforward formula? Millions of fans, billions of streams, and an untold amount of cash coming her way if she keeps this up. Perhaps a femcee with better lyricism, hotter concepts, or flashier charisma will come along in the future. But, until that day comes, Cardi B will be perched snugly on her throne as the Queen of Hip Hop.
Sources
- https://www.biography.com/musician/cardi-b
- https://www.thefader.com/2017/06/22/cardi-b-cover-story-interview
- https://www.cardibofficial.com/bio
- https://www.insider.com/who-is-cardi-b-bodak-yellow-2017-9#her-real-name-is-belcalis-almanzar-1
- https://www.harpersbazaar.com/celebrity/latest/g20634894/cardi-b-trivia-facts/
- https://www.the-sun.com/entertainment/4067694/cardi-bs-parents-clara-and-carlos/
- https://www.bustle.com/p/what-does-cardi-bs-name-mean-the-story-behind-the-rappers-moniker-involves-liquor-3239239
- https://www.gq.com/story/cardi-b-confirms-blood-gang-affiliation
- https://www.complex.com/pop-culture/2015/12/cardi-b-interview-pictures
- https://www.popsugar.com/celebrity/Who-Cardi-B-43830130
- https://web.archive.org/web/20160116030744/http://www.centrictv.com/entertainment/celebrity-news/articles/2016/01/13/love-hip-hop-star-cardi-b-says-stripping-changed-her-life.html
- https://jezebel.com/america-loves-cardi-b-love-hip-hops-best-new-cast-me-1751169948
- https://www.vice.com/en/article/ryzjz5/cardi-b-gangsta-bitch-music-vol-1-love-and-hip-hop
- https://www.billboard.com/artist/cardi-b/chart-history/rlp/#
- https://www.bet.com/article/z04uuw/cardi-b-s-invasion-of-privacy-breaks-record-on-spotify
- https://www.elle.com/culture/celebrities/a25618784/cardi-b-offset-relationship-timeline/
- https://www.eonline.com/news/1300391/cardi-b-gives-birth-welcomes-baby-no-2-with-offset
- https://www.complex.com/music/2018/10/the-history-of-nicki-minaj-and-cardi-b-beef
- https://www.celebritynetworth.com/richest-celebrities/models/cardi-b-net-worth/
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