Who Is Cardi B?
Cardi B is an American rapper, songwriter, and television personality. She was born on October 11, 1992, in New York City and raised in the Highbridge neighborhood of the South Bronx . She is the daughter of a Trinidadian mother and a Dominican father .
| Category | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar |
| Professional Name | Cardi B |
| Date of Birth | October 11, 1992 |
| Place of Birth | New York City, New York, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Profession | Rapper, songwriter, television personality |
| Music Genre | Hip-hop |
Cardi B’s Early Life and Background
Cardi B grew up in the South Bronx and spent significant time at her paternal grandmother’s home in Washington Heights. She has credited this upbringing with giving her a distinctive accent . She has a younger sister, Hennessy Carolina .
She attended Renaissance High School for Musical Theater & Technology in the Bronx . During her teenage years, she became involved with the Bloods gang at age 16, a period she has spoken about publicly .
For more context on the wider culture that shaped her career, our guide to baddie culture provides useful background on female empowerment in entertainment.
Cardi B’s Life Before Music
At 19, Cardi B began working as a stripper at a club in New York . She has stated that she entered this work to escape an abusive relationship and earn money to pursue an education . She has consistently spoken about this period without shame, describing it as a job that “saved me from a lot of things” .
She attended Borough of Manhattan Community College before eventually dropping out . By age 21, she had saved approximately $20,000 from her work .
During this period, she began building a social media following through Vine and Instagram, where her unfiltered personality and comedic videos attracted attention .
Cardi B and Love & Hip Hop: New York
In 2015, Cardi B joined the cast of VH1’s Love & Hip Hop: New York, debuting in season six . She was widely considered the breakout star of the season, gaining popularity for her ability to deliver memorable one-liners .
She appeared on the show for two seasons, with her time on the series chronicling her rise to stardom . In December 2016, she announced she was leaving the show to focus on her music career .
She has stated: “I don’t want people to think I became a rapper because I was on Love & Hip Hop. There are a couple of songs that are on [my mixtape] that I been did before Love & Hip Hop” .
Cardi B’s Transition Into Music
Cardi B’s music career began while she was still on reality television. In November 2015, she made her musical debut on Shaggy’s remix of “Boom Boom” . She released her first single, “Cheap Ass Weave,” in December 2015 .
On March 7, 2016, she released her debut mixtape, Gangsta Bitch Music, Vol. 1 . A second volume, Gangsta Bitch Music, Vol. 2, followed in January 2017 .
She signed with Atlantic Records and released her major-label debut single, “Bodak Yellow,” in June 2017 . For more on how reality TV personalities transition into music careers, our guide to Baddies cast transitions covers related topics.
Bodak Yellow and Cardi B’s Breakthrough
“Bodak Yellow (Money Moves)” was released in June 2017 and became a career-defining record . The song’s title references Kodak Black, whose flow inspired the track, and “yellow” referencing her gang affiliation .
The song reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, making Cardi B the first female rapper to top the chart with a solo song since Lauryn Hill in 1998 . The achievement signaled her transition from reality-TV personality to mainstream rap artist.
Billboard decoded the song’s lyrics, noting that lines like “I don’t dance now, I make money moves” referenced her transition away from stripping .
Invasion of Privacy and Mainstream Success
Cardi B released her debut studio album, Invasion of Privacy, on April 6, 2018 . The album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 .
The album featured multiple successful singles:
- “Bodak Yellow” (No. 1)
- “I Like It” featuring Bad Bunny and J Balvin (No. 1)
- “Be Careful”
- “Bartier Cardi” featuring 21 Savage
- “Money Bag”
Invasion of Privacy became the first debut album by a female rapper to spend multiple weeks at No. 1 and was ranked by Rolling Stone as the best debut album of all time by a female rapper . In 2020, it was certified five-times platinum .
Cardi B’s Grammy-Winning Career
Cardi B has received one Grammy Award win from eleven nominations, according to the Recording Academy .
| Year | Award/Category | Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 (60th) | Best Rap Song | “Bodak Yellow” | Nominated |
| 2018 (60th) | Best Rap Performance | “Bodak Yellow” | Nominated |
| 2019 (61st) | Best Rap Album | Invasion of Privacy | Won |
| 2019 (61st) | Album of the Year | Invasion of Privacy | Nominated |
| 2019 (61st) | Record of the Year | “I Like It” | Nominated |
| 2019 (61st) | Best Pop Duo/Group Performance | “Girls Like You” | Nominated |
Her Best Rap Album win made her the first solo female artist to win in that category . She has since received additional nominations for subsequent work .
Cardi B’s Biggest Songs and Collaborations
Cardi B has achieved five No. 1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100, the most for any female rapper .
| Song | Year | Artist(s) | Career Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| “Bodak Yellow” | 2017 | Cardi B | First No. 1; breakthrough single |
| “I Like It” | 2018 | Cardi B, Bad Bunny, J Balvin | Second No. 1; Latin fusion hit |
| “Girls Like You” | 2018 | Maroon 5, Cardi B | Third No. 1 |
| “WAP” | 2020 | Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion | Fourth No. 1; cultural phenomenon |
| “Up” | 2021 | Cardi B | Fifth No. 1; solo achievement |
Cardi B’s Music Style and Public Image
Cardi B is known for her energetic rap flow, direct delivery, and unapologetic lyrics . Her music often blends her Bronx upbringing with Latin influences, reflecting her Dominican and Trinidadian heritage .
Her public image is characterized by unfiltered honesty, humor, and confidence. She has been described as a “bossed-up feminist icon” who is “witty, unfiltered and totally fearless” . She has been credited with elevating the relevance of female rappers in popular music .
Cardi B’s Business Ventures and Other Work
Beyond music, Cardi B has pursued several business ventures. Her Whipshots vodka-infused whipped cream has sold over 6 million cans since its 2022 launch . She has also expanded into other ventures including Grown Good .
She made her film debut in the 2019 crime drama Hustlers and has served as a judge on the Netflix music competition Rhythm + Flow . For more on female entertainers who have built multi-platform careers, our guide to Baddies search guide covers related topics.
Cardi B’s Net Worth
Publicly reported estimates of Cardi B’s net worth vary. Celebrity Net Worth estimated her fortune at $80 million in 2025 . A 2026 AllHipHop report cited an estimated net worth of $100 million in 2025 .
These figures are estimates, and Cardi B’s exact personal net worth is not publicly verified. Different sources may use different methodologies and include different assets in their calculations.
Cardi B’s Personal Life and Public Career
Cardi B began dating Migos member Offset in early 2017. They married in September 2017 but did not announce the marriage until June 2018 . They welcomed their daughter Kulture in July 2018 and their son Wave in 2021 .
In 2023, Cardi B confirmed their split via Instagram Live . They welcomed a third child, daughter Blossom, in 2024 before officially filing for divorce . In 2025, she moved on with NFL player Stefon Diggs, and the two announced they were expecting a child together later that year .
Cardi B’s Influence on Hip-Hop and Popular Culture
Cardi B has achieved several historical milestones in hip-hop. She is the female rapper with the most No. 1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 (five) and the only female rapper to achieve multiple solo No. 1s . She is also the only female rapper to earn No. 1 singles in two decades (2010s and 2020s) .
She has the most diamond-certified songs among female rappers (four), with “Bodak Yellow” being the highest-certified female rap song . Invasion of Privacy is the most-streamed female rap album on Apple Music and Spotify .
Time listed her as one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2018, and Billboard named her Woman of the Year in 2020 .
Cardi B’s Career Timeline
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1992 | Born in New York City |
| 2013 | Began gaining social media attention |
| 2015 | Joined Love & Hip Hop: New York |
| 2016 | Released Gangsta Bitch Music, Vol. 1 |
| 2017 | Released “Bodak Yellow”; signed to Atlantic Records |
| 2018 | Released Invasion of Privacy; won Best Rap Album at the 61st GRAMMY Awards |
| 2020 | Released “WAP” with Megan Thee Stallion |
| 2021 | Released “Up” |
| 2025 | Released Am I the Drama?; completed first headlining tour |
| 2026 | Released single “Ah Ha”; won Best Female Hip Hop Artist at BET Awards |
What Is Cardi B Doing Now?
As of 2026, Cardi B remains active in music and business. She released her second studio album, Am I the Drama?, in September 2025, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 . She completed her first headlining North American tour, The Little Miss Drama Tour, which became the highest-grossing debut arena tour by a female rapper .
In July 2026, she released the single “Ah Ha,” her first single of the year . She was ranked No. 1 on Billboard’s Hottest Female Rappers list for the first half of 2026 . She also won Best Female Hip Hop Artist at the 2026 BET Awards .