Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar is a Grammy Award-winning American rapper and global superstar, famously known by her stage name, Cardi B. She was born and raised in New York City, where she attended Borough of Manhattan Community College but eventually dropped out to focus on her music career.
Cardi B is best known for her massive hits like “Bodak Yellow,” “I Like It,” and “WAP,” which have made her the female rapper with the most number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
In this post, you will find more details about Cardi B, including her early life, education, her rise to fame, songs & albums, career, her personal relationships, children, parents, kids, businesses, and her impressive net worth.
Who is Cardi B? (Quick Facts)
Full Name
Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar
Stage Name
Cardi B
Date of Birth
October 11, 1992
Age
32 years old (as of 2025)
Birthplace
New York City, USA
Nationality
American
Occupation
Rapper, Songwriter, Television Personality
Spouse
Offset (m. 2017, divorced 2024)
Children
Kulture Kiari Cephus, Wave Set Cephus, Blossom Belles
Current Partner
Stefon Diggs (NFL player)
Net Worth
Estimated $80 Million – $100 Million
Key Achievement
First solo female rapper to win the Grammy for Best Rap Album
Early Life and Family Background
Cardi B was born Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar on October 11, 1992, in Washington Heights, Manhattan, and was raised in the Highbridge area of the South Bronx. She is of mixed Caribbean heritage, as her father is from the Dominican Republic while her mother is from Trinidad, and she proudly identifies as an Afro-Latina.
During her teens, she attended Renaissance High School for Musical Theater and the Arts. She was also involved with the Bloods street gang, a period of her life she has since left behind.
At 19, she started working as a stripper to escape poverty and an abusive relationship. She has been open about how this decision helped her become financially independent and even allowed her to go back to school. She attended Borough of Manhattan Community College but eventually dropped out to focus on her career.
Before she was a global music icon, Cardi B built a massive following through her raw and hilarious videos on social media apps like Vine and Instagram. Her unfiltered personality and relatable stories about her life quickly made her a viral sensation.
This online fame led to a major opportunity: a role on the VH1 reality television series Love & Hip Hop: New York in 2015. As a cast member for two seasons, she became the show’s breakout star, wowing audiences with her sharp one-liners and honest portrayal of her life and ambitions. In 2017, she made the bold decision to leave the show to fully commit to her growing music career.
Cardi B’s transition from a reality TV star to music superstar was nothing short of meteoric. After signing with Atlantic Records in 2017, she released “Bodak Yellow,” which skyrocketed to number one on the Billboard Hot 100. This made her the first female rapper to top the chart with a solo song since Lauryn Hill in 1998, and it was eventually certified Diamond.
Her debut album, Invasion of Privacy (2018), was a critical and commercial smash. It debuted at number one and won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album, making Cardi B the first solo female artist to ever win in that category. The album spawned more number-one hits, including “I Like It” and her feature on Maroon 5’s “Girls Like You.”
She continued her chart dominance with the 2020 megahit “WAP” featuring Megan Thee Stallion, which broke the record for the most streams in a song’s first week. In 2025, she solidified her status with her long-awaited second album, Am I the Drama?, which also debuted at number one, making her the only female rapper to have her first two albums open at the top of the chart.
Business Ventures and Partnerships
Cardi B’s influence extends far beyond the recording booth. In November 2017, she released a clothing line collection with Fashion Nova.
As a fashion and beauty icon, she is a front-row fixture at major fashion weeks and has launched successful collaborations with brands like Reebok, Fashion Nova, and Balenciaga. Her bold and dramatic style has made her a muse for high-fashion designers.
She made her film debut in the 2019 movie Hustlers, directed by Lorene Scafaria, opposite Lili Reinhart, Jennifer Lopez, and Constance Wu. She also served as a judge and executive producer for the Netflix music competition Rhythm + Flow.
She has also partnered with Pepsi for several TV commercials, which were aired during Christmas, Super Bowl LIII, and the 61st Annual Grammy Awards. In February 2023, she and her then-husband Offset partnered with McDonald’s to present the Cardi B and Offset meal. This meal was first announced in the 2023 McDonald’s Super Bowl commercial and was launched on 14th February 2023 (Valentine’s Day).
In May 2024, she appeared alongside athlete Sha’Carri Richardson in a TV commercial for the 2024 Summer Olympics Games.
In December 2021, Cardi B, in collaboration with Starco Brands, launched Whipshots, a line of vodka-infused whipped cream, in the United States. She has sold over 5 million cans of this product as of March 2024. She has also released and sold her own flavors of snack food, Rap Snacks.
Cardi B began dating fellow rapper Offset from the music group Migos in early 2017. The couple had a secret wedding in September 2017 and publicly announced their engagement a month later.
Together, they have three children: Kulture Kiari Cephus (July 2018), Wave Set Cephus (September 2021), and Blossom Belles (September 2024). Their relationship was famously turbulent and featured a series of public breakups and reconciliations before their divorce in 2024.
Shortly after the divorce, Cardi B confirmed a new relationship with NFL player Stefon Diggs in 2025.
Cardi B Net Worth
Cardi B has a remarkable and successful music career, which has brought her lucrative brand endorsements and contract deals, from which she built an estimated net worth of approximately $80 million to $100 million.
This wealth comes from multiple income streams, including her record-breaking albums and singles, high-ticket concert performances, partnership deals with brands like Reebok, Fashion Nova, and Balenciaga, and her Whipshots vodka-infused whipped cream and Rap Snacks chip line, all of which generate millions in revenue.
She has three children: two daughters named Kulture and Blossom, and a son named Wave.
How old was Cardi B when she had her first baby?
Cardi B was 25 years old when she gave birth to her first child, her daughter Kulture, in July 2018.
How many pregnancies has Cardi B had?
Cardi B has been pregnant three times. She has three children: Kulture (born 2018), Wave (born 2021), and Blossom (born 2024). As of late 2025, she has announced a fourth pregnancy with her partner, Stefon Diggs.
What does the “B” in Cardi B stand for?
The “B” doesn’t have one fixed meaning. She has said it can stand for different things, like “beautiful” or “boss,” but it originated from her childhood nickname “Bacardi,” which was later shortened to Cardi B.
What is Cardi B’s biggest song?
While she has many hits, “Bodak Yellow” was her groundbreaking first number-one single that made history. “WAP” also had a massive cultural impact and broke streaming records.
Why did Cardi B become a stripper?
She has stated that she turned to stripping to escape poverty and an abusive relationship, as it was the only way she could earn enough money to become financially independent and leave a bad situation.
Is Cardi B still married to Offset?
No isn’t married to Offset anymore. After a long and turbulent relationship, Cardi B filed for divorce from Offset in 2024. She is now in a relationship with NFL player Stefon Diggs.
What is Cardi B’s most recent album?
Her most recent album is Am I the Drama?, which was released in September 2025.
What is Cardi B’s ethnicity and background?
Cardi B is Afro-Latina. Her father is Dominican, and her mother is Trinidadian. She was born and raised in New York City.
How did Cardi B get famous?
She first gained fame through her viral and humorous videos on Vine and Instagram. This online popularity led to a role on the reality TV show Love & Hip Hop: New York, which she then parlayed into a hugely successful music career.
What rapper is beefing with Cardi B?
Cardi B’s most famous and long-standing feud is with rapper Nicki Minaj. While she has had minor disputes with others, the conflict with Nicki Minaj is the most prominent.
Are Cardi and Nicki friends?
Cardi B and Nicki Minaj are not friends. They have been entrenched in a public feud since 2017 and have had no public reconciliation.
What is the feud between Cardi B and Nicki Minaj?
The feud is a long-standing rivalry between the two rappers. It escalated into a physical altercation at a New York Fashion Week party in 2018 and has included public disagreements and diss tracks from their associates over the years.
What caused the fight between Cardi B and Nicki Minaj?
The immediate cause of their physical altercation at a 2018 fashion party was reportedly over rumors and negative comments about Cardi B’s parenting. Cardi B alleged that Nicki had “liked” a social media post that disparaged her ability as a mother. This incident was the peak of long-simmering tensions and professional competition between them.
Is Cardi B richer than Nicki Minaj?
Based on available estimates, yes, Cardi B is generally considered to have a higher net worth than Nicki Minaj.
Who owes Cardi B money?
In 2022, Cardi B won a $4 million defamation lawsuit against YouTuber Tasha K (Latasha Kebe), who was ordered to pay Cardi B for spreading malicious lies about her. Tasha K has declared bankruptcy in an attempt to manage this debt.
Was Cardi B in a gang?
Cardi B has publicly stated that she was a member of the Bloods street gang during her teenage years for protection and companionship, but is no longer involved.
Who is richer between Offset and Cardi B?
Cardi B is widely reported to have a significantly higher net worth than her ex-husband, Offset. Her successful solo music career, major endorsements, and business ventures have contributed to an estimated net worth that is substantially larger than his.
What is Cardi B’s net worth?
Her estimated net worth is between $80 million and $100 million, earned from her music, tours, business ventures, and endorsements.
What legal issues has Cardi B faced?
In 2018, she was arrested for her alleged involvement in a fight at a strip club. In 2022, she pleaded guilty to two misdemeanors (assault and reckless endangerment) and was sentenced to 15 days of community service.
Is Cardi B bisexual?
Cardi B has publicly identified as bisexual.
What is Whipshots?
Whipshots is Cardi B’s own brand of vodka-infused whipped cream, launched in 2021 as one of her many entrepreneurial ventures.
Are Stefon Diggs and Cardi B together?
Cardi B confirmed her relationship with NFL player Stefon Diggs in June 2025. The couple went public after her divorce from Offset was finalized.
Who was the first female rapper on Vogue?
Cardi B was the first female rapper to appear on the cover of American Vogue magazine. She was featured on one of the four covers for the January 2019 issue.
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