How Cardi B built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.
Cardi B, born Belcalis Marlenis Cephus, is a highly successful American rapper celebrated for her candid public persona and explicit lyrics. She rose to prominence between 2015 and 2017 through her presence on Vine and Instagram, her role on VH1's Love & Hip Hop: New York, and the release of two mixtapes, laying the foundation for her career in music.
On June 11, 2017, at Hot 97's Summer Jam, Cardi B performed Queen Latifah's 1993 hit single "U.N.I.T.Y.".
In 1998, Lauryn Hill's "Doo Wop (That Thing)" had the highest debut on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart for a solo female rap song, until Cardi B's "Up" in 2021.
In 1999, Lauryn Hill was nominated for Album of the Year at the Grammy Awards.
In 2004, Missy Elliott was nominated for Album of the Year at the Grammy Awards.
In 2009, Beyoncé's concert tour marked the first time in 25 years that the Paris house opened its archives to dress a celebrity.
In November 2015, Cardi B made her musical debut on Shaggy's remix of "Boom Boom" with Popcaan.
On December 9, 2015, Cardi B appeared on an episode of Uncommon Sense with Charlamagne.
On December 15, 2015, Cardi B made her music video debut with "Cheap Ass Weave," her version of Lady Leshurr's "Queen's Speech 4".
In 2015, Cardi B joined the cast of the VH1 reality television series Love & Hip Hop: New York for its sixth season, becoming a breakout star known for her one-liners.
In 2015, Cardi B started gaining recognition on Vine and Instagram. She also became a cast member on VH1's "Love & Hip Hop: New York".
On March 7, 2016, Cardi B released her first full-length project, a mixtape titled Gangsta Bitch Music, Vol. 1.
On April 6, 2016, Cardi B appeared on Khloé Kardashian's show Kocktails with Khloé, where she discussed telling her mother about being a stripper.
On September 12, 2016, KSR Group released the compilation album Underestimated: The Album, featuring Cardi B and other artists. The album's single was "What a Girl Likes".
In November 2016, Cardi B joined the cast of the BET series Being Mary Jane, playing the character Mercedes.
In November 2016, Cardi B was featured on the digital cover of Vibe magazine's "Viva" issue.
On December 30, 2016, Cardi B announced her departure from Love & Hip Hop: New York after two seasons to focus on her music career.
During the 2016 presidential primaries, Cardi B warned her fans of Donald Trump's immigration policies and encouraged them to vote for Senator Bernie Sanders.
In 2016, Cardi B secured her first endorsement deal with Romantic Depot, a lingerie and sexual wellness product chain in New York. She was featured in their radio and cable TV ad campaigns.
In 2016, Drake became the first overall performer with consecutive number-one debuts on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
On January 20, 2017, Cardi B released her second mixtape, Gangsta Bitch Music, Vol. 2.
In February 2017, Cardi B partnered with M.A.C and Rio Uribe's Gypsy Sport for a New York Fashion Week event.
In February 2017, Cardi B partnered with MAC Cosmetics and Rio Uribe's Gypsy Sport for a New York Fashion Week event.
On February 25, 2017, Cardi B was the opening act for The Lox's Filthy America... It's Beautiful Tour, along with Lil' Kim and Remy Ma.
On April 3, 2017, Cardi B guest-starred on the celebrity panel show Hip Hop Squares.
In April 2017, Cardi B was featured in i-D's "A-Z of Music" video, sponsored by Marc Jacobs.
On June 11, 2017, at Hot 97's Summer Jam, Remy Ma brought out Cardi B and other female rappers to celebrate female empowerment.
In June 2017, Cardi B was featured on the cover of The Fader's Summer Music issue.
On June 16, 2017, Atlantic Records released Cardi B's debut commercial single, "Bodak Yellow".
Cardi B made the cover of The Fader's July/August 2017 Summer Music issue.
In August 2017, Cardi B performed at MoMA PS1 to a crowd of 4,000 people.
On September 25, 2017, "Bodak Yellow" reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100, making Cardi B the first female rapper to top the chart with a solo single since 1998.
In October 2017, Cardi B headlined Power 105.1's Powerhouse music celebration with The Weeknd, Migos, and Lil Uzi Vert.
In 2017, Billboard editors stated that with "Bodak Yellow"'s commercial success, "she left an indelible mark on the summer of 2017, not only because she rewrote history, but she gave hope to the have nots..."
In 2017, Cardi B achieved the best-performing song of the year by a female artist in the US.
In 2017, Cardi B topped Pitchfork's annual list of best songs of the year with Bodak Yellow, making her the first female rapper to have a song certified Diamond
In 2017, NPR Music commented that the "renaissance" of the dynamism of women in rap grew "in enthusiasm and breadth" since Cardi's "first historic run".
In early 2017, Cardi B continued to gain recognition on Vine and Instagram and released two mixtapes.
In early 2017, Cardi B spoke on being rejected by some fashion designers.
On January 3, 2018, Cardi B was featured on the remix of Bruno Mars' single "Finesse", and appeared in the music video.
On January 18, 2018, Cardi B became the first female rapper to have five top 10 singles simultaneously on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
On March 30, 2018, Cardi B released the single "Be Careful", a week before her album's release.
On April 6, 2018, Cardi B's debut studio album, Invasion of Privacy, was released to critical acclaim.
In July 2018, Cardi B's "I Like It", featuring Bad Bunny and J Balvin, reached number one on the Hot 100, marking her second chart-topper and making her the first female rapper with multiple number one hits.
In September 2018, Tom Ford's Cardi B-inspired lipstick, named after her, was released and sold out within 24 hours.
In October 2018, Cardi B's 'Invasion of Privacy' was certified double platinum by the RIAA, marking a significant milestone in the album's success.
On November 30, 2018, Cardi B was honored at Ebony's annual Power 100 Gala. She also achieved the most-streamed album of the year by a female artist globally on Apple Music and was the most streamed female artist of the year in the United States on Spotify. Additionally, 'I Like It' was named the best song of 2018 by Apple Music and Billboard, while 'Invasion of Privacy' was named the best album of the year by Time magazine and Rolling Stone.
At the Grammy Awards in 2018, Cardi B appeared in a video along with Hillary Clinton to narrate a portion of Fire and Fury, Michael Wolff's insider's account of Trump's administration.
Early in 2018, Cardi B used her social media to demand transparency on tax policy, asking for detailed information on how her taxpayer dollars are being spent in New York state and criticizing the maintenance of its streets, prisons, and public transportation.
In 2018, Cardi B achieved the best-performing song of the year by a female artist in the US.
In 2018, Cardi B became the first female rapper in the U.S. to appear on the cover of Vogue magazine.
In 2018, Cardi B collaborated with Bruno Mars on the song "Finesse."
In 2018, Cardi B received 12 nominations for the MTV Video Music Awards, winning three, and tied with Drake for the most nominations at the American Music Awards, where she also won three AMAs and performed. She was also named Star of the Year by People en Español and one of Entertainment Weekly's "2018 Entertainers of the Year."
In 2018, Cardi B won the American Music Award for Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Song for "Bodak Yellow".
In 2018, Cardi B's debut album, Invasion of Privacy, topped the Billboard 200 with record-breaking female rap album streams. The album won a Grammy for Best Rap Album, making Cardi B the first solo female artist to achieve this. The singles "Bodak Yellow" and "I Like It" both reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and were certified diamond by the RIAA. Also in 2018, her collaboration "Girls Like You" with Maroon 5, reached number one.
In 2018, Time included Cardi B on their annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world.
In January 2019, Cardi B was featured on one of four Vogue covers, photographed by Annie Leibovitz, wearing a red and white Michael Kors dress and matching red Jimmy Choo shoes, while holding her daughter, Kulture.
On February 10, 2019, Cardi B performed at the Grammy Awards and won Best Rap Album as a solo artist, marking a historic achievement in her career.
On February 15, 2019, Cardi B released "Please Me", a collaboration with Bruno Mars, which became her seventh top-ten song on the Hot 100, reaching number three.
On May 31, 2019, Cardi B released her single "Press."
On June 26, 2019, Cardi B released the music video for her single "Press," marking her directorial debut.
On September 13, 2019, Cardi B made her film debut in Hustlers, directed by Lorene Scafaria, alongside Jennifer Lopez, Constance Wu, and Lili Reinhart.
On October 9, 2019, Rhythm + Flow, a hip-hop talent search series on Netflix featuring Cardi B, Chance the Rapper, and T.I. as judges, premiered, with Cardi B also serving as an executive producer.
In 2019, Cardi B led the Billboard Music Awards nominations with 21, earning the most nominations in a single year by a female artist, and won six awards, including Top Hot 100 Song, bringing her total wins to seven, making her the female rapper with the most wins in history.
In 2019, Cardi B received nominations for "Money" and "Please Me" in the BET Award for Video of the Year.
In 2019, Cardi B received the ASCAP award for Songwriter of the Year, becoming the first female rapper to win the award.
In 2019, Cardi B served as a judge on the music competition series Rhythm + Flow and appeared in the film Hustlers.
In 2019, Cardi B teamed up with Pepsi for three television commercials and released her flavors of snack food Rap Snacks: two flavors of chips, and two of popcorn.
In 2019, Cardi B wore vintage Thierry Mugler to the Grammy Awards, with an i-D article stating that the fashion house's "resurgence onto the fashion scene can almost single-handedly be attributed" to the Swarovski crystal-embroidered crinoline sheath gown she wore at the ceremony.
In 2019, a life-sized sculpture of Cardi B was on display at the Brooklyn Museum, as part of Spotify's RapCaviar "Pantheon".
In 2019, the Council of Fashion Designers of America included Cardi B on their list of "28 Black Fashion Forces". Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour commended her fashion sense after the 2019 Met Gala, where she wore a Thom Browne-designed burgundy gown.
On August 7, 2020, Cardi B released "WAP" featuring Megan Thee Stallion, which broke the record for the biggest 24-hour debut for an all-female collaboration on YouTube and debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100.
Since August 2020, "WAP" holds the record of the biggest first-week streams for a song in the United States.
Cardi B premiered the series Cardi Tries via Facebook Messenger in December 2020, with herself as one of the executive producers.
In December 2020, Cardi B became the first female rapper to be named Woman of the Year at the Billboard Women in Music Awards.
In 2020, Cardi B achieved the best-performing song of the year by a female artist in the US.
In 2020, Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion collaborated on the song "WAP", before releasing "Bongos" in 2023.
In 2020, Cardi B became the face of Balenciaga's ad campaign for the winter season, including billboards in international locations like the Louvre museum.
In 2020, Cardi B became the first female rapper to be awarded the Style Influencer of the Year award by the FN Achievement Awards, presented by Christian Louboutin.
In 2020, Cardi B became the first female rapper to be named Woman of the Year at the Billboard Women in Music Awards.
In 2020, Cardi B endorsed Bernie Sanders for president for the second time and praised Tim Ryan, citing Sanders' support for underprivileged minorities and Medicare.
In 2020, Cardi B released "WAP" with Megan Thee Stallion, which topped the Hot 100 and other charts globally. "WAP" became the only female rap collaboration to debut at number one on the Hot 100 and had a significant cultural impact.
In 2020, Cardi B released a footwear and apparel collection with Reebok, inspired by her personal style and paying homage to "classic 80s styling" and motifs.
In 2020, Cardi B topped Pitchfork's annual list of best songs of the year
In 2020, Cardi B used her social media to raise awareness for victims of police brutality and encouraged people to vote in local elections. She also discussed Medicare, free college tuition, and racial equality with Joe Biden for Elle. She was ranked as the fifth most influential celebrity for the 2020 presidential election.
In 2020, The Wall Street Journal's Neil Shah stated that Cardi B's breakthrough and success influenced "today's female-rap renaissance".
On February 5, 2021, Cardi B released "Up", which debuted at number two on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, marking the highest debut for a solo female rap song since 1998.
On April 30, 2021, Cardi B made an appearance in "Big Paper", from DJ Khaled's album Khaled Khaled.
In May 2021, Cardi B released the "Mommy & Me" collection with Reebok in recognition of Mother's Day, which includes Cardi's iteration of Club C shoes for adults, children, and infants.
On June 25, 2021, Cardi B played a brief role in F9, released by Universal Pictures.
In August 2021, "Bodak Yellow" made Cardi B the first female rapper to have two videos on her YouTube channel with more than 1 billion views, joining "I Like It", and became the fastest solo female rap song to reach that mark on the platform.
On November 5, 2021, Cardi B was featured on Summer Walker's album Still Over It on the opening track "Bitter".
In December 2021, Cardi B launched a vodka-infused, vegan whipped cream called Whipshots in the US in collaboration with Starco Brands.
In December 2021, Cardi B partnered with PLBY Group Inc. as creative director in residence for Playboy and founding member of Centerfold, a creator-driven website in the works. The partnership also includes fashion and sexual wellness products.
In 2021, Cardi B appeared in the film F9.
In 2021, Cardi B released "Up", before releasing "Like What (Freestyle)" in 2024.
In 2021, Cardi B released "Up," which topped the Hot 100 and other charts worldwide.
In 2021, Clover Hope's book The Motherlode stated that Invasion of Privacy "jump-started a new era for women rappers in which success felt much more tangible" as Cardi B "multiplied the wealth of talent and resurrected the idea that numerous women who controlled their own stories could dominate rap at once."
In 2021, Netflix announced the return of Rhythm + Flow.
In 2021, Vogue editor Christian Allaire commented that Cardi B's signature "bold" ensembles "create a spectacle" during fashion weeks.
In March 2022, Cardi B appeared on the extended version of Summer Walker and SZA's collaboration, "No Love".
On July 1, 2022, Cardi B released "Hot Shit", featuring Kanye West and Lil Durk, as the third single from her upcoming second studio album. The song was first announced during a BET Awards 2022 commercial break.
In June and July 2022, Cardi B released the "Let Me Be...Enchanted" Reebok collection, inspired by "a state of enchantment and euphoria" and included crop tops, faux fur jackets, and leotards along with footwear.
In September 2022, Cardi B collaborated with cousin and fellow rapper GloRilla on the remix to her song "Tomorrow", titled "Tomorrow 2". The remix peaked at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100.
In October 2022, five years after her major-label debut, Cardi B reached 100 million units sold in RIAA certifications, across her album, singles and guest appearances.
In December 2022, Cardi B gave a 35-minute private performance at the Miami Art Basel for which she was paid $1 million. Later that month, a remix of Spanish artist Rosalía's song "Despechá" featuring Cardi, was released.
In September and December 2022, Cardi B released the fifth and final collection with Reebok, "Let Me Be...Next Level Energy". Inspired by Cardi B's "unmatched energy", the collection consisted of bodysuits, crop tops, footwear, leggings, and woven jackets—of a color palette based on crystals.
In 2022, Cardi B became the creative director of the entertainment magazine Playboy.
In 2022, Cardi B donated $100,000 to the elementary school she attended, I.S. 232 in The Bronx.
In 2022, Rolling Stone ranked Cardi B as the second most-stylish woman in music, behind Lady Gaga, and GQ considered her "one of fashion's preeminent risk-takers."
In February 2023, Cardi B and Offset partnered with McDonald's to create the Cardi B and Offset meal, which was launched on Valentine's Day. The meal was first announced in the 2023 McDonald's Super Bowl commercial which the couple appeared in.
Cardi B's web series Cardi Tries, which premiered in December 2020, ran for three seasons until April 2023.
On September 8, 2023, Cardi B released "Bongos" featuring Megan Thee Stallion, as the fourth single of her upcoming second studio album. The song marks the pair's second collaboration after "WAP" (2020).
In December 2023, Cardi B made her runway debut at the Balenciaga fall 2024 show in Los Angeles.
In 2023, Cardi B had a voice role in Baby Shark's Big Movie!
In late 2023, Cardi B stated she no longer supports Joe Biden for president because of his "spending on wars".
On December 31, 2023, Cardi B performed at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach, accompanied by DJ Gryffin, which aired live for the 2024 edition of Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve.
In February 2024, Cardi B starred in NYX Cosmetics' inaugural Super Bowl commercial for Super Bowl LVIII, titled "Lips Only".
On March 1, 2024, Cardi B released the promotional single "Like What (Freestyle)" with an accompanying music video directed by Offset.
As of March 2024, Cardi B's vodka-infused whipped cream, Whipshots, has sold over five million cans in the US.
On March 22, 2024, Cardi B appeared on "Puntería" with Shakira, the opening track and eighth single of Shakira's twelfth album Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran.
In May 2024, Cardi B appeared alongside sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson in a commercial for the 2024 Summer Olympics.
As of September 2024, Cardi B has one music video with over 3 billion views ("Girls Like You"), one video with over 2 billion views ("Taki Taki"), and three videos with over a billion views ("I Like It", "Bodak Yellow", "Girls Like You (Volume 2)") on YouTube.
Cardi B's performance at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach on December 31, 2023, aired live for the 2024 edition of Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve.
In 2024, Billboard included Cardi B among the honorable mentions of its "25 Greatest Pop Stars of the 21st Century" listicle.
In December 2023, Cardi B made her runway debut at the Balenciaga Fall 2024 show in Los Angeles.
In mid-2024, it was reported that Cardi B's second studio album was "three-quarters of the way done".
On February 7, 2025, Cardi B and Pardison Fontaine released "Toot It Up".
On June 20, 2025, Cardi B released "Outside", her first solo single in over a year; she debuted the track live at a Spotify event in Cannes two days prior.
On June 23, 2025, Cardi B announced her new album Am I the Drama, to be released on September 19 of the same year.
Cardi B will release her second studio album sometime in 2025 and also release a collaboration with DJ Vybz Kartel in 2025.
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