Cardi B, born Belcalis Marlenis Cephus, is a highly successful American rapper known for her candid public persona and explicit lyrics. She rose to fame between 2015 and 2017 through her presence on Vine and Instagram, participation in VH1's Love & Hip Hop: New York, and the release of two mixtapes, marking the start of her career in the music industry.
On October 11, 1992, Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar, now known as Cardi B, was born in New York City.
In 1995, Cardi B's younger sister, Hennessy Carolina, was born.
Lauryn Hill's "Doo Wop (That Thing)" in 1998 was mentioned as it related to Cardi B's song.
In 1999, Lauryn Hill was nominated for Album of the Year.
In 2004, Missy Elliott was nominated for Album of the Year.
Akon's 2005 song "Belly Dancer (Bananza)" was sampled in Kay Flock's song, "Shake It" which featured Cardi B in April 2022.
In 2013, Cardi B began to gain publicity due to her videos spreading on social media platforms like Vine and Instagram.
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 Uncommon Sense with Charlamagne.
On December 15, 2015, Cardi B made her music video debut with "Cheap Ass Weave".
In 2015, Cardi B joined the cast of VH1's Love & Hip Hop: New York for season six.
On March 7, 2016, Cardi B released her first mixtape, Gangsta Bitch Music, Vol. 1.
On April 6, 2016, Cardi B appeared on Khloé Kardashian's Kocktails with Khloé.
On September 12, 2016, KSR Group released the compilation album Underestimated: The Album, featuring Cardi B and other artists.
In November 2016, Cardi B joined the cast of the BET series Being Mary Jane.
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 further pursue her music career.
In 2016, Cardi B admitted to drugging and robbing men when she worked as a stripper.
In 2016, Cardi B was featured in her first endorsement deal with Romantic Depot.
In 2016, Drake was mentioned as it related to Cardi B's achievements on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
In 2016, during the presidential primaries, Cardi B warned her fans of Donald Trump's immigration policies and encouraged them to vote for Senator Bernie Sanders.
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 Gypsy Sport for an event for New York Fashion Week.
On February 25, 2017, Cardi B was the opening act for The Lox's Filthy America... It's Beautiful Tour.
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.
In May 2017, Cardi B was nominated for Best New Artist and Best Female Hip-Hop Artist at the 2017 BET Awards.
On June 11, 2017, Cardi B performed at Hot 97's Summer Jam music festival alongside other female rappers.
In June 2017, Cardi B was on the cover of The Fader's Summer Music issue.
On June 16, 2017, Atlantic Records released Cardi B's commercial debut single, "Bodak Yellow".
In August 2017, Cardi B appeared on the cover of The Fader's Summer Music issue.
In August 2017, Cardi B performed at MoMA PS1.
In September 2017, Cardi B and Offset secretly married.
On September 25, 2017, "Bodak Yellow" reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100, making Cardi B the first female rapper to do so with a solo single since 1998.
In October 2017, Cardi B headlined Power 105.1's annual Powerhouse music celebration.
On October 27, 2017, Cardi B became engaged to fellow rapper Offset.
During an interview in early 2017, Cardi B spoke on being rejected by some fashion designers.
In 2017 Cardi B topped Pitchfork's annual list of best songs of the year.
In 2017, "Bodak Yellow" achieved commercial success, leaving an indelible mark on the summer and giving hope to the have-nots, according to Billboard editors.
In 2017, Cardi B has achieved the best-performing song of the year by a female artist.
In 2017, NPR Music commented that the "renaissance" of the dynamism of women in rap grew "in enthusiasm and breadth" since Cardi B's "first historic run".
In early 2017, Cardi B gained recognition as a cast member on VH1's Love & Hip Hop: New York and by releasing two mixtapes.
On January 3, 2018, Cardi B was featured on the remix of Bruno Mars' single "Finesse".
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".
On April 6, 2018, Cardi B's debut studio album, Invasion of Privacy, was released.
On April 7, 2018, during her second performance on Saturday Night Live, Cardi B revealed her pregnancy.
In May 2018, after the release of "Girls", where she had a featured verse, Cardi B responded to accusations that the song trivialized LGBT relationships, stating that there was no intention to cause harm and revealing her own experiences with women.
On June 25, 2018, it was revealed that Cardi B and Offset had secretly married in September 2017.
On July 10, 2018, Cardi B gave birth to her daughter.
In July 2018, "I Like It" reached number one on the Hot 100, marking Cardi B's second number one on the chart.
In September 2018, Cardi B was involved in a physical altercation with Nicki Minaj at a New York Fashion Week after-party, resulting in accusations and denials from both sides.
In September 2018, Tom Ford's Cardi B-inspired lipstick, named after her, was released and sold out within 24 hours.
On October 1, 2018, Cardi B was accused of allegedly assaulting two female bartenders, with claims that she and her entourage threw bottles and alcohol at them. She denied any involvement in the incident.
In October 2018, Cardi B's "Invasion of Privacy" was certified double platinum by the RIAA. It was updated to triple platinum the following year. Cardi B also became the first female artist to have all songs from an album certified gold or higher in the US in October 2018.
On November 30, 2018, Cardi B was honored at Ebony's annual Power 100 Gala. Cardi ranked fifth on the 2018 Billboard Year-End Top Artists chart, while Invasion of Privacy ranked sixth.
On December 7, 2018, Cardi B appeared in court for her arraignment on assault and reckless endangerment charges after missing the originally scheduled date.
In December 2018, Cardi B announced on Instagram that she and Offset had separated, though they later reunited.
At the Grammy Awards in 2018, Cardi B appeared in a video with Hillary Clinton to narrate a portion of Fire and Fury, criticizing Trump's administration.
In 2018, Cardi B became the first female rapper in the U.S. to appear on the cover of Vogue magazine, photographed by Annie Leibovitz.
In 2018, Cardi B collaborated with Bruno Mars for "Finesse".
In 2018, Cardi B has achieved the best-performing song of the year by a female artist.
In 2018, Cardi B received 12 nominations for the MTV Video Music Awards and tied with Drake for the most nominations at the American Music Awards. She won three AMAs, performed at the ceremony and was named one of Entertainment Weekly's "2018 Entertainers of the Year".
In 2018, Cardi B used social media to demand transparency on tax policy in New York and praised President Franklin D. Roosevelt for advocating for Social Security.
In 2018, Cardi B was included on Time's annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world.
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, was released, which debuted at the top of the Billboard 200.
In a 2018 interview, Cardi B talked about being Afro-Latina and Afro-Caribbean.
In January 2019, Cardi B's Vogue cover was released as one of four for the January issue, featuring her holding her daughter, Kulture.
On February 10, 2019, Cardi B performed at the 61st Grammy Awards ceremony and won Best Rap Album as a solo artist.
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.
In February 2019, Cardi B and Offset made a public appearance for the Grammys, where he joined her onstage during her acceptance speech.
On May 31, 2019, Cardi B released her single titled "Press".
On June 21, 2019, Cardi B was indicted on 14 charges, including felony assault with intent to cause serious physical injury, related to the October 2018 incident.
On June 25, 2019, Cardi B was arraigned and pleaded not guilty to all 14 charges related to the alleged assault in 2018.
On June 26, 2019, Cardi B's music video for "Press" was released. It marked her directorial debut, being credited as co-director.
On September 13, 2019, Cardi B made her film debut in Hustlers.
On October 9, 2019, Cardi B was confirmed as a judge for the Netflix series Rhythm + Flow, which she also executive produced.
Cardi B won Best Hip Hop Video in 2019.
Cardi B wore vintage Thierry Mugler to the 2019 Grammy Awards, which contributed to the fashion house's resurgence.
Following controversies in 2019, Cardi B defended her past actions, stating she did what she had to do to survive.
In 2019, Cardi B appeared on the cover of Harper's Bazaar's spring fashion issue, with a Cinderella-themed photo shoot interpreted as a reference to the September 2018 shoe-throwing incident with Nicki Minaj.
In 2019, Cardi B held record for largest on-demand audio streaming week ever for an album by a woman.
In 2019, Cardi B led the Billboard Music Awards nominations with 21 and won six awards, including Top Hot 100 Song.
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 stated that lies spread about her led her to contemplate suicide.
In 2019, Cardi B was nominated for two videos in the BET Award.
In 2019, a life-sized sculpture of Cardi B was displayed 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," with Anna Wintour praising her style after the Met Gala.
In March 2020, Cardi B created a reaction video about the coronavirus pandemic which became an internet meme.
On August 7, 2020, Cardi B released the single "WAP" featuring Megan Thee Stallion, which received critical acclaim.
Since August 2020, "WAP" holds the record of the biggest first-week streams for a song in the United States.
In September 2020, it was reported that Cardi B had filed for divorce from Offset, but they later reconciled.
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 December 2020, Cardi B premiered the series Cardi Tries via Facebook Messenger, serving as one of the executive producers.
In 2020 Cardi B topped Pitchfork's annual list of best songs of the year.
In 2020, "I Like It" was named the best summer song of all time by Rolling Stone.
In 2020, Billboard named Cardi B Woman of the Year.
In 2020, Cardi B became the face of Balenciaga's ad campaign for the winter season, marking her first campaign for a luxury fashion house.
In 2020, Cardi B became the first female rapper to win the Style Influencer of the Year award at the FN Achievement Awards.
In 2020, Cardi B endorsed Bernie Sanders for president, citing his support for underprivileged minorities and Medicare.
In 2020, Cardi B has achieved the best-performing song of the year by a female artist.
In 2020, Cardi B received the ASCAP award for Songwriter of the Year for the second time, making her the first female songwriter to win the award twice.
In 2020, Cardi B released "WAP" with Megan Thee Stallion, which topped the Hot 100 chart.
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.
In 2020, The Wall Street Journal stated that Cardi B's breakthrough and success influenced "today's female-rap renaissance."
On February 5, 2021, Cardi B released "Up", the second single from her upcoming studio album.
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, including her iteration of Club C shoes for adults, children, and infants, in recognition of Mother's Day.
In June 2021, Cardi B revealed she was pregnant with her second child.
On June 25, 2021, Cardi B appeared in F9, which was released by Universal Pictures.
On July 16, 2021, Cardi B was featured on the Normani single "Wild Side".
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.
On September 4, 2021, Cardi B gave birth to her son.
On October 28, 2021, Cardi B previewed her second album to Atlantic Records via her Instagram Story.
In 2021, Cardi B appeared in the film F9.
In 2021, Cardi B received six nominations at the MTV Video Music Awards and led the nominations for the BET Hip Hop Awards along with Megan Thee Stallion. She won the most awards during the ceremony with three for "WAP", with Cardi becoming the first female artist to win Best Hip Hop Video twice.
In 2021, Clover Hope's book stated that Invasion of Privacy "jump-started a new era for women rappers in which success felt much more tangible".
In 2021, Netflix announced the return of Rhythm + Flow.
On January 24, 2022, Cardi B won a million-dollar defamation verdict against YouTuber Latasha Kebe (Tasha K) for posting false rumors and waging a "malicious campaign" to hurt her reputation.
In March 2022, Cardi B appeared on the extended version of Summer Walker and SZA's collaboration, "No Love".
On March 25, 2022, Cardi B, her sister Hennessy, and Hennessy's girlfriend won a defamation lawsuit filed against them regarding an incident at a Suffolk County beach.
On July 1, 2022, Cardi B released "Hot Shit", featuring rappers Kanye West and Lil Durk.
In July 2022, Cardi B's "Let Me Be...Enchanted" collection with Reebok, inspired by "a state of enchantment and euphoria", was released, including crop tops, faux fur jackets, and leotards along with footwear.
On September 15, 2022, Cardi B pleaded guilty to third-degree assault and second-degree reckless endangerment, receiving a sentence of 15 days of community service.
In September 2022, Cardi B worked with cousin and fellow rapper GloRilla on the remix to her song "Tomorrow", titled "Tomorrow 2".
In October 2022, five years after her major-label debut, Cardi B reached 100 million units sold in RIAA certifications.
In December 2022, Cardi B concluded her four-year partnership with Reebok with the release of the second part of the "Let Me Be...Next Level Energy" collection, inspired by her "unmatched energy".
In December 2022, Cardi B gave a 35-minute private performance at the Miami Art Basel for which she was paid $1 million.
In 2022, Cardi B became the creative director of Playboy magazine.
In 2022, Rolling Stone ranked Cardi B as the second most-stylish woman in music.
In February 2023, Cardi B and Offset partnered with McDonald's to create the Cardi B and Offset Meal, launched on Valentine's Day.
In July 2023, Cardi B threw her microphone into the crowd at her Las Vegas concert after a fan threw a liquid at her. The police decided not to press charges.
On September 8, 2023, Cardi B released "Bongos" featuring Megan Thee Stallion, marking their second collaboration after "WAP". The music video cost over $2 million, and the song reached number 14 in the US.
In December 2023, Cardi B confirmed via Instagram that she and Offset were no longer together.
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 that she no longer supports Joe Biden for president due to his "spending on wars".
On December 31, 2023, Cardi B performed at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach accompanied by DJ Gryffin, which was 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 a music video directed by Offset. The track reached the top 40 in the US.
As of March 2024, Whipshots, the vodka-infused whipped cream launched by Cardi B, has sold over five million cans.
As of March 2024, the status of Cardi B and Offset's marriage was unclear as they were still working together.
On March 22, 2024, Cardi B appeared on "Puntería" with Shakira, the opening track of Shakira's album. "Puntería" reached number one on the Latin Airplay chart.
In May 2024, Cardi B appeared alongside sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson in a commercial for the 2024 Summer Olympics.
In July 2024, Cardi B officially filed for divorce from Offset and announced her third pregnancy the day after.
On September 7, 2024, Cardi B gave birth to her third child, a daughter.
As of September 2024, Cardi B has one music video with over 3 billion views ("Girls Like You") on YouTube.
In November 2024, Cardi B confirmed that her second studio album would be released in 2025, stating it was almost complete but missing a few elements.
In 2024, Billboard included Cardi B among the honorable mentions of its "25 Greatest Pop Stars of the 21st Century", calling her one of the "most influential female rappers ever".
In 2024, Cardi B spoke on the matter again, saying she "doesn't feel bad" about drugging and robbing men regarding her past, and would have done it again.
In 2024, GloRilla stated that she and Cardi are relatives; GloRilla is Cardi's biological niece.