Lasting Legacy of Cardi B: A Look at the Influence on History

A closer look at the lasting mark left by Cardi B—a timeline of influence.

Cardi B, born Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar, is an American rapper from New York City. She gained prominence for her energetic rap style and candid lyrics. Starting her music career in 2016 with two mixtapes, she's recognized for boosting the visibility and importance of female rappers in the music industry.

Sections (7)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals Legacy & Impact

2017: "Bodak Yellow"'s Commercial Success

In 2017, Cardi B left an indelible mark with the commercial success of "Bodak Yellow", and gave hope to the have nots, Spin staff credited her for opening the table to a new generation of pop artists remaking American music in their own image and accents.

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2017: First Historic Run

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".

September 2018: Release of Tom Ford Lipstick

In September 2018, Tom Ford's Cardi B-inspired lipstick, named after her, was released and quickly sold out.

November 30, 2018: Honored at Ebony's Power 100 Gala

On November 30, 2018, Cardi B was honored at Ebony's annual Power 100 Gala. She ranked fifth on the 2018 Billboard Year-End Top Artists chart, while Invasion of Privacy ranked sixth. Also in 2018, Time included her on their annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world.

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2018: Time's 100 Most Influential People

In 2018, Cardi B was listed by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world.

2018: Inclusion in Time's 100 Most Influential People

In 2018, Time included Cardi B on their annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world.

2019: Impact on Ghana's GDP and Inspiration for TV series

In 2019, Bloomberg News reported that Cardi B's data bill helped to boost Ghana's GDP growth after it was part of a concert tour. She inspired the creation of the sitcom Partners in Rhyme and was cited as an inspiration for the TV series P-Valley.

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2019: Invasion of privacy streaming record

In 2019, Cardi B lost the record for the largest on-demand audio streaming week ever for an album by a woman.

2019: Life-Sized Sculpture at Brooklyn Museum

In 2019, a life-sized sculpture of Cardi B was on display at the Brooklyn Museum as part of Spotify's RapCaviar "Pantheon".

2019: Controversy over drugging and robbing

In 2019, after controversies sparked regarding her past actions of drugging and robbing men, Cardi B defended herself, stating she did what she had to do to survive and never glorified those actions.

2020: Billboard's Woman of the Year

In 2020, Billboard named Cardi B as Woman of the Year, and ranked Invasion of Privacy as the top female rap album of the 2010s, recognizing her significant impact on the music industry.

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2020: Style Influencer of the Year

In 2020, Cardi B became the first female rapper to be awarded by the FN Achievement Awards, winning the Style Influencer of the Year award, presented by Christian Louboutin. She was recognized for influencing pop culture, from music and fashion to politics and public service.

2020: Influence on Female Rap Renaissance

In 2020, Neil Shah of The Wall Street Journal stated that Cardi B's breakthrough influenced "today's female-rap renaissance". Genius staff credited her for jumpstarting a new wave of female hip-hop signings and promotion at labels.

2020: "I Like It" Named Best Summer Song of All Time

In 2020, Rolling Stone named Cardi B's "I Like It" the "best summer song of all time", cementing its legacy.

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2021: Signature Bold Ensembles

In 2021, Christian Allaire from Vogue magazine commented that Cardi B's signature "bold" ensembles "create a spectacle" during fashion weeks.

2021: Invasion of Privacy and a New Era for Women Rappers

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.

2022: Ranking as Most-Stylish Woman in Music

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."

2024: Inclusion in Billboard's "25 Greatest Pop Stars of the 21st Century"

In 2024, Billboard included Cardi B among the honorable mentions of its "25 Greatest Pop Stars of the 21st Century" listicle. The magazine called her one of the "most influential female rappers ever, and one of the most bankable hit-makers across all of hip-hop".

2024: Cardi B comments on drugging and robbing incidents

In 2024, Cardi B addressed the past allegations again, stating she would repeat those actions if she could, indicating she doesn't feel bad about what she did.