Cardi B, born Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar on October 11, 1992, in the Bronx, New York, is an American rapper and songwriter known for her aggressive flow and outspoken lyrics. Raised in a multicultural environment, her mother hails from Trinidad and her father from the Dominican Republic.

Her early life was marked by challenges, including her parents' separation and financial struggles. She attended the Renaissance High School for Musical Theater and Technology in the Bronx and later enrolled in college but left to work as a stripper to escape an abusive relationship and support herself financially.

Her rise to fame began on social media platforms like Vine and Instagram, where her candid and humorous posts garnered a significant following. Her popularity on social media led to her joining the cast of VH1's reality television series Love & Hip Hop: New York in 2015, where she appeared for two seasons.

During this time, she released her first mixtapes, Gangsta Bitch Music, Vol. 1 in 2016 and Vol. 2 in 2017, which showcased her raw talent and unique style.

Her breakthrough came with the release of her debut studio album, Invasion of Privacy, in 2018. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and became the best-selling female rap album of the 2010s. It included hit singles like Bodak Yellow and I Like It, both of which topped the Billboard Hot 100 and were certified diamond by the RIAA.

Bodak Yellow made Cardi B the first female rapper to top the Hot 100 with a solo song in the 21st century, while I Like It made her the first female rapper with multiple number-one songs. Her collaboration with Maroon 5 on Girls Like You also topped the charts, making her the only female rapper to achieve multiple RIAA diamond-certified songs.

Her career continued to soar with the release of singles like WAP featuring Megan Thee Stallion in 2020 and Up in 2021, both of which topped the Hot 100 and other charts worldwide. WAP became the first female rap collaboration to debut atop the Hot 100 and broke several streaming records.

Her influence in the music industry is undeniable, with Forbes recognizing her as one of the most influential female rappers of all time. She holds various records among women in hip hop, including the most number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100 and the only female rapper to achieve multiple solo number-ones in two decades.

In her personal life, Cardi B married rapper Offset in 2017, and the couple has three children together.