Belcalis Almanzar (born October 11, 1992), known professionally as Cardi B, is an American rapper. Born and raised in The Bronx, New York City, she first attracted attention for discussing her career as a stripper on social media; coupled with her "no filter attitude", she became an Internet celebrity through Instagram.
From 2015 to 2017, she appeared as a regular cast member on the VH1 reality television series Love & Hip Hop: New York. In February 2017, she signed her first major label record deal with Atlantic Records. Her debut single for Atlantic, titled "Bodak Yellow", reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, making her the second-ever female rapper to do so with a solo output, following Lauryn Hill in 1998. Her debut studio album Invasion of Privacy (2018) debuted at number one on the Billboard 200.
Cardi B was born Belcalis Almanzar on October 11, 1992, in The Bronx borough of New York City. She was raised in the Highbridge neighborhood of the South Bronx. She was born to a Dominican father and Trinidadian mother. She spent much time at her paternal grandmother's home in Washington Heights, which she credits with giving her "such a thick accent.". As a youth, Cardi B was a member of the Bloods, and has said she was a gang member since the age of 16. She went on to attend Renaissance High School For Musical Theater & Technology, a small specialty school on the Herbert H. Lehman campus.