Cardi B

Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar was born on October 11, 1992, in the Bronx, New York City. She was raised primarily in the Latino neighborhood of Highbridge, with a Dominican father and a mother from Trinidad and Tobago. Her stage name, Cardi B, is a derivative of her childhood nickname, Bacardi, influenced by her sister's name, Hennessy. In her early life, she attended Renaissance High School for Musical Theater & Technology and worked various jobs, including a cashier position. At age 19, she began working as an exotic dancer, a career move she has openly credited with providing the financial stability and independence needed to escape poverty and domestic challenges, enabling her to pursue music full-time. Her initial rise to fame began in 2013 with her hilariously candid videos going viral on Vine and Instagram. This digital celebrity led to her being cast in the reality television series Love & Hip Hop: New York in 2015, where her unfiltered personality made her a breakout star. She left the show in 2017 to launch her now-legendary music career. In terms of charity and community work, Cardi B has used her platform to provide direct financial relief, particularly to her hometown. In 2022, she surprised her former middle school in the Bronx with a $100,000 donation for arts and after-school programs. Following the tragic Bronx fire in 2022, she partnered with the Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City to cover the burial costs for all victims. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she also teamed up with Fashion Nova to give away $1 million to individuals and families directly affected by the crisis.

Cardi B (born Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar) launched her professional career after first gaining a massive following through social media and her two-season stint on the reality show Love & Hip Hop: New York (2015-2017). Recognizing her musical ambition, she left the show in 2017 to focus entirely on rap, a move that quickly paid off. Her commercial debut single, "Bodak Yellow" (2017), became a sensational, chart-topping hit, making history as the first solo female rapper to hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 since Lauryn Hill in 1998. This success was followed by her debut album, Invasion of Privacy (2018), which debuted at number one and earned her a Grammy Award for Best Rap Album, making her the first solo female artist to win that honor. The album spawned multiple diamond-certified hits, including "I Like It" and her feature on Maroon 5’s "Girls Like You," making her the first female rapper with multiple Diamond certifications. Throughout her career, Cardi B has primarily toured through headlining major festivals (like Openair Frauenfeld) and large-scale concerts rather than dedicated multi-year tours. However, she has recently announced her first major arena headlining tour, the "Little Miss Drama Tour," scheduled for 2026. This extensive North American tour is set to coincide with the release of her highly anticipated second studio album, showcasing her ability to deliver high-energy, theatrical performances that match her outsized personality.