Cardi B

Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar, known professionally as Cardi B, is an American rapper. Born and raised in New York City, she is known for her energetic rap flow and outspoken lyrics.

The woman who broke hip-hop's most stubborn glass ceiling did it by refusing to play smaller—"Bodak Yellow" dethroned The Weeknd in 2017, marking the first solo female rap #1 in nearly two decades, and Cardi B's refusal to soften her Bronx accent or dial back her sexuality rewired what female rappers could actually achieve commercially. Her 2018 debut *Invasion of Privacy* cemented her as more than a viral moment, especially through strategic collabs with Megan Thee Stallion on "WAP," a track that became generational shorthand for unapologetic female desire, and with GloRilla on "Tomorrow 2," which launched the Memphis rapper into the mainstream.