Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar Cephus, known professionally as Cardi B, is an American rapper and songwriter. She is known for her aggressive flow and candid lyrics. Born and raised in New York City, she became an Internet celebrity by achieving popularity on Vine and Instagram. From 2015 to 2017, she appeared as a regular cast member on the VH1 reality television series Love & Hip Hop: New York, which depicted her pursuit of her music aspirations; having released two mixtapes—Gangsta Bitch Music, Vol. 1 and Vol. 2, before signing with Atlantic Records in February 2017. Outside of music, she became the creative director of entertainment magazine Playboy in 2022. Her first studio album, Invasion of Privacy debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, was certified triple platinum by the RIAA, and was the best-selling female rap album of the 2010s according to Billboard.
As a cast member on the reality show Love & Hip Hop: New York, she rose to stardom. Her tracks "Bodak Yellow" and "Foreva" have made her a household name in hip hop circles. She played alongside Jennifer Lopez in the 2019 drama Hustlers, and she has been cast in the 2021 picture F9.
