Hip-Hop superstar and ESSENCE cover model Cardi B celebrates her 30th birthday today. In just 10 years, Belcalis Almánzar has gone from a hilarious Instagram sensation to a global icon.
With just one album under her belt, Cardi has managed to shatter records and open doors for women in Hip-Hop. Her debut album, Invasion of Privacy, made Cardi the first woman to win the Grammy for Best Rap Album in history, the first woman in Hip-Hop to have a Diamond-certified RIAA single, and was named the number one female Hip-Hop album of the 2010’s by Billboard.
As the rapper prepares to celebrate her big day in grand style with a big Burlesque Bardi Bash, here are some of the moments that made the Bronx-bred baddie an undeniable force over the years.
01
Instagram Virality, Love & Hip Hop (2013 – 2016)
Cardi first rose to popularity with her hilarious, unabashed personality highlighted on posts that quickly made the rounds on Instagram starting around 2013. That recognition soon landed her on Vh1’s Love & Hip Hop franchise, where she brought us one-liners (“What was the reason?!”) that still rest in our lingo, gifs, and memes to this day.
02
“Bodak Yellow” (2017)
Cardi hit the charts for the first time (and remained there to this day) with her tongue-in-cheek flip of Kodak Black’s “No Flockin’.” Delivering brash bars in a cadence that mimicked the Florida rapper’s flow, she coined the term “Bloody Shoes” over an infectious beat full of Quotables that you’d still be hard-pressed not to rap along to, five years later. Oh, and not to mention, it made her the first woman in Hip-Hop to have a Diamond-certified RIAA single.
03
Revealing Her Pregnancy on Saturday Night Live (2018)
With her career just about to take off and her album not even available to stream yet, Cardi proudly revealed that she was carrying her first child while making her highest-profile appearance to date. She introduced herself to the mainstream while visibly in at least her second trimester, performing her hit “Be Careful.”
04
Coachella Cardi (2018)
With the pregnancy news out of the bag, Cardi proved that her plus-one was not about to slow down her reign, making her first appearance at Coachella just a few short weeks later. Without missing a beat, the star was unabashedly dancing, twerking, and rapping her hits from her then-newly-released debut album Invasion of Privacy alongside collaborators like Chance the Rapper, Kehlani, J. Balvin, and YG.
05
Cardi Hits The Met Gala Red Carpet (2018)
Already a budding Hip-Hop icon, Cardi officially entered the world of high fashion on the arm of designer Jeremy Scott at the 2018 Met Gala, dressed as an ethereal goddess mother while still carrying her daughter Kulture.
06
“I Like It” (2018)
Tapping directly into her Afro-Latina roots, Cardi updated Pete Rodriguez’ 1967 hit “I Like It Like That” alongside J. Balvin and Bad Bunny. The Musica Tropicale-infused track landed her at the top of the Billboard charts for 51 weeks and made her a THREE-TIME Diamond-certified artist.
07
“Finesse” (2018)
Cardi B is one of the most coveted collaborators in the industry today, but the first big single she landed a verse to had to be Bruno Mars’ “Finesse.” Cardi’s rhymes were the cherry-on-top for Mars’ already infectious track, and led to another insanely catchy collab between the two, 2019’s “Please Me,” and countless other chart-topping features with Maroon 5 (another Diamond-certified single), City Girls, Ed Sheeran, Pardison Fontaine, and more.
08
Cardi Wins A Grammy (2019)
Cardi B became the first woman to win the Grammy for Best Rap Album in Grammy history, and also the first female Hip-Hop artist to be nominated in the Best Album category in 15 years. Her spot on the A-list was solidified.
09
“W.A.P.” (2020)
The raunchy women’s empowerment anthem with fellow rap diva (and ESSENCE cover star) Megan Thee Stallion caused a firestorm – both on the charts and in right-wing conservative circles. With a bass-heavy beat, a brightly colored, star-studded video, and explicit lyrics we know by heart (but CERTAINLY cannot repeat here), this celebration of feminine sexual power still causes discourse and slaps through sounds systems to this day.
10
Cardi B Launches Whipshots (2021)
After releasing hit single “Up” to tie fans over while she carried her second child Wave and prepared for her next act, Cardi entered the business world with a unique spirits product – a vodka-infused whipped cream that’s a perfect topper for artisanal alcoholic drinks, or as a fun shot substitute.
11
Cardi Covers ESSENCE (2022)
Before she’s a rap superstar and worldwide-recognized name, Cardi is a wife and mom of a beautiful blended family, which she happily highlighted on the cover of ESSENCE’s April/May 2022 issue. Featuring her husband Offset and their children Kulture, Wave, Kalea, Jordan, and Kody, the cover highlighted Cardi’s softer side and the story delved into their marriage and family relationship.
