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Messika : Photocall - Kate Moss High Jewelry Fashion Show - Paris Fashion Week - Womenswear Spring Summer 2022

Source: Francois Durand / Getty

Belcalis Almánzar is the Hip Hop icon many didn’t see coming, even though her work ethic and dedication have been unmatched since the beginning of her journey.

Now a mom, wife, fashion icon, international Hip Hop superstar, and actress, Cardi started out as a stripper before landing a spot on Love & Hip Hop: NY. Though she’s always been entertaining, she wasn’t taken very seriously by the costars claiming to want to help her reach success and stardom. Still, Cardi used the show to bolster her fanbase and stayed focused, releasing mixtapes and perfecting her craft until she landed a deal with Atlantic Records and dropped one of the most successful debut singles to date: “Bodak Yellow.”

“Bodak Yellow” was everything everybody loves about NY rap. Produced by J. White Did It, the single topped Billboard’s Hot 100 for three consecutive weeks and made Cardi the second female rapper in history to go no. 1 with a solo song, behind Lauryn Hill. And, that was only the beginning. Cardi went on to put on for “hood” women everywhere, never altering her personality or beliefs for the industry, and giving voice to Afro-Latinos all over the world through her story, commitment to her culture, and by way of undeniable hits like “I Like It.” As an Afro-Latina woman from NY, I have to personally say, it has been inspiring to watch.

Cardi’s existence proves that authenticity wins, so today, we’re celebrating her incomparable success. Enjoy a few more Belcalis accomplishments no one saw coming…

Cardi earned a Grammy for her debut album, Invasion of Privacy. She’s also the first female rapper to win the honor for ‘Best Rap Album’.

Invasion of Privacy, which debuted at no. 1 on the Billboard 200, is certified TRIPLE platinum.

Cardi B Invasion of Privacy album artwork

Source: Atlantic Records / Atlantic Records

She is the only female rapper with a diamond-certified song, thanks to her work on “Bodak Yellow.”

Cardi B reportedly has not one, not two — but five Guinness World Records.

Cardi was named Billboard’s 2020 Woman of the Year.

“You actually gotta put in the work,” she told Billboard of making it big. “You gotta be ambitious. You gotta network. You gotta become great at what you do. You gotta be able to take criticism — believe it or not, y’all be saying I don’t take criticism, but yes I do. That’s why when people be like, ‘Oh, you can’t do this, you can’t do that,’ I practice so I can become better and better. There’s hope. There’s hope for your dreams.

And, last but not least, we’d like to shoutout the fact that she’s solidified herself as a fashion icon for our generation.

The Metropolitan Museum Of Art's 2019 Costume Institute Benefit "Camp: Notes On Fashion"

Source: Sean Zanni / Getty

Keeping Shining, Queen.