Belcalis Almanzar better known as Cardi B absolutely won 2017. Not only did she break through into the male dominated world of hip-hop music, but established herself as its most dominant force.
The Dominican-Trini rapper by way of the South Bronx would not be denied in 2017. She started out the year dropping her second mixtape, the second installment to her Gangsta Bitch Music series, by February she had signed with Atlantic records and was opening up for The Lox’s Filthy America… It’s Beautiful Tour, alongside fellow New York City-based rappers Lil’ Kim and Remy Ma.
Some would call it a year after those accomplishments. Yet, Cardi was just getting started. June would serve as the month that would change her life, her record company released her debut single, titled “Bodak Yellow”, by September the single had reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart where it would stay at #1 for three weeks. The song also reached number one on the Hot Rap Songs chart and the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. Making her the first Latina rapper to hit #1 on Billboard and becoming the first solo female rapper to accomplish the feat since Lauryn Hill in 1998.