Terri Kaye Duncan - Cardi B: Breaking Boundaries and Records

Published in 2020 by Enslow Publishing, LLC.

101 W. 23rd Street, Suite 240, New York, NY 10011

Copyright 2020 by Enslow Publishing, LLC

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced by any means without the written permission of the publisher.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Duncan, Terri Kaye, author.

Title: Cardi B: breaking boundaries and records / Terri Kaye Duncan.

Description: New York: Enslow Publishing, 2020. | Series: The hip-hop

revolution | Audience: 5 | Includes bibliographical references and index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2018044066| ISBN 9781978509634 (library bound) | ISBN 9781978510005 (pbk.) | ISBN 9781978510012 (6 pack)

Subjects: LCSH: Cardi B, 1992Juvenile literature. | Rap musiciansUnited StatesBiographyJuvenile literature.

Classification: LCC ML3930.C255 D86 2020 | DDC 782.421649092 [B] dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018044066

Printed in the United States of America

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Photo Credits: Cover, p..

CONTENTS

LIFE IN THE BRONX

O n October 11, 1992, a baby girl was born in the Bronx. The Bronx is the northernmost part of New York City. More than half of the areas population has a Latino or Hispanic background. And like so many in the area, this babys parents have Latino roots, too. Her father is originally from the Dominican Republic. Her mother is from Trinidad. They named their child Belcalis Marlenis Almanzar. Little did they know at the time what a deep impact their little girl would grow up to have on the Bronx and hip-hop culture as Cardi B.

GROWING UP POOR

Belcalis did not have an easy life. Though her parents were hard working, they did not make a lot of money. Everyday life was difficult for the family, which also included Belcaliss younger sister, Hennessy Carolina. The family first lived in the Washington Heights neighborhood. They moved to the Highbridge neighborhood in the South Bronx when Belcalis was in sixth grade. She still spent a great deal of time with her grandmother, who remained in Washington Heights.

Cardi B attends the Tidal X: Brooklyn concert on October 17, 2017, at the Barclays Center.

Hip-Hop History

It was in the Bronx in 1973 that rap music and hip-hop began. DJ Kool Herc, the father of hiphop, had back-to-school parties. At these parties, he spun records on two turntables. He also spoke into the microphone while the music played to keep the party going.

Cardi B ( right ) and her younger sister, Hennessy Carolina, visit the MTV show TRL on April 10, 2018. Hennessy is an Instagram celebrity with millions of followers.

When Belcalis was just thirteen years old, her parents separated. Life was even more challenging for a single mother with two young daughters. Highbridge was a tough neighborhood with a high crime rate. There were drugs and gangs. Violence was common. It was not easy raising children in that environment. Belcaliss mother was quite strict as a result.

Belcalis and her sister were not allowed to attend parties at night. They were also not allowed to go to sleepovers because their mother could not be sure who might attend the overnight gatherings. Additionally, Belcalis suffered from severe asthma. Her mother worried constantly that an asthma attack would mean a hospital stay for her fragile little girl.

Family is my peace of mind. I love my family.

But Belcalis soon figured out a way to get around her mothers rules. Since she could not go out at night, she sometimes went to get-togethers held at a friends apartment during school hours. Friends and fun were more important to her than school!

Cardi B performs at the Global Citizen Festival in New York on September 29, 2018. Shes loved the color red since she was a teenager and wears it often.

A TALENTED TEEN

What Belcalis lacked in money, she made up for in personality. She had a sassy attitude, was funny, and was popular among her friends. She was also very proud of her Caribbean roots. In fact, she was raised bilingual; she can speak Spanish and English.

From a young age, Belcalis felt destined to be creative. She attended Renaissance High School for Musical Theater and Technology. Here, the smart, witty high school student had an opportunity to showcase her blossoming entertainment skills. She participated in talent shows and was cast in musicals. At one talent show when she was sixteen, Belcalis performed a Lady Gaga song. She wore a bright red jumpsuit and had an entire crew of backup dancers. Already, she had a presence on the stage. The audience cheered and applauded her performance. This was just a hint of what the future would bring.

Belcalis was also very social. In fact, she preferred spending time with her friends to studying or attending rehearsals for school musicals. Though she had the potential to be a very good student, she sometimes neglected her grades. Belcalis liked to be in the loop. She wanted to know what was going on with her friends and wanted to be a part of the social scene at her school. This did not mean that Belcalis did not value education, however. She knew that furthering her education was a way to escape the poverty that she had known all of her life.

A BETTER WAY

A fter she graduated from high school, Belcalis enrolled at Borough of Manhattan Community College. She studied French, Western civilization, and American politics. At the time, she thought she might one day become a history teacher.

While attending college, Belcalis also worked at a supermarket. She wanted to help her family financially. However, she soon discovered that working and attending college was very stressful. She dropped out in order to focus on other ways to earn money and make her way in the world.

SOCIAL MEDIA STARDOM

By the time she left college, it was mostly only family who referred to Belcalis by her given name. To the rest of the world, the young woman from the Bronx was making a name for herself on social media as Cardi B. She was no longer attending college or working at the supermarket. Instead, she was working hard to promote herself on sites such as Instagram. Using social media, she expressed her opinions and thoughts through short, fifteen-second tirades and tell it like is videos that were also funny. Soon, Cardi B had a large online following.

Its hard to think about fulfilling your dream when you got so much responsibility. Your responsibilities come first.

Cardi B visits the SiriusXM Studios in New York City on April 10, 2018. Her honesty and humor made her famous. During interviews, she still speaks her mind.

A Name Destined for Fame