You know Cardi B, right? The rapper who basically took over the music world with her bold personality and hit songs? Well, behind every successful person, there’s usually someone who helped shape them. For Cardi B, that person is her dad, Carlos Alman. And honestly, his story is pretty incredible.
Most people don’t know much about Carlos Alman because he’s not the type to chase fame or attention. He’s the complete opposite, actually. While his daughter is out there making headlines, Cardi B’s father prefers to stay in the background, living a quiet life. But trust me, his influence on Cardi’s success is huge.
So, Who Exactly is Carlos Alman?
Carlos Alman is a retired taxi driver who came to America from the Dominican Republic. He was born on March 19, 1958, which makes him 67 years old now in 2025. He’s not a celebrity himself, but he became known worldwide as the father of Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar—yep, that’s Cardi B’s real name.
What’s interesting about Carlos is that even though his daughter is super famous, he’s never tried to use that fame for himself. He’s just a regular dad who worked hard, raised his kids with good values, and let them shine. That takes a special kind of person, you know?
He’s about 5’11” tall and has that typical hardworking dad vibe. Nothing flashy, nothing over the top—just genuine and humble.
Growing Up in the Dominican Republic
Carlos Alman grew up in the Dominican Republic, which is this beautiful Caribbean island known for amazing music, warm people, and strong family traditions. Life wasn’t easy there when he was growing up. His family didn’t have much money, and like most people in his neighborhood, they had to work really hard just to get by.
His mom, Esperanza Almanzar, raised him to understand what really matters in life—family, respect, hard work, and being proud of where you come from. These weren’t just nice ideas; they were survival skills.
Growing up in the Dominican Republic also gave Carlos this rich cultural background. The island has this amazing mix of African, Spanish, and native influences.
All that culture, all those traditions—he carried them with him when he eventually moved to America. And later, he made sure to pass all of it down to his kids.
Coming to America: A Fresh Start
Back in 1990, Carlos Alman made one of the biggest decisions of his life—he packed up and moved to the United States. Imagine leaving everything you know, everyone you love, and starting completely fresh in a new country where you don’t even speak the language well. That takes serious guts.
Life in The Bronx
Carlos ended up in The Bronx, New York. If you know anything about New York, you know The Bronx is no joke. It’s busy, it’s loud, and it can be pretty tough. But it also has this huge Latino community, which probably helped him feel a bit more at home.
The Bronx became where Carlos built his entire life. He found work, started a family, and created a home where his kids could grow up with opportunities he never had. It wasn’t glamorous, but it was real, and it was his.
Working as a Taxi Driver
When Carlos Alman first got to New York, he needed a job fast. Like a lot of immigrants, he became a taxi driver. And he didn’t just do it for a few months—Carlos drove a taxi for about nine years.
That’s almost a decade of navigating crazy New York traffic, dealing with all kinds of passengers, working late nights, and basically grinding every single day.
Being a taxi driver in NYC is tough work. You’re sitting for hours, dealing with traffic jams, working weird hours, and the pay isn’t great. But Carlos did it because that’s what his family needed. He showed up every day, did his job, and never complained about it.
Cardi B has talked about this a lot. She’s said that watching her dad work so hard taught her that nothing comes easy. If you want something, you’ve got to work for it. That lesson clearly stuck with her.
Fun fact: Cardi B actually called out unfair treatment of NYC taxi drivers on social media back in 2019. She said her dad still fights for cab drivers’ rights even after retiring. That tells you what kind of person Carlos is—even after he stopped driving, he still cares about making things better for people doing that job.
Building a Family
Meeting Clara
In 1991, Carlos Alman got married to a woman named Clara Mercedes Almánzar. She was from Trinidad and had Spanish roots too. Clara worked as a cashier at a grocery store in the Bronx. Together, they created this really cool multicultural home.
Think about it—Carlos brought his Dominican culture, Clara brought her Trinidadian and Spanish background, and together they mixed it all up. Their home was filled with Spanish and English, different types of Caribbean food, music from different islands, and just this really rich cultural environment.
This mix ended up being super important for their daughters. Growing up in that kind of home gave them a broader view of the world and helped them understand their identity better.
A Big Family
Here’s something most people don’t know—Carlos Alman actually has eight kids total. Most of them stay out of the spotlight, which Carlos totally respects. But two of his daughters became pretty famous:
Cardi B (Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar) was born on October 11, 1992. She’s obviously the most famous one now.
Hennessy Carolina was born on December 22, 1995. She’s also pretty well-known as a fashion influencer and reality TV personality.
Even though Carlos has kids from different relationships, he’s stayed involved in all their lives. The ones who want privacy get it, and the ones in the public eye get his support from behind the scenes. That’s just how he rolls.
When Things Changed
Carlos and Clara got divorced in 2005 when Cardi B was about 13 years old. Divorce is tough on any family, but from what Cardi has said, it wasn’t this huge dramatic thing for her. She actually said she felt more freedom afterward.
The important thing is that both parents kept being good parents even after splitting up. They didn’t use their kids as weapons or make things harder than they needed to be. They just focused on raising their daughters right.
The Father-Daughter Connection
The relationship between Carlos Alman and Cardi B is really special. You can tell just from how she talks about him that there’s a lot of love and respect there.
What He Taught Her
Carlos gave Cardi B some really important life lessons that shaped who she became:
Work Your Butt Off: Watching her dad work long hours as a taxi driver taught Cardi that success doesn’t just happen. You’ve got to put in the work. She’s said many times that seeing his dedication pushed her to chase her dreams just as hard.
Money Doesn’t Grow on Trees: Growing up without a lot of money taught Cardi to understand its value. She knows what it’s like to struggle, and that’s why she’s so smart with her money now. Carlos showed her that every dollar counts.
Be Proud of Who You Are: Carlos made sure his daughters knew their roots. He taught them Spanish, told them about Dominican culture, cooked traditional food, and made sure they understood where they came from. That’s why Cardi is so comfortable embracing her Latina identity in her music and interviews.
Family Comes First: No matter how famous or rich Cardi gets, family is still number one. That comes straight from Carlos’s teachings about what really matters in life.
Stay Real: Carlos is humble even though his daughter is a megastar. He didn’t change, didn’t start acting different, didn’t try to become famous himself. Cardi learned from that to stay true to herself.
She’s Got His Back
Cardi B doesn’t play around when it comes to protecting her dad. Back in 2019, some reporter from Univision tried to film Carlos without permission, and Cardi went OFF on social media. She basically said, “Don’t put my father on TV because he doesn’t have security, and you don’t know who might try to hurt him.”
That shows you how much she loves and protects him. She understands that Carlos chose a private life for a reason, and she respects that choice.
On Father’s Day, she posted: “Happy Father’s Day to my dad. We are personality twins…I love my dad.” That’s just sweet, right?
Food and Culture
Carlos connected with his daughters through food, which is such a Dominican thing. Cardi has talked about eating dishes like mondongo (this traditional Dominican stew) that her dad made. Those memories mean a lot to her because it wasn’t just food—it was Carlos sharing his culture and showing love.
The fact that Cardi speaks Spanish comfortably, references Dominican culture in her music, and proudly calls herself Afro-Latina? That all comes from the foundation Carlos built when she was growing up.
The Other Famous Daughter: Hennessy
People forget that Carlos Alman has another daughter in the spotlight — Hennessy Carolina. She’s Cardi’s little sister and has done pretty well for herself too. She’s big on social media, works in fashion, and was even on “Love & Hip Hop: New York.”
Hennessy and Cardi are super close. They’ve said they protected each other growing up because “we only had each other.” That bond came from how Carlos and Clara raised them—with strong values and lots of love.
Just like her big sister, Hennessy is proud of being Afro-Latina and isn’t afraid to be herself. That confidence? That comes from Carlos Alman’s parenting.
The Immigrant Experience
Carlos Alman’s story isn’t unique—it’s actually pretty common for immigrant parents. Millions of people come to America and go through the same struggles and sacrifices. But that doesn’t make it any less important to talk about.
The Struggles
Being an immigrant isn’t easy. Carlos faced a lot of challenges:
Money was tight: Taxi driving doesn’t pay great. Long hours don’t always equal good money. Carlos had to budget carefully and work extra just to make ends meet.
Balancing two cultures: He had to learn American ways while keeping his Dominican identity alive. That’s not easy. Do you adapt and lose yourself? Or do you stay true to your roots and risk not fitting in? Carlos found a way to do both.
Language barriers: Most immigrants struggle with English at first. It makes everything harder—getting jobs, dealing with paperwork, even just going to the store. But Carlos pushed through it.
Being invisible: Taxi drivers and other working-class immigrants do essential jobs but rarely get recognized or appreciated. Carlos knew his work mattered even if nobody was giving him awards for it.
Life After Retiring
Carlos Alman retired from taxi driving around the time Cardi B’s career really took off. Since then, he’s been living a quiet, peaceful life. He doesn’t do interviews, doesn’t have social media, and doesn’t show up at red carpet events.
Still Fighting for Drivers
Even though he’s retired, Carlos still advocates for better treatment of taxi drivers. Cardi mentioned that he “to this day still campaigns for cab drivers.” That shows you his character—he’s not the type to forget where he came from or stop caring about people in the same situation he was in.
Choosing Privacy
In a world where everyone’s trying to go viral and get famous, Carlos Alman actively chooses privacy. He could easily cash in on his daughter’s fame, do interviews, get sponsorships, whatever. But he doesn’t want that. He wants to live his life away from cameras and headlines.
That takes strength, honestly. A lot of celebrity parents can’t resist the spotlight, but Carlos knows who he is and what he wants. He’s comfortable being just Cardi’s dad, not a celebrity himself.
What We Can Learn from Carlos
Carlos Alman’s life teaches us some pretty valuable stuff:
- All Honest Work Deserves Respect: Being a taxi driver might not be glamorous, but Carlos did it with dignity. He showed that any job that helps you take care of your family is worthy of respect.
- Your Culture is Your Strength: Carlos never abandoned his Dominican roots. Instead, he shared them with his kids, and that became part of their strength and identity.
- Success Comes in Different Forms: Carlos might not have gotten rich or famous himself, but look at what his daughter accomplished. That’s success too—maybe even better.
- Privacy is Powerful: You don’t have to share everything with the world. Carlos proves that living privately doesn’t make you less important.
- Support Can Be Quiet: The best support often happens behind the scenes. Carlos didn’t need to be loud about supporting his daughter—he just did it.
- Sacrifice is Love: Working those long taxi shifts, coming home tired, doing it all again the next day—that’s what love looks like in action.
What He Looks Like and Where He Is Now
As of 2025, Carlos Alman is 67 years old. He’s about 5’11” and weighs around 143 pounds. He has black hair, dark brown eyes, and basically looks like a regular guy—which is exactly what he is. He hasn’t gotten plastic surgery, doesn’t try to look younger, and doesn’t care about being camera-ready. He’s just himself.
Right now, Carlos is enjoying retirement, spending time with family, and living life on his own terms. He’s not trying to be part of Cardi’s celebrity world. He’s just happy being her dad.
Questions People Ask About Carlos Alman
How much money does Carlos Alman have?
Nobody really knows Carlos Alman’s net worth, and honestly, it’s probably not that much. He was a taxi driver, not a CEO. But his real wealth is in the amazing kids he raised and the values he passed on. That’s worth more than any bank account.
Is Carlos Alman married now?
After divorcing Clara in 2005, there’s no public information about Carlos getting married again. He seems to be single and focused on his family and privacy.
How many grandkids does he have?
Carlos Alman has at least three grandchildren from Cardi B—Kulture (born 2018), Wave (born 2021), and another baby born in 2024. Since he has eight kids total, he probably has more grandchildren from his other children too.
Does Carlos Alman have Instagram or social media?
Nope! Carlos Alman stays completely off social media. No Instagram, no Twitter, no TikTok—nothing. He’s old school like that.
What’s Carlos doing now in 2025?
Carlos is retired and living privately. He’s not in the news, not doing interviews, just living his life and being there for his family when they need him.
The Bottom Line
Carlos Alman might not be famous, but his story matters. He represents millions of immigrant parents who came to America, worked hard jobs, made sacrifices, and raised kids who went on to do amazing things.
His journey from the Dominican Republic to the Bronx, his years driving a taxi through crazy New York streets, his dedication to family—all of it shows that success isn’t always about what YOU accomplish. Sometimes it’s about what you help others accomplish.
Every time Cardi B talks about her Dominican roots, every time she mentions the value of hard work, every time she puts family first—that’s Carlos Alman’s influence shining through. He might not want the spotlight, but his impact is impossible to ignore.
Carlos Alman is proof that you don’t need fame to be important. You don’t need wealth to be successful. You just need to love your family, work hard, stay true to yourself, and pass on good values. The rest will take care of itself.
And honestly? That’s a pretty beautiful legacy.
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