Carlos Alman, also spelled Carlos Almánzar, is the Dominican born father of rapper Cardi B and television personality Hennessy Carolina. He worked as a New York City taxi driver, raised his daughters in the Bronx and Washington Heights, and has stayed almost completely out of the media.That privacy creates a problem.
Search for his name and you will find dozens of pages that disagree on his age, birthplace, and job history. Some of those claims are plainly wrong.This guide sticks to what multiple reliable profiles agree on. Where the facts are unclear, you will see a note saying so.
Carlos Alman Biography
Carlos Alman is a private citizen. He has never built a public career, run a verified social media brand, or given a major sit down interview.
Nearly everything known about him comes from what his daughters have shared. Cardi B has talked about her family in interviews, on social media, and in her own storytelling about growing up in New York.
Here is where the records get messy. Different websites give his birth date as 1958, 1965, or 1969. None of them cite a birth record or a family statement. For that reason, this article does not state his exact age.
If a site gives you a precise birthday and a confident age, treat it with caution.
Early Life and Dominican Background
Carlos Alman is Dominican, and that heritage shaped the home his daughters grew up in. Cardi B has said that she speaks Spanish because of her father.
Some profiles say he was born in Santiago de los Caballeros, a major city in the Dominican Republic. Other pages leave the town unnamed. Because no primary source confirms it, treat the city as unverified.
What we can say with confidence is that he grew up in the Dominican Republic and carried its food, music, language, and family customs with him to New York.
The surname itself has a story. Almánzar is widely believed to come from the Arabic phrase “al manzar,” which points to a lookout or watchtower. It reached Spanish speaking regions through centuries of cultural exchange. Alman is a shortened form that some media outlets use.
Move to the United States
According to several family profiles, Carlos Alman immigrated to the United States around 1990. Cardi B was born in October 1992, so the timeline fits.
Like many Dominican newcomers, he settled in New York City. The Dominican community in upper Manhattan, especially Washington Heights, has been one of the largest in the country for decades.
Moving to a new country meant starting again. He had to find steady work, learn the city, and build a household at the same time.
Some sites claim he arrived in the 1980s. Others say he was born in the Bronx. These versions contradict each other, so the safest reading is the widely repeated one: a Dominican immigrant who arrived around 1990.
Career as a New York Taxi Driver
Carlos Alman worked as a taxi driver in New York. This is the most consistent detail across reliable sources, and Cardi B has referred to it herself.
She has described her parents as having “regular, poor jobs.” Her father drove a cab. Her mother worked as a supermarket cashier.
Driving a taxi in New York is demanding work:
- Shifts are long and often run late into the night.
- Income depends on how many fares you pick up.
- Drivers handle traffic, weather, and city rules every day.
- There are no guaranteed paid days off.
Cardi B has often credited that background for her own work ethic. The “taxi driver’s daughter” story is a big part of her rise from the Bronx to the Grammy stage.
You may see pages claiming he was also a restaurant owner, mechanic, or construction worker. Those claims appear on low quality sites and are not backed by interviews or reports. He is best described as a former taxi driver who is now retired.
Carlos Alman and Clara Almánzar’s Relationship
Carlos Alman and Clara Almánzar are the parents of Cardi B and Hennessy Carolina. Clara has Trinidadian roots and is often described as having African and Spanish ancestry. Cardi has said her mother is Trini and Spaniard.
Some profiles say the couple married in the early 1990s. They are no longer married. Cardi B has described both parents as blessings in her life, which suggests the split did not turn the family against each other.
Because the details of their relationship were never made public, this article does not speculate on why they separated. Websites that claim to know are guessing.
Carlos Alman’s Family and Children
Carlos Alman has two publicly known daughters:
- Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar, born October 11, 1992, known worldwide as Cardi B
- Hennessy Carolina Almánzar, born December 22, 1995
He is also a grandfather. Cardi B shares children with her husband, rapper Offset, including Kulture, born in July 2018, and Wave Set, born in 2021. She has welcomed more children since.
A few sites say he has three children or even eight. No credible source supports those numbers.
Carlos Alman’s Relationship With Cardi B
Cardi B was born in Washington Heights, Manhattan, and raised in the Highbridge area of the South Bronx. She also spent a lot of time at her paternal grandmother’s home in Washington Heights.
That is where her Dominican side came alive. Spanish, Dominican food, and family gatherings were part of her childhood.
Cardi B has talked about her parents being strict. She has also said that her family stood by her as her career took off, from her social media fame to her time on Love & Hip Hop: New York and her breakthrough hit “Bodak Yellow.”
Carlos Alman does not do press tours or post about the relationship. The bond is known mostly through what Cardi chooses to share.
Relationship With His Daughters
Cardi B and Hennessy Carolina grew up as close sisters, and both have spoken warmly about their parents over the years.
Their father is described as a hands on, hard working presence, the kind of dad who showed love through providing. That portrait comes from the daughters’ own comments, not from a staged public image.
One story shows his sense of humor. According to reports, he showed up at the hospital after Hennessy’s birth in a cheerful mood and suggested naming her after the cognac he had been enjoying. Her mother liked the name, and it stuck.
Meet Younger Daughter Hennessy Carolina
Hennessy Carolina Almánzar is Cardi B’s only sibling and the younger of the two. She was born on December 22, 1995, in New York.
Here are the highlights of her public life:
- She appeared alongside Cardi on Love & Hip Hop: New York in 2016.
- She built her own following through fashion and social media.
- She has spoken openly about coming out to her family at age 20.
- She is an advocate for the LGBTQ community.
Her name also explains one of the internet’s favorite questions. Because her name is Hennessy, friends and family started calling Cardi “Bacardi.” Cardi later shortened it to Cardi B. She confirmed this herself on Twitter in 2016.
So a joke about two drinks became one of the biggest stage names in hip hop.
Influence on Cardi B’s Upbringing
Carlos Alman’s influence shows up in three clear ways:
- Language. Cardi has credited her father for her Spanish.
- Work ethic. Watching a parent drive a cab for a living shaped her view of effort and money.
- Cultural pride. She often calls herself a proud Afro Latina with Dominican and Trinidadian roots.
Not every claim online holds up. Some pages say he appeared in her music videos or has an Instagram account with over a million followers. No reputable outlet has confirmed either claim.
Dominican Heritage and Family Values
Dominican households tend to put family first. Sunday meals, close extended family, respect for elders, and strong discipline are common themes in immigrant homes of that generation.
Cardi B’s story reflects many of those values. She talks often about loyalty, hustle, and taking care of her people.
Her mix of Dominican and Trinidadian culture also makes her a good example of the Caribbean diaspora in New York. In her case, the two cultures came from her father and mother, and she blends both into her identity.
Life Away From the Spotlight
Carlos Alman has chosen privacy, and that choice deserves respect.
He is not on a reality show, does not run a media brand, and has not published a memoir. Fans may see him in a photo or hear him mentioned, but he has not become a celebrity in his own right.
This is also why so many websites fill the gap with guesses. Unverified details about his age, jobs, and legal history spread quickly.
One claim that appears on some low quality pages says he served time in prison. No credible news source supports it, so it should not be repeated.
Net Worth and Financial Life
There is no reliable figure for Carlos Alman’s net worth. He is not a public figure, and no financial records or interviews have been released.
What we do know:
- He worked for years as a taxi driver.
- Cardi B has described her childhood as financially modest.
- He is reported to be retired.
Any exact number you see online is a guess, and you should skip it. Cardi B’s own wealth is a separate topic and should not be applied to her father.
Impact on Family and Lasting Legacy
The legacy of Carlos Alman is a family story. A Dominican immigrant came to New York, drove a taxi, and raised two daughters who both became public names.
His impact can be summed up in a few points:
- He gave his daughters a strong sense of Dominican identity.
- He modeled steady work in a tough city.
- He stayed supportive while remaining private.
For many readers, his story reflects the immigrant experience in America: sacrifice in the first generation, opportunity in the next.
Where Is Carlos Alman Now?
Carlos Alman is believed to be retired and living in the New York area. No verified recent update about his health, address, or daily life has been published, and none should be sought.
If he returns to the public conversation, it will likely be through a family moment shared by Cardi B or Hennessy Carolina. Until then, the most accurate answer is simple: he is living a private life.
Conclusion
Carlos Alman is the father of Cardi B and Hennessy Carolina, a Dominican immigrant, and a former New York taxi driver. His story helps explain the hustle and cultural pride behind one of music’s biggest stars.
The internet is full of confident claims about his age, job history, and net worth. Most are unsupported. The reliable facts are fewer, but they are enough to understand who he is: a hard working dad who raised two successful daughters and kept his own life private.
FAQs
Where is Cardi B’s dad from?
Cardi B’s dad, Carlos Alman (Almánzar), is from the Dominican Republic and later settled in New York City. Some sources name Santiago de los Caballeros, but that is unconfirmed.
Are Cardi B’s parents still married?
No. Most profiles say her parents, Carlos and Clara, are no longer married, though Cardi B has spoken warmly about both of them.
How old is Carlos Alman?
His exact age is not confirmed. Sites list birth years from 1958 to 1969, and none cite an official source.
Why did Cardi B change her name?
She did not legally change it. Her stage name Cardi B comes from the nickname “Bacardi,” which friends and family used because her sister is named Hennessy.
What is Cardi B’s religion?
Cardi B was raised Catholic, according to several profiles. She has said she believes in God but does not describe herself as strictly religious.
Can Cardi B speak Arabic?
Cardi B is not known to speak Arabic fluently. She has tried a few Arabic phrases in videos, and her surname Almánzar has Arabic origins.
