Most people know the name Cardi B. Few know the man who raised her. Carlos Alman built his life far from any spotlight — working long hours on New York streets, raising a large family, and passing down values that eventually shaped one of the biggest names in hip-hop. His story is worth knowing on its own terms.
Quick Bio: Carlos Alman
Born on March 19, 1958, in the Dominican Republic, Carlos immigrated to the Bronx in 1990, where he worked as a cab driver before retiring. He was previously married to Clara Mercedes Almánzar, with whom he had two daughters: Cardi B (Belcalis Almánzar) and Hennessy Carolina; reports indicate he has up to eight children total from prior relationships. Now around 68 years old in 2026, he avoids the spotlight despite his daughter’s fame, occasionally appearing at family events like her birthday celebrations.
Who Is Carlos Alman?
Carlos Alman is best known as the father of Grammy-winning rapper Cardi B. He is a Dominican-American former taxi driver who spent years working in New York City before retiring and returning to a quiet private life.
Carlos is not a public figure. He does not give interviews, maintain social media accounts, or seek attention. What makes him interesting is precisely that contrast — a man living simply while his daughter commands global stages.
Carlos Alman Age and Early Life
Most online sources consistently report Carlos Alman’s date of birth as March 19, 1958. That would make him 68 years old in 2026. A smaller number of sources list his age differently, which is not unusual for private individuals whose biographical details enter the public record through second-hand reporting rather than official documentation.
He was born in the Dominican Republic, a Caribbean nation with deep traditions around family loyalty, music, and community. His upbringing there shaped the values he later carried into his life as a parent and provider in the United States.
Dominican Roots and Immigration to New York
Carlos immigrated to the United States in 1990, according to publicly available family accounts, including statements from Cardi B herself. He settled in the Bronx, one of New York City’s most culturally diverse and historically significant boroughs. The move represented a clean break — leaving behind the familiar in search of something more stable.
Adjusting to New York as an immigrant takes real grit. The city is expensive, fast, and unforgiving for anyone starting without connections or capital. Carlos navigated all of that while working blue-collar jobs and building a household from scratch.
Life in the Bronx
The Bronx gave the Alman family its character. It is the birthplace of hip-hop, home to large Caribbean immigrant communities, and a neighborhood that blends struggle with creativity in ways that show up clearly in Cardi B’s music and personality. Growing up in that environment — shaped by a Dominican father and a Trinidadian mother — gave his daughters a multilayered identity they both carry with pride.
Carlos and Clara Almánzar married in 1991 and raised their children in South Bronx. They also spent time in Washington Heights, where Carlos’s mother lived, giving the family roots across multiple New York neighborhoods.
Carlos Alman as a Taxi Driver
Driving a cab in New York City is a demanding job. Long shifts, unpredictable passengers, traffic, and the pressure of maintaining a steady income in one of the most expensive cities in the world — all of it adds up. Carlos Alman did this for approximately nine years.
Cardi B has spoken publicly about her father’s work. In 2019, she posted on X (formerly Twitter) about New York cab drivers’ working conditions, noting that her father still advocates for them. That detail says something important: even after retirement, he remained connected to that community and that struggle.
What the Job Meant for His Family
Nine years of taxi driving is not just a career detail. It is the through-line of his children’s upbringing. That consistent effort meant rent got paid, food stayed on the table, and his daughters could grow up with a roof over their heads in one of the toughest housing markets in the country.
Cardi B often credits her strong work ethic to watching her parents grind without complaint. Her mother Clara worked as a cashier. Her father drove a cab. That combination of working-class parents, both holding it together through ordinary effort, is a significant part of where her drive comes from.
Retirement and Life After the Cab
Carlos retired from taxi driving around the time Cardi B’s music career began gaining traction. Public sources don’t provide a precise retirement date, and he has not spoken about it directly. What is clear is that he no longer works in the industry and now lives a quiet retired life in New York.
No credible source has published information about any other career he pursued after taxi driving. That absence of information aligns with his broader preference for keeping his personal affairs private.
Carlos Alman’s Family Background and Children
Carlos Alman has a total of eight children according to multiple published sources, though only two — Cardi B and Hennessy Carolina — are widely known publicly. The other six children, from a previous relationship, maintain very low profiles and appear in few if any public accounts.
| Child | Known For | Birth Year |
| Cardi B (Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar) | Grammy-winning rapper | 1992 |
| Hennessy Carolina Almánzar | Influencer, fashion | 1995 |
| Maciel Almanzar | Private life | Not confirmed |
| Nicauly Villalona | Private life | Not confirmed |
| Fernando Almanzar | Private life | Not confirmed |
| Others (3) | Private life | Not confirmed |
The two daughters he raised with Clara Almánzar are the ones fans know. Cardi B was born October 11, 1992, in Manhattan’s Washington Heights. Hennessy Carolina was born December 22, 1995, in the Bronx. Both grew up in the same multicultural household shaped by Dominican and Trinidadian influences.
Marriage to Clara Almánzar
Carlos married Clara Mercedes Almánzar in 1991. Clara is of Trinidadian descent, which blended a second Caribbean culture into the family’s daily life. The household mixed Spanish and English, Dominican food traditions and Trinidadian ones, and two distinct but overlapping sets of cultural values.
The marriage ended in divorce around 2005, when Cardi B was 13. Cardi has spoken about this publicly, saying she felt more freedom after the separation rather than sadness — which reflects more on her teenage perspective than on any bitterness. Both parents stayed involved after the split. Neither disappeared from their daughters’ lives.
Relationship Between Carlos Alman and Cardi B
The dynamic between Cardi B and her father appears warm, grounded, and deliberately protected. She calls her parents her “biggest blessings.” Cardi B posted a video after the birth of her daughter Kulture in 2018 thanking both parents for being by her side.
She has described her father running errands for her in New York during that time. One of the most telling public moments happened when media tried to approach Carlos directly.
Cardi publicly asked reporters not to film or interview her father, explaining that he lives a simple life and does not have personal security. That protective instinct — from daughter to father — speaks to the closeness of their relationship and the genuine respect she has for his chosen privacy.
She has also said that she and her father are “personality twins,” sharing a sense of humor and a love for food he introduced her to as a child. He passed down his taste for Dominican dishes like mondongo (a stew made from tripe and vegetables), and his habit of eating tomatoes with salt — something Cardi still does and has posted about on social media.
Why Carlos Alman Stays Private
The simplest explanation is also the most accurate: this is just who he is. He never sought attention. He raised his family through consistent quiet effort. Fame arrived for his daughter, not for him, and he saw no reason to change his approach to life because of it.
There is also a practical reason Cardi B keeps him shielded. He lives without security, without a media team, and without the infrastructure that public figures use to manage attention. Exposing him to paparazzi or press would create a safety and comfort problem he is not equipped to handle. She takes that seriously.
His decision is also a form of dignity. He contributed to his daughter’s success by providing stability, values, and a sense of where she came from. He does not need a spotlight to validate that contribution. The work he did speaks for itself through the person she became.
What We Know About Carlos Alman in 2026
A note on sourcing: most biographical details about Carlos Alman come from celebrity news outlets and fan-compiled databases, not direct interviews or verified public records. His birth date, exact number of children, height, and other personal details have been reported with varying degrees of consistency across different sites.
What is reliably confirmed — primarily through Cardi B’s own public statements — includes the following:
- He is Dominican and immigrated to New York in 1990
- He worked as a New York City taxi driver for approximately nine years
- He married Clara Almánzar in 1991; they divorced around 2005
- He has two daughters with Clara: Cardi B and Hennessy Carolina
- He remains a private individual living in New York City
- He is alive and in reasonably good health based on recent family references
What remains unconfirmed or inconsistently reported includes his exact birth date, the number and identities of children from previous relationships, and details about his post-retirement life.
That transparency matters. Articles that present every detail as hard fact — especially for private individuals with no public record — are often filling gaps with speculation.
The most accurate summary of Carlos Alman is also the most honest one: he is a hardworking immigrant father who raised two daughters with values that carried them forward, and he prefers to live the rest of his life in peace.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Carlos Alman?
He is the Dominican-American father of rapper Cardi B, known for working as a New York City taxi driver and maintaining a private life away from the spotlight.
How old is Carlos Alman in 2026?
Most sources report his birth date as March 19, 1958, which would make him 68 years old in 2026.
How many children does Carlos Alman have?
He is reported to have eight children total — two with his ex-wife Clara Almánzar (Cardi B and Hennessy Carolina) and six from a previous relationship.
Is Carlos Alman still alive?
Yes. No credible source has reported otherwise, and Cardi B has referenced her father in the present tense in recent public statements.
Why does Carlos Alman avoid public attention?
He has always preferred a quiet private life. Cardi B has also actively protected his privacy, noting publicly that he lives simply and without personal security.
Conclusion
Carlos Alman’s story is not about fame — it’s about the kind of steady, unglamorous effort that makes other people’s success possible. He drove a cab through New York for nine years, raised his children across two cultures, and stepped back when the spotlight found his daughter. His quiet life in the Bronx is the foundation on which everything Cardi B built was made possible.
Hayat has 10 years of experience creating content on Bible verses, prayers, and blessings. She runs PrayerAndWish.com, sharing simple and meaningful spiritual guidance.
