Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar
aka

Cardi B

Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar aka Cardi B, is a rapper, singer, producer and songwriter. Cardi was born in Washington Heights, Manhattan and raised in The South Bronx. She got her nickname from the drink Bacardi, she shortened it and just called herself Cardi.

Her younger sister’s name is Henny, derived from the liquor name of Hennessy. Cardi B is spiritually religious and highly cultural of Latino and Caribbean decent. She graduated from Renaissance High School for Musical Theatre and Technology. Cardi worked at a local Deli before becoming a professional dancer at a club across the street from the Deli. During this time, Cardi was attending Manhattan Community College in New York City. 

In 2013, Cardi began gaining publicity from several videos of herself on Social Media Platforms. Within three to five years, Cardi became an internet celebrity in the Social Media world. Cardi began rapping and free styling after listening and admiring artist like Lil Kim, Queen Latifah,

Missy Elliott and Beyounce. She financed her own demos and mixtapes by paying for her own studio time. Cardi displayed her aggressive, flirting rap style on her social platforms and gained an audience. 

Cardi released two mixtapes in 2016 and 2017 “Gangsta Bitch Music Vol.1 and Vol.2” She was a cast member on the reality television series “Love & Hip Hop: New York”. In 2017, She signed with Atlantic Records and by 2018, she recorded her debut album “Invasion of Privacy”. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 Charts and certified triple platinum.  Cardi B is the only woman to win the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album as a solo artist, and marked the first  female rap album after fifteen years to be nominated for Album of the year. The album produced two number one singles and Cardi became the first female rapper to achieve Diamond Certified.She is the second female to top the female rappers top 100 with a solo output, Lauren Hill was the first. ”I Like It” marked the first time a female rapper attained multiple number-one songs on the charts.

She released two singles from her second album “WAP’ with Megan Stallion and “UP”, making Cardi the female rapper with the most number one hits on the Billboard charts. Cardi also has the most Diamond certified songs, a billion streams on spotify and the most awards by a female since Lauren Hill.

Cardi has a Grammy Award, 8 Billboard Music Awards, 6 Guinness World Records, 6 American Music Awards, 14 BET Hip Hop Awards and ASCAP songwriter of the year awards. Time magazine included Cardi as the most influential person in the world and Billboard honored her as Woman of the year. Her single “Bodak Yellow” was certified diamond and nominated for best rap performance and best rap song at the Grammy awards.

Cardi B also won single of the year at the 2017 BET Hip Hop Awards. Cardi has partnered with Pepsi, Reebok, Playboy and others to do commercials and other marketing campaigns. She is also a fashion phenom, Cardi wears designer clothes, bags and shoes from Micheal Koors to Jimmy Choo. Vogue, The Telegraph, Time and Vibe have referred to Cardi as a fashion ICON and rolling stone named her the second most stylish woman in music, behind Lady Gaga. Cardi B has become her own Brand and the biggest artist in music.

Cardi B is married to Offset from the rap group Migos. They have two beautiful children together and they live in a Mansion which was purchased by Cardi a few years ago. She enjoys spending time there with close friends and family.Outside of music, she became the creative director of entertainment magazine Playboy in 2022. Cardi B is now one of the Biggest female rappers, fashion Guru and Entrepreneur that the world has ever seen. 

Written by Tony Tee aka Tony Paris

LAMONT 
aka BIG L

Lamont Coleman aka Big L, was a rapper, writer, lyricist and producer. He was born and raised in Harlem, New York. He began free styling at the age of 12.

By 1990, he found the group “Three the Hard Way” …. members were Doc Reem, Rodney and Big L. The group disbanded shortly after and the two remaining members became Two Hard MF’s.  Big L graduated from Julia Richmond High School in 1992 …. there he would freestyle and battle other rappers in the hallways, classrooms and most of the time on the streets of New York.

In 1990, Big L met his friend Lord Finesse and they quickly began collaborating together. In 1992, Big L appeared on “Yes you May(remix)” which is the B-Side of “Party over Here” with Lord Finesse. He also drop a few bars on “Represent” album with “Showbiz & A.G.’s Runaway Slave. During this time, He won a freestyle battle held by Nubian Productions and then signed a deal with Columbia records. Big L joined Lord Finesse “Diggin in the Crates Crew” with Lord Finesse, Diamond D, O.C., FatJoe, BuckWild, Showbiz and A.G. In 1993, he found the rap group “Children of the Corn” with Killa Cam, Murder Mase, Bloodshed and McGruff.

He appeared on YoMTV Raps with Lord Finesse to help promote Finesse’s Studio Album “Return of the Funky Man”. Big L released “Devil’s Son” which is his first HorrorCore single, that influenced others. In 1994, Big L released his second promotional single “Clinic” In 1995, he released his debut album “Lifestylez of the Poor & Dangerous”. The video for the single "No Endz, No Skinz" debuted, which was directed by Brian Luvar. The album debuted number 149 on Billboards top 200 and 22 on R&B and Hip Hop Albums. Three singles were released from the album; the first two, "Put It On" and ”MVP”, reached the top 25 of Billboard chart.

In 1996, Big L left Columbia because creative indifferences.  In 1997, Big L began working on his second album “The Big Picture”

He was also the opening act on O.C.’s European Jewelz Tour. 

He released the single "Ebonics" in the same year. The Source called it one of the top five independent singles of the year. After the release of “Ebonics”, he caught the eye of Damon Dash, the CEO of Roc-A-Fella Records, after the release of "Ebonics".  Dash wanted to sign Lamont to Roc-A-Fella, but Coleman wanted his crew to sign On February 8, 1999, Coleman, Herb McGruff,  C-Town, and Jay-Z started the process to sign with Roc-A-Fella as a group called "The Wolfpack".

In 1998, Big L started his own Independent Label “Flamboyant Entertainment”. DITC released their first single, "Dignified Soldiers", that year. He planned to distribute the kind of hip-hop that sold without top 40 samples or R&B hooks. In 1999, Big L passed away from Gun shot founds. He is remembered as one the Underground Hip Hop gangster Rappers.

Written by Tony Tee aka Tony Paris

Pitbull aka Armando Christian Pérez is a rapper, writer, Businessman, Manager,

producer and singer. He was born and raised in Miami, Florida and attended

South Miami and Coral Park High School.

Pérez began his career in the early 2000s, recording Reggeton, Latin Hip Hop and Crunk music under a multitude of labels. In 2004, he released his debut album M.I.A.M.I under TVT records and the executive production of Lil Jon. “Culo” was his number one hit that top the billboard charts at number 11 in the hot 100. Pitbull later released his second album, El Mariel, in 2006 and his third, The Boatlift, in 2007. His fourth album, Rebelution (2009), included his breakthrough hit single “I know you want me (Calle Ocho)", which peaked at number two on the US Billboard top 100 and number four in the UK.

Pitbull became a Pop artist and one of Miami’s biggest Celebrities, who’s won 35 Latin Billboard awards.

Pitbull has sold over 25 million studio albums and over 100 million singles worldwide. He has over 15 billion views on youtube. He was ranked by Billboard as the 45th Top Artist of the 2010s and the 24th Top Latin Artist of the 2010s. Pitbull's other ventures include brand ambassadorship for various entities, activism and philanthropy in the Latino American community, a radio Station on Sirius and ownership of the TrackHouse racing NASCAR team. 

In 2001, Pitbull was signed to Luther Campbell’s Luke Records and was introduced to Robert Fernandez who helped Pitbull with a more radio-friendly sound. In 2005, Pitbull and P-Diddy founded bad Boy latino, which focuses on latino Hip Hop.

In April 2011, Jennifer Lopez released Love, which featured Pitbull on two singles. “Fresh out the Oven" and “On the Floor”. The single made its billboard hot 100 debut at number nine, becoming the highest debuting Hot 100 single of Lopez's career. The same year Pitbull released Planet Pit and collaborated with T-Pain on its first single “Hey baby (Drop i two the floor)”.….and “Give me everything” which featured Ne-Yo …. the single was listed number 5 on the billboard charts. Pitbull has collaborated with 100’s of artist all over the world and is sometimes referred to as Mr. Worldwide.From 2012 to present, Pitbull has released some of his greatest hits and collaborations with the industries top artist. In 2014 he performed at he FIFA World Cup opening Ceremony with Jennifer Lopez.

Pitbull was so Determined to help the Latino community in his hometown, he has been closing the poverty gap through educational initiatives.  He helped start a Tuition-Free Public charter for middle and high school called Sports Leadership and Management (SLAM!). SLAM!  now operates nationwide, including in Miami, Las Vegas and Atlanta, with a 96 percent graduation rate. In response to the destruction caused by Hurricane Maria, Pitbull announced he will use his private plane to bring cancer patients from Puerto Rico to the mainland United States for treatment. In 2020, Pitbull released a single titled "I Believe That We Will Win (World Anthem)" The song inspires those affected by the COVID-19 outbreak to "face everything and rise". Pitbull is forever an ICON in the Latino and Hip Hop Community. 

Written by Tony Tee aka Tony Paris

Pitbull aka
Armando Christian Pérez