Clara Almánzar Is Cardi B's Mom & She Kicked the Star Out of the House at 18

Cardi B's mother, Clara Almánzar, raised her daughters with a stern hand. Despite her intentions to protect them from the "bad society" in which they were raised, Clara's relationship with Cardi is complicated.

While the world witnessed Cardi B's rise to stardom, the hip-hop star never shied away from her humble beginnings. She's also been upfront about her relationship with her mom, Clara Almánzar, which was initially complicated.

Clara lived a private life until her daughter's fame thrust her name into the spotlight. She didn't agree with many of the choices her daughter, Cardi B, made in her adolescence, and her punishments were tough. They once left Cardi to fend for herself when she turned 18.

What Do We Know about Clara Almánzar?

Clara relocated from her home country Trinidad to New York, where she worked as a cashier for several years. She had plans for a business but needed Cardi's assistance to implement them. In 2016, Cardi opened up about helping her family financially.

While she wanted to help invest in her parents' future, the "Bodak Yellow" artist had some reservations. She told the publication that she didn't like taking risks; however, the pressure of living affluently while her parents didn't cost her sleep, as she explained:

"I have a big pressure on my shoulders. I can't sleep good at night, me living in a condo in Edgewater but my parents are not. My parents can't be in the Bronx working regular-wage jobs. I have to do something."

Cardi's father, Carlos Almánzar, is of Dominican descent. He immigrated from his home country to America in 1990 and worked as a taxi driver to support his family. He also wanted to quit after several years and move on to something more lucrative.

When Cardi offered to give him an allowance, Carlos declined, insisting she helped him find work opportunities. However, by 2021, he was retired. He and Clara welcomed two daughters, the first being Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar (now famously known as Cardi B) in 1992.

They completed their family with Hennessy Carolina Almánzar; however, the pair separated when Cardi was 13. Cardi and Hennessy stayed with Clara from then onward but still visited their dad and his family.

Clara Almánzar Was a Strict Mother for a Reason

Clara raised her daughters in a New York neighborhood riddled with crime, violence, gangs, and drugs. It was challenging for her as a single mother raising young girls in such an environment, so she watched them as closely as possible.

Moreover, Clara worried about Cardi's health as the musician battled asthma, so she didn't want her getting in trouble. Unfortunately, that didn't prove easy, as they often fought until Clara kicked her eldest daughter out when she was 18, two days before her birthday.

Cardi moved in with a former boyfriend, but he was abusive, and the living conditions were unfavorable. While staying there, she dropped out of college and was fired from her job at a supermarket. She then started working as a stripper to get out of that situation.

When she told her parents she was a dancer, Cardi recalled her mom pushing her down the staircase. Although she wanted to return home and be with her family, Clara and Carlos were too upset to allow her back. Carlos even forbade her from going to her grandmother's house.

Clara Almánzar Has Her Daughter's Love and Support Nowadays

Despite their relationship's rough patches, Clara and Cardi are on good terms. Cardi had always admired and appreciated how tirelessly Clara worked to provide for her and Hennessy and aspired to that ethic.

A few days after Cardi's first child, Kulture Cephus, was born—she welcomed her second with husband Offset, a father of five, in 2021—in July 2018, she shared an emotional tribute about her family's support, saying:

"I love my parents and my sister. It makes me emotional to know how much they love me! Nothing in this world to repay all the love and help and support they give me."

Later that year, as an expression of her appreciation, Cardi achieved her childhood dream of buying Clara a house. She shared the milestone on Instagram, revealing that the stunning mansion had three floors, one dedicated to Clara's grandkids.