Carlos Alman is a retired taxi driver best known as the father of Grammy-winning rapper Cardi B. He was born on March 19, 1958, in the Dominican Republic and later settled in the Bronx, New York. His full name appears in different records as Carlos Almánzar and Carlos Almanzar. He worked as a taxi driver in New York City for close to a decade before retiring. He is the father of eight children, including Cardi B and her sister Hennessy Carolina. 

Despite his daughter’s global fame, Carlos Alman has kept his life almost entirely private. He avoids interviews, skips red carpets, and stays off social media. This guide separates what is actually confirmed about him from what gets repeated online without proof.

Who Is Carlos Alman? (Profile & Quick Bio)

Carlos Alman goes by a few names in public records. Some list him as Carlos Almánzar, others as Carlos Almanzar, and one full version reads Carlos Alberto Almánzar Marsan. His date of birth is consistently reported as March 19, 1958, which makes him a Pisces.

His age depends on the year you’re reading this. As of 2026, he is 68 years old. Earlier articles from 2022 and 2023 list him as 64 or 65, which simply reflects when those pieces were written.

He was born in the Dominican Republic and now lives in the Bronx, New York, in the United States. His nationality is listed as Dominican-American, and his ethnicity is generally described as mixed.

Here is what’s confirmed about his profile:

He stands close to 5 feet 11 inches, or about 180 centimetres. His weight is reported to be around 143 pounds, or 65 kilograms. He has dark brown eyes and black hair that has turned salt-and-pepper with age.

Early Life and Background in the Dominican Republic

Carlos grew up in a working-class household in the Dominican Republic during the 1950s and 1960s. His mother, Esperanza Almánzar, raised him with strong ties to community and family.

Dominican culture blends African, Taíno, and Spanish influences, and that mix shaped his childhood. Music played a constant role at home. Merengue and bachata were common sounds growing up, and Sunday church was often followed by big family cookouts.

Food was part of that culture too. Meals like sancocho, tostones, and mangú were regular fixtures at family gatherings. Money was tight for most families in his community, so many kids picked up small jobs early. This kind of early hustle, common across working-class Dominican households, became part of how Carlos approached life later on.

Migration to the United States and Life as an Immigrant

Carlos Alman moved to the United States in 1990. Like many Dominican immigrants of that era, he headed straight for New York City, where a large Dominican community had already formed in neighborhoods like Washington Heights.

He eventually settled in the Bronx, specifically in the Highbridge area of the South Bronx. This neighborhood had a heavy concentration of Dominican and Caribbean immigrants throughout the 1990s, and Spanish was heard as often as English on its streets.

Life wasn’t easy at first. Many new arrivals worked multiple jobs just to cover rent, and Carlos was no exception. English wasn’t his first language, and adjusting to a new country while supporting a family took time and patience.

Career as a New York City Taxi Driver

Carlos worked as a taxi driver in New York City for roughly nine years. Some reports stretch that closer to three decades, though the more consistently cited figure is around nine years of steady driving.

Taxi driving in New York during that period came with real financial pressure. Drivers often had to cover vehicle payments and, in many cases, medallion fees that could run into staggering amounts before the medallion market eventually collapsed. Income wasn’t steady either. A slow twelve-hour shift might bring in as little as $40, while a good one could bring in several hundred dollars in tips and fares.

The job also meant long hours in traffic, unpredictable passengers, and shifts that stretched through all kinds of weather. Cardi B has spoken publicly about the toll this kind of work took on her parents, describing their jobs as low-paying and demanding.

In 2019, the New York Times published a piece examining the tough financial conditions many NYC cab drivers faced, including debt tied to medallion costs. Cardi B reacted to that coverage directly, tying it back to what she’d seen her father go through. Carlos retired from driving around the mid-2010s, not long before her music career took off, and he has not worked in the ride-sharing industry that later reshaped the taxi business.

Marriage, Divorce, and Family Life

Carlos married Clara Mercedes Almánzar in 1991. Clara is of Trinidadian background, which brought a second Caribbean culture into their Bronx household alongside his Dominican roots.

The couple lived together in the Bronx and had two daughters. Their marriage lasted until around 2005, when the two separated. Despite the divorce, both parents stayed involved in raising their children and are described as having remained on good terms afterward.

Before marrying Clara, Carlos reportedly had six other children from a previous relationship. The mother of those six children has never been publicly named, and no confirmed details about her exist in reliable records.

Who Is Clara Almánzar (Cardi B’s Mother)?

Clara Almánzar worked as a cashier at a grocery store in the Bronx. After her divorce from Carlos, she took on additional side jobs to support her family. She later remarried, though her current husband’s identity has not been made public. She is believed to divide her time between the United States and the Dominican Republic.

Carlos Alman’s Children Full Family Tree

Carlos Alman is the father of eight children in total. Two of them, Cardi B and Hennessy Carolina, came from his marriage to Clara Almánzar. Cardi B, born Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar, arrived on October 11, 1992. Hennessy Carolina followed a few years later, on December 22, 1995.

The remaining six children came from Carlos’s earlier relationship. Two daughters from that side of the family have been publicly named: Maciel Almanzar and Nicauly Villalona. One son, Fernando Almanzar, has also been identified. The other three siblings have chosen to stay out of public view entirely.

Relationship With Cardi B

Cardi B has described her father as strict but loving throughout her childhood. She has credited his work ethic with shaping her own drive and discipline. In 2019, she publicly asked a reporter from Univision not to film or interview her father, saying he didn’t have the same security she did and that she wanted to protect him from unwanted attention.

Photos from Cardi B’s Gold Album release party at the Moxy Hotel, captured by photographer Johnny Nunez for Getty Images, show Carlos attending the celebration alongside her. On Father’s Day, Cardi B has referred to her dad and herself as “personality twins,” a phrase that captures how close their bond remains.

Relationship With Hennessy Carolina

Hennessy Carolina Almánzar, Carlos’s younger daughter, built her own following as a social media personality and television star, first gaining attention through Love & Hip Hop: New York. She shares a close bond with Cardi B and has spoken about the loyalty and discipline their father instilled in both sisters growing up.

Grandchildren Kulture and Wave

Carlos is a grandfather to Cardi B’s two children, Kulture Kiari Cephus and Wave Set Cephus. He has been photographed at family gatherings with his grandchildren, including a birthday celebration shared publicly by his daughters, though he continues to avoid the spotlight otherwise.

Personality, Values, and Public Image

People close to Carlos Alman describe him as disciplined, loyal, and resistant to attention. His decision to stay off social media and skip interviews has remained consistent for years, even as his daughters became internationally famous.

His approach to parenting has been described by his daughters as strict but caring, with an emphasis on hard work and family loyalty. That consistency, avoiding red carpets, declining media requests, and staying out of public appearances, is one of the more well-documented parts of his public image, even though most other personal details remain private.

Cultural Influence on Cardi B’s Identity and Music

Carlos Alman’s Dominican background shows up throughout Cardi B’s public identity. She frequently references her Afro-Latina heritage, speaks Spanish in interviews, and has credited her father with introducing her to traditional Dominican dishes.

That cultural mix, Dominican from her father and Trinidadian from her mother, plays into how Cardi B presents herself publicly. Her 2018 album Invasion of Privacy won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album, making her the first solo female rapper to win in that category. The album also debuted at number one on the Billboard 200.

Her upbringing in the South Bronx, a neighborhood shaped by generations of Caribbean and Latino immigrant families, connects directly back to the community her father joined in 1990.

Net Worth and Financial Profile

Carlos Alman’s net worth has never been officially disclosed. Various unofficial estimates online range anywhere from $200,000 to over $1 million, but none of these figures come from a verified source.

What is documented is that his income came primarily from his years driving a taxi in New York City. He has no known business ventures, investments, or endorsement deals. Unlike his daughters, he has not used his family’s fame for any commercial purpose.

Where Is Carlos Alman Now? Life After Retirement

Carlos Alman is reportedly still living in the New York City area as of 2026. He spends his time away from cameras, reportedly enjoying a quiet routine that includes gardening and spending time with family. He has turned down interview requests in the past, preferring privacy over public attention even as his daughters’ careers have grown.

Naming Confusion: Alman vs. Almánzar vs. Almanzar

Carlos Alman’s public name is actually a shortened version of his full name. Formal records list him as Carlos Almánzar, sometimes spelled Almanzar without the accent. One source lists an even longer version, Carlos Alberto Almánzar Marsan. “Alman” appears to be the simplified name used most often in media coverage.

Fact vs. Rumor: Separating Verified Details From Speculation

A few details about Carlos Alman get repeated online without solid backing. Some articles list his birthplace as Dominica rather than the Dominican Republic, but the overwhelming majority of sources, along with his daughters’ own statements, confirm the Dominican Republic.

Any specific net worth figure should be treated as an estimate rather than a confirmed fact. Claims about jail records or legal trouble tied to Carlos Alman have no supporting evidence and appear to be unfounded rumors.

Conclusion

Carlos Alman’s story is built on a handful of solid facts: a childhood in the Dominican Republic, a move to New York in 1990, nearly a decade behind the wheel of a taxi, and eight children raised across two relationships. 

He chose privacy over the spotlight even after his daughter became one of the most recognizable names in music. That choice, more than anything else, defines the small but consistent public picture of who he is.

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FAQs

Who is Carlos Alman? 

Carlos Alman is a retired taxi driver from the Dominican Republic who is best known as the father of Grammy-winning rapper Cardi B.

How old is Carlos Alman? 

Carlos Alman was born on March 19, 1958, which makes him 68 years old as of 2026.

What does Carlos Alman do for a living? 

Carlos Alman worked as a taxi driver in New York City for close to nine years before retiring from the profession.

Is Carlos Alman married? 

Carlos Alman is divorced. He was married to Clara Mercedes Almánzar from 1991 until their separation around 2005.

How many children does Carlos Alman have? 

Carlos Alman has eight children in total, including Cardi B and Hennessy Carolina, along with six children from a previous relationship.

What is Carlos Alman’s net worth? 

Carlos Alman’s exact net worth has not been publicly confirmed, though unofficial estimates place it between $200,000 and $600,000.

What is Carlos Alman’s nationality and ethnicity? 

Carlos Alman holds Dominican-American nationality and is generally described as being of mixed ethnicity.

Is Carlos Alman on social media? 

Carlos Alman does not maintain any public social media accounts and has kept a private lifestyle away from public platforms.