Cardi B and Offset Split: A Look Back at Their Romance and Marriage

After years of ups and downs, Cardi confirmed the couple had separated again in December 2023.

Cardi B and Offset have had plenty of ups and downs throughout the years -- are they over for good this time?

Cardi took to an Instagram Live on Dec. 11 to confirm the rumored breakup, sharing with fans that she's considered herself "single for a minute now." The pair were first romantically linked in early 2017 and secretly tied the knot in September of that year.

It's not the first time the pair have tried to call it quits. Cardi -- real name Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar -- initially filed for divorce from Offset  -- real name Kiari Kendrell Cephus -- on Sept. 15, 2020, though the case was dismissed by November of the same year, when the two reconnected. 

Over the years, pair have collaborated multiple times in both their personal and professional lives. Along with plenty of musical team-ups, Cardi and Offset also share two children: 5-year-old daughter Kulture and 2-year-old son Wave.

Take a look back at the ups and downs of their years-long romance below:

January 2017

Romance rumors between the two rising stars quickly circulated after they collaborated on Cardi’s song, "Lick" in 2017. Around the same time, they were spotted out and about together, fueling the fire even more.

February 2017

One month later, the pair attended the Super Bowl together, but continued to remain coy about their romance for the next several months. 

September 2017

Though fans wouldn’t know it for almost a year, the couple secretly tied the knot after a series of breakups and makeups. The only person present besides the officiant was Cardi’s cousin. 

October 2017

Offset popped the question in front of 20,000 people during their Power 99 Powerhouse concert in Philadelphia. Fans later found out that the two had already secretly been married at this point, but that didn't stop Cardi from gushing about the gigantic diamond sparkler on social media. 

"Jesus Christ I'm so emotional, @offsetyrn I love you so much," she wrote at the time. "Thank you for seeing the potential in me since you met me. For giving me advice molding me and loving me."

December 2017

Thaddaeus McAdams/Getty Images

For Offset’s 26th birthday party, the couple dazzled at his Met Gala-themed bash, “The Set Gala.” Cardi gifted her man a Rolls Royce Wraith, and later penned a sweet message for him on social media. "People see the jewelry and the money, I see the hard work you put in and how caring you are for others," she gushed. "You take care of family, your kids, gang and friends! You always challenge me to work harder and be better!"

February 2018

Kai Z Feng/Cosmopolitan

In her cover story for Cosmopolitan, Cardi got candid about the cheating rumors that had plagued her relationship with Offset from the start. 

"It's like everybody is coming down my neck like, 'Why are you not leaving him? You have low self-esteem,'" she told the magazine. "I don't have low self-esteem… I know I look good. I know I'm rich, I know I'm talented. I know I could get any man I want — any basketball player, football player. But I want to work out my s**t with my man and I don't got to explain why."

She went on to note, "It's not right, what he f**king did, but people don't know what I did, 'cause I ain't no angel."

April 2018

NBC

Things got super steamy in the music video for Cardi’s song, "Bartier Cardi," when the couple showed off some major PDA in the back of a car. 

Then, after weeks of speculation, Cardi confirmed she was pregnant during an appearance as a musical guest on Saturday Night Live. The rapper wore a fitted white dress, perfectly accentuating her growing baby bump ahead of the release of her album, Invasion of Privacy. "I'm finally free!" she exclaimed after the big reveal.

Cardi also opened up about her future plans with Offset and their family that same month, in an interview with GQ

"He decided that we’re going to build a house in Atlanta, and that's the house that we’re gonna raise our kids in," she said. "But my job is in New York, always, so I can barely spend time in Atlanta."

John Parra/Telemundo

Shortly after the pregnancy reveal, Cardi visited The Ellen DeGeneres Show, where she admitted that Offset had already chosen a moniker for their first child together. "My dude named the baby. I really like the name," she teased. "Imma let him say the name."

With the cat out of the bag, Cardi and Offset couldn't help but show off some precious baby love at the 2018 Billboard Latin Music Awards. Cardi performed at the event, but it was Offset who was all loved up, posing while kissing Cardi's baby bump and cradling it backstage. 

May 2018

Getty Images

The couple attended the 2018 Met Gala separately. Offset arrived with the rest the Migos trio (as a guest of Donatella Versace), while Cardi showed up with famed fashion designer Jeremy Scott. 

"I feel very happy," Cardi told ET at the event. "I feel like I want to work, I don't know, I feel very energetic to keep on going, like a powerful woman, like a real woman!"

Cardi later expressed to The New York Times that she was "upset" that she didn't get to walk the carpet with Offset. "It's like, if y'all got so much people going with y'all, y'all could have just let him walk with me and take the two boys. That's why my baby ain't never gonna stand out."

June 2018

The couple were music royalty on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine, with Cardi draped in a black gown that exposed her legs, booty and bare baby bump, and Offset in a shiny red suit as he kissed her stomach. "My daughter made it to the Rollin Stone cover!!!!" Cardi gushed at the time. 

That same month, Offset referred to Cardi as his "wife" when Migos accepted the BET Award for Best Group, prompting immediate speculation as to whether or not the pair had secretly gotten married. 

After Offset’s slip-up, Cardi confirmed that she had married the rapper the previous September in a message to her fans on social media. 

"There are so many moments that I share with the world and there are moments that I want to keep for myself!" she wrote. "Getting married was one of those moments! Our relationship was so new, breaking up and making up and we had a lot of growing up to do but we was so in love we didn’t want to lose each other, was one morning in September we woke up and decided to get married. We founds someone to marry us. And she did, just the two of us and my cousin. I said I do, with no dress no make up and no ring!"

July 2018

Welcome to the world, Baby Kulture! The couple welcomed their daughter, Kulture Kiari Cephus, on July 10, with Cardi announcing the exciting news with a series of nude maternity photos.

July 2018

The new parents opted not to share photos of their daughter on social media at first, but did post a pic together as they took their baby girl to get her shots. "Doctors visit with mom and Dad," Cardi captioned the photo. 

August 2018

Getty Images

Cardi B hosted the 2018 MTV Video Music Awards, kicking off the show by walking on stage with what appeared to be a baby bundle. Turns out, it was just a Moon Person statue, wrapped up like a baby, but the gag even confused Offset. 

After the show Cardi tweeted with laughing emojis, "Why Set said, 'I was so mad when I saw you on stage with that blanket. I thought you wasn't going to show Kulture.'"

Offset quickly got over the prank and the pair later posed for a sweet photo together with their baby girl. 

September 2018

After keeping their nuptials a secret for so long, Cardi finally posted a throwback photo of their ceremony in honor of the couple's first anniversary. 

October 2018

Emma McIntyre/Getty Images For dcp

The couple looked all loved up at the 2018 American Music Awards, where Cardi took home two awards and stole the show. "I really want to thank my daughter, because they said I wasn’t gonna make it after I had a baby," Cardi said in one acceptance speech. "And my husband -- hey, husband! Mmmm."

Jennifer Johnson Photography

A few weeks later, Offset threw Cardi a surprise birthday party in Los Angeles, featuring lots of star-studded guests. The proud husband posed with his bride as she cradled a massive bouquet of red roses. 

November 2018

Cardi spoke about motherhood and her adoration for Offset when she spoke to ET at the launch of her Fashion Nova X Cardi B line. "He’s changing diapers, but I've been seeing Offset being a dad," she told ET. "He already has three kids, so I already fell in love with the way that he was a dad already. I'm like, 'Oh my god, I can have a little one with this guy.' He's really good."

"I want two more," she added at the time. "It could always be a hit or a miss, but I don't want nothing right now."

Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

Weeks later, Offset said that marrying Cardi was “the best thing that’s happened” to him in an interview with The New York Times. "I’d seen [Cardi’s] potential, her vision, her grind," he gushed. "Whatever she does, she’s going to master it. She’s like me… She brings excitement and pressure to me, but I like that… I have a wife and a child — that changed my whole everything. I was a young hothead, but now I understand the value of life.” 

The couple also couldn’t contain their PDA at the 102.7 KIISFM’s Jingle Ball, kissing and performing together on stage. "Thank you, husband," Cardi gushed. "He’s so fine. That’s my baby daddy, yo!" 

December 2018

Less than a week after their lovey performance, Cardi took to Instagram on Dec. 4 to reveal that she and Offset were "not together anymore.

"Things just haven't been working out between us for a long time," she shared with fans. "It's nobody's fault, it's just like, I guess we grew out of love. But we're not together anymore. I don't know, it might take time to get a divorce."

Offset seemingly confirmed the news, cryptically commenting on Cardi's post, "Y'all won."

January 2019

One month later, Cardi told reporters outside of a courthouse in Queens, New York, that she was "working it out" with Offset. TMZ reported at the time that the couple was officially back on and even living under the same roof again in Atlanta, Georgia.

December 2019

Talk about money moves! Cardi surprised her man with $500,000 cash for this 28th birthday on Dec. 14. "Happy birthday, but don't expect no Christmas gift from me, mother**ker," the Hustlers star joked. "Ain't no Christmas gift. Only for the kids. I love you." 

July 2020

Happy birthday, Kulture! The baby girl turned 2, and received a chic Birkin bag from her daddy. However, many people took to the comments section to criticize Offset for not getting Kulture something she might actually want at the age of two. Cardi defended her man at the time, saying in her Instagram Stories, "When celebrities buy their kids jewelry and designer s**t, people be like, 'Kids don't care about that. They only care about toys and candy.'"

"Yeah, they only care about toys and candy but the thing is the kids also go outside. You know what I'm saying? Kids go to restaurants, kids go to fancy places, celebrity kids, they go do red carpets," she continued. "And if I'm fly and Daddy's fly, then so is the kid. If I'm wearing Cha-nay-nay, my kid's having the same same, you know what I'm saying? It's not up to what the kids like. If it was the kids, they'd be outside in diapers. Because if I was looking like a bad b**ch, expensive b**ch and I have my kid looking like a bum bum, then y'all would be talking s**t. So I'm not mad that Daddy bought baby a Birkin. She's gonna match Mommy."

August 2020

Last month, Cardi spoke publicly about the current state of her and Offset's relationship. "I do know that my relationship has a lot of drama and everything," the "WAP" rapper told Elle, alluding to her husband's alleged infidelity. "But there's a lot of love, there's a lot of passion, there's a lot of trust, there's a big friendship. It's always us against the world."

September 2020

On Sept. 15, Cardi filed for divorce from Offset and was seeking primary physical custody as well as legal custody of their daughter, Kulture. She also asked that Offset pay child support, her legal expenses and that there be "an equitable division of all marital assets." 

The rapper later addressed their split on social media, sharing that she was just tired of arguing so much. 

"At the end of the day, I decided I wanted to leave," she told viewers on her OnlyFans account, according to multiple reports. "I didn't wait until he cheated on me again. I didn't wait [for] another controversy with him being involved. I decided to leave. If I wanted to stay, I could have stayed. I decided to leave."

October 2020

A month later, the estranged couple was photographed kissing while celebrating Cardi's birthday in Las Vegas, and was seen going to a strip club in Atlanta together the following week.

Cardi ultimately told fans that she and her husband had gotten back together, saying that she decided to file for divorce to teach the Migos rapper "a lesson."

November 2020

On Nov. 2, Cardi officially called off her split from Offset. Her divorce case against her husband was "dismissed without prejudice" and is now closed, ET confirmed.

Offset's attorney, Onyema Anene Farrey, released a statement to ET after the dismissal, saying that she and her firm "remain in Offset’s corner and in support of him and his future. He thanks his fans for their continued love and support."

June 2021

Cardi took a page from Beyoncé's book for her second pregnancy reveal, debuting her baby bump as she performed on stage with Migos at the 2021 BET Awards in an ensemble that perfectly highlighted her little one on the way. 

Migos hinted to ET's Kevin Frazier ahead of the show that they had something big in store. 

"The most electrifying show on earth," Quavo teased. "The Migos are going to break the stage." 

Cardi later posted a stunning bump pic to Instagram, with the caption "#2! ♥️ @offsetyrn."

September 2021

The couple welcomed their second child, son Wave Set Cephus, on Sept. 4, 2021.

Cardi shared the big news a few days later with an Instagram picture of her and her husband cradling their newborn in the hospital, under a Louis Vuitton blanket. 

In a statement, the couple also shared, "We are so overjoyed to finally meet our son. He is already loved so much by family and friends and we can't wait to introduce him to his other siblings."

October 2021

Just over a month after she welcomed their baby boy, Offset went big for Cardi's 29th birthday. He showed off thousands of dollars in lavish diamond jewelry and furs that he'd gifted his wife on social media.

But the biggest surprise was yet to come, as Cardi revealed on Instagram that her husband had surprised her with a six bedroom, 7.5 bathroom mega mansion in the Dominican Republic.

The "WAP" rapper explained that she had been telling Offset that she wanted to "invest in short term home rental properties in the DR and other Caribbean countries." However, she didn't feel like he agreed with her and "would rather put money into other investments."

"Well, I was wrong . I just can't believe this ! This was sooo amazing to me. For one, I’m so happy that you were actually really listening to me and not just smiling and nodding your head so I could stop talkin to you about it 😂," Cardi captioned her post. "Two, you don’t think my investment ideas are wack 😩 and three, I love that you asked my dad to work with you on this."

The rapper continued by expressing how Offset, her father and her newborn son "are the most important men in my life and it makes me so happy that you guys are close and have your own bond and relationship."

She concluded by joking that she couldn't wait for her birthday hangover to go away so she could "show you my full appreciation."

April 2022

Cardi shared the first photos of baby Wave in April 2022, posting Instagram pics of her and Offset's 7-month-old son sitting in a comfy rocker and dressed to the nines in a baby blue puffer jacket, a matching beanie and white kicks.

August 2022

Infidelity rumors plagued the couple yet again in August 2022, when a Twitter hater -- who identified in their profile as a "Nicki Minaj Connoisseur" -- came at Cardi with accusations about a rumored lawsuit, Offset's criminal record, and allegations that he cheated on her with Quavo's ex, rapper Saweetie.

"No baby you lying!" Cardi replied. "You makin crazy lies starting sh*t and putting female rappers in it WIT NO RECEIPTS, no blog ever spoke on this all of a sudden you come out of jail 5 days ago and you made up lied for 2 hours wit NO RECEIPTS!"

September 2022 

After lavish celebrations for their children's birthday parties went viral, Offset explained why he and Cardi like to go all out for their kids' special days in an interview on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

"We do it big for our kids. We love our kids... We want to have a good time and bring our family together," Offset explained. "We travel a lot, we be gone a lot, so we bring our family together, make it a big celebration for the kid. Even though he's only one, you know, at the end of the day, we went through life, and we didn't have the opportunities."

"I bet if my mama had the chance, she would have went all out and did what she wanted to do for me," he added. "So I'm just lending it to my kids. Just letting them see they can have another life, too, you know? We work hard to do that."

October 2022

While sharing adorable pics of her son, Wave, on Oct. 30, 2022, Cardi hinted that she was hoping for a third child with Offset.

“My son so fire….I can’t wait to get business finish [sic] and have my third,” the rapper wrote on Twitter.  

November 2022

Following the tragic shooting death of Offset's Migos bandmate Takeoff on Nov. 1, 2022, Cardi admitted that she was struggling to help her husband with his grief.

"We're living our life normally, but deep down inside, our hearts have been so heavy," the mother of two shared in an interview with The Neighborhood Talk. "I feel like if I talk about -- the incident's so desensitized -- I feel like if we talk about how we really feel, what motherf**kers really been going through, y'all will start saying, 'Ohhhh sympathy, oh sympathy,' and we don't want no sympathy. We ain't no charity case." 

"No lie, I have been feeling so hopeless trying to make my husband happy, trying to make him to crack a smile," she added of Offset. "F**king seeing him randomly cry. Seeing him trying to distract his mind, completely f**king schedule been changing, trying to keep up with work after everything that he's been going through these past couple of weeks. We're not in the mood to be f**king playing around with y'all." 

December 2022

Cardi posted some pics of her husband to celebrate his 31st birthday on Dec. 14, 2022.

"Happy birthday my love. I pray silently and I pray loudly on this post that God bless you & protect you. Thank you for your love to me .I love your 4ever & beyond ❤️," she wrote. 

 

June-July 2023

In June 2023, more infidelity rumors swirled around the couple, however, this time Cardi was the focus.

Offset allegedly shared a post on Instagram in which he claimed she'd had sex with another man, however the post was quickly deleted and Cardi vehemently denied the allegations.

She later clapped back at a commenter who her of using the cheating rumors as a stunt to promote her new music -- when she and Offset dropped their July 2023 collab, titled "Jealousy."

"It wasn't no STUNT… Tasha K made some ish up and y'all was laughing about it and happy as hell about it … now that we putting it in the music it's a stunt… Naaa baby be mad at the one who started trolling wit it," Cardi replied on Instagram. 

On the track, Offset starts off spitting verses, noting, "Jealousy, that s**t gon' eat your heart out." 

When it's time for Cardi's verse, she doesn't hold back, rapping, "Girl, nobody listen to you 'less you talking 'bout me," and adding, "B***hes don't wanna go Birkin for Birkin/ B***hes ain't got enough hits for a Verzuz."

August 2023

The following month, Offset opened up about his cheating accusations on the Way Up With Yee podcast. 

"So that post, to be honest, me and her, that's my wife, I love her to death," he began, adding, "We going back and forth. And if you've got a New York woman, you know she's a pit bull at the mouth. She get crazy at the mouth a little bit, and I was really lit that night. I was lit. I had a little Casamigos [tequila], and we was going back and forth and I'm like, 'Watch this.' And it's like she got a crazy mouth, but I love my wife at the end of the day and she crazy, man. We're crazy for each other."

When asked if Offset felt the need to clear his wife's name after seemingly accusing her of cheating on him, he replied, "The delete is enough. At the end of the day, them people don't be really knowing what's really going on with us for real."

Claiming that critics "be trying to mess up my household," Offset addressed his past infidelity. 

"When I did do that, I was in a different space. I was young. I had just got married. I was getting a lot of money. Really it was communication," he said. "We had got married and our communication was good but it wasn't understanding my wants and needs and vice versa. Sometimes it feel like you bump heads when you're not communicating… I was drunk, I was on different s**t… I was making bad decisions and I was really realizing it was affecting my family… but all my growth, why you think she love me? All my growth, I done showed I'm not gonna do this. I'm a real one." 

September 2023

After the couple's "Jealousy" collab -- and Offset's reveal that he and Cardi had "more cooking in the pot" musically -- ET had to ask about a possible album collab when we caught up with Offset at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards.

"You never know, you never know," he answered. "I would love to do that [a collaborative album] with my lady, you know? I love to do everything with my beautiful lady. She looks so beautiful tonight if I must say."

September 2023

The couple celebrated their six-year anniversary on Sept. 20, 2023, and Offset dialed up the romance, surprising the "Bongos" rapper with a mesmerizing array of flowers and candles in the entryway of their home. 

Cardi shared a video of the dazzling display on Instagram, showing her standing on the threshold of the house as Beyoncé's "Summertime" plays loudly in the background. She hums and sings along to the song, highlighting the line "Have a son for you, a little girl for me. Together we'll raise a family." Cardi and Offset are parents to 5-year-old daughter Kulture and 2-year-old son Wave.

"Thank you sooo much baby 💕 Thank you for the flowers, the empowerment, the protection and for being a great father to our children… I love so many things about you.I love the fact that I’m with a grown a** man that’s going to provide, protect and help both of us GROW and can handle my mouth, my attitude, my confidence my weakness and all this A**!!😜" she captioned the post. "MY FAVORITE FAVORITE FAVORITE thing about you is that you study me and always pay attention to what I’m into From my favorite colors, my favorite brands to MY FAVORITE foods… I love that you into details like me because it’s always the lil things that make me smile or even drive me off the wall 😩 Happy anniversary to US"

Offset also took to Instagram to gush over his wife, sharing pics of her posing alongside the massive floral arrangement for scale. 

"Happy anniversary my beautiful Gorgeous Pretty Wife. Since I met you I grown to become a better man no matter what you have my back and I can trust you with my life blessed to have a loyal strong woman on my side…you blessed me with beautiful kids you are my safe place in this crazy world 🌎" he wrote. "You believe in me more than I do sometimes… I couldn’t imagine a life without you….. we gone continue life together I LOVE YOU ❤️"

The couple also doubled down with gushy comments on each other's respective posts, with Cardi adding: "Ride for you 🏎️ and you know that." Over on her page, Offset commented, "I Love You 4Ever." 

October 2023

Offset went above and beyond once again for Cardi's 31st birthday on Oct. 11, 2023. The "Up" rapper shared an Instagram video capturing how Offset filled their home with extravagant pink decor in honor of her special day.

In the video, Cardi walked down a flight of stairs that are covered with white candles and pink rose petals. The petals create a path that led to a room filled with multiple rose bushes, a ceiling full of balloons, and letter balloons that spell out "Happy Birthday."

In the center of the room was a large floral heart with Cardi's name spelled out in white lettering. The rapper panned the camera throughout the room as she thanked her husband for the sweet gesture.

"Thank you soo much babe @offsetyrn ...you always go beyond for me," the GRAMMY winner gushed in her caption. "I love your skin, I love your face, I love your body, your ankles, I love your soul, I love your heart, I love your fart[s], I love your faith, I love your talent, I will BITE anybody for you lmaaooooo ❤️❤️❤️❤️"

The couple then took to their Instagram Stories to share clips from their night out, celebrating Cardi's birthday at Delilah in West Hollywood. While Cardi only shared a clip of the two smooching on their way to dinner, Offset shared several from the main event, including clips of Cardi gleefully opening her presents and blowing out the candles on her birthday cake -- which featured an image of Cardi from the cover art of her latest single.

October 2023

Later that month, Offset opened up about the relationship -- specifically, how he and Cardi reestablished trust after his cheating scandals -- in an October 2023 interview on the Call Her Daddy podcast.

"Communication is key, not communicating f**ks s**t up," he noted. "It takes work! What you did was selfish so it's their turn to be selfish and you need to comfort them. Luckily, I have a very loyal one, so I don't want to lose her for nothing. I love her to death. My kids, my son, my daughters -- I don't ever want to take myself away from them [because of] my dumbass decisions."

As for how the public responds to his past infidelity, Offset said he thinks both fans and hater love to "dive into negativitiy."

"I feel like there be a hate train of people that don't like my wife and she does everything else to the T, so that's the only thing you can attack," he explained. "It's like, we're all humans but I hate that s**t."

"At the end of the day it does affect home and we get past s**t, move past s**t and grow up. I was married very young; I was 26 years old, getting married as a mega superstar... fastest life ever," he continued. "I made mistakes."

The rapper called the situation "f**ked up," saying that he feels like fans are "consistently trying to punch somebody and bring a family down. I don't think people value or understand the value of family in this day and age."

December 2023

However, after months of rumors about another split -- fueled by cryptic social media posts and the pair unfollowing each other on Instagram -- Cardi confirmed the news on an Instagram Live on Dec. 11, 2023, telling fans she'd been "single for a while."

"I don't know if y'all have been getting clues from me from my Live, I mean... or from my Instagram Stories, where I put certain music," she shared. "When it comes to events and stuff, I don't think it's true, I don't care to find out because I have been single for a minute now."

Days later, Cardi pulled no punches while addressing her split from Offset in another Live. Cardi's face did not appear in the video, but she could be heard speaking directly to the camera. 

"A m***a f**ka will play in your f**king face, over and over again, until you be like watch what I'm about to do, watch what I'm about to say. This m***a f**ka really like to play games with me when I'm at my most vulnerable time. When I'm not the most confident," she said.

"He like to play games with me 'cause he knows I'm not an easy girl," she said. "He knows, yesterday, I could have been out, I could have been chilling, I could have been doing this and that. He knows I'm in my house. He knows that I'm chilling. He knows I'm not doing the most."

Cardi became emotional as she expressed how she's been holding back when it comes to "sparing" Offset. 

"You been f**king feeling yourself you b***h a** n---- because of your b***h a** album and sh*t and you really been f**king dong me doing me dirty," she said before crying. "After so many f**king years that I m***a f**kn helped your a**, not even a f**king thank you that I got from your b***h a**."

For more on Cardi and Offset's romance, watch the video below.

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