“It’s cold outside, but I’m still looking like a thotty, because a hoe never gets cold.”

She was strutting down a hotel hallway, preaching this phrase in a Vine, clipped from a video she uploaded to her Instagram (@iamcardib). The then-stripper had only posted it as promotion for a club appearance. Although the video was both popular and extremely quotable, I didn’t expect to hear Cardi B’s voice again.

Fortunately, my expectations were misguided.

By fall of this year, Cardi B’s voice was everywhere. Hardly anyone could escape the forceful beat and inspirational, catchy lyrics of her single “Bodak Yellow (Money Moves).” It’s difficult to imagine a party this year in which “Bodak Yellow” wasn’t playing.

“Said little bitch you can’t fuck wit me if you wanted to” – the song is a ferocious roar, compelling people to get on the dance floor and shout the lyrics, lyrics about knowing one’s worth and, coincidentally, defying expectations. The song brings people together in a way in which no other song recently has.

On Oct. 7, 2017, after gaining popularity across the country, “Bodak Yellow” topped the Billboard Hot 100, music’s reigning singles record chart, dethroning Taylor Swift’s “Look What You Made Me Do.” Cardi received congratulations from other female rappers such as Nicki Minaj, Lil’ Kim and Remy Ma. The feat made Cardi B the fifth female rapper to ever top the chart, and the first to do so without a feature since Lauryn Hill in 1998. The song spent three weeks at number one, and a total of 23 weeks on the chart.

The success of the song did not stop with Billboard. Cardi B was nominated for nine 2017 BET Hip Hop Awards, tying acclaimed rapper Kendrick Lamar. She went on to win five awards including, Hustler of the Year and Single of the Year (for “Bodak Yellow”). She also rapped the song on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and at the 2017 MTV Video Music Awards pre-show, in addition to introducing Demi Lovato’s performance during the main show.

Though she started as a stripper, Cardi B’s success didn’t happen by mistake. Cardi, born Belcalis Almanzar a self-proclaimed “regular, degular, shmegular girl from the Bronx,” pursued a career in stripping before achieving her social media notoriety. Promoting her club appearances on social media increased her following, and reposts of her inspirational or hilarious quotes on platforms like Vine only added to this accumulation. Through social media, Cardi seemingly crafted her personality into a signature brand of luxurious, and unapologetically real, playfulness.

Following the success of her social media presence, Cardi was cast on VH1’s Love & Hip Hop: New York in 2015. Her appearance on the show increased her visibility, and introduced her to the hip hop industry. Cardi worked hard, climbing the ranks of social media, and reality television, to build her reputation and fame, using this to improve and boost music.

With no intention of staying a reality star forever, Cardi transitioned into rapping as a full-time career, releasing her mixtapes Gangsta Bitch Music Vol. 1 and Vol. 2.

Since “Bodak Yellow,” she’s landed the cover of Rolling Stone magazine’s “Hot Issue,” was profiled by New York Magazine and was titled “New York Fashion Week’s undisputed ... front row queen” by Vogue. In November she received her first two Grammy Award nominations for Best Rap Song and Best Rap Performance.

Whether you love her or hate her, Cardi B shows no signs of letting her reign end. She’s collaborating on popular songs with artists like, Nicki Minaj, Migos and G-Eazy, performing across the country, and her engagement to Migos member Offset is sure to be highly covered. However, with no album announcement, fans will have to wait for more solo music.

Regardless of new music, “Bodak Yellow” is the year’s undeniable anthem and Cardi B is perhaps the year’s most unlikely, but most captivating, star.