Nicki Minaj facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Nicki Minaj
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Minaj in 2023
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Onika Tanya Maraj
December 8, 1982 Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago
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| Years active | 2002–present |
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Kenneth Petty
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| Children | 1 |
| Awards | Full list |
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| Origin | New York City, US |
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Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty (born December 8, 1982), known professionally as Nicki Minaj, is a famous rapper, singer, and songwriter from Trinidad. Many people call her the "Queen of Rap" because she is known for her amazing rap style, clever lyrics, and ability to sing different kinds of music. She also uses different characters, called alter egos, in her songs. Nicki Minaj helped bring female rap back into the spotlight in the early 2010s. She started rapping in the early 2000s and became well-known after releasing three mixtapes between 2007 and 2009.
Her first studio album, Pink Friday (2010), became number one on the US Billboard 200 chart. It sold more copies in its first week than any other female rap album in the 21st century. Her song "Super Bass" from this album sold over 10 million copies, earning a special "diamond" award. Nicki Minaj then explored dance-pop music with her second album, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded (2012), which also reached number one in the US. This album included the worldwide hit "Starships", which also received a diamond award. She returned to her hip hop roots with her next albums, The Pinkprint (2014) and Queen (2018). These albums featured popular songs like "Anaconda" and "Chun-Li".
In 2020, Nicki Minaj had her first two number-one songs on the Billboard Hot 100 chart as a featured artist. These were on Doja Cat's "Say So" and 6ix9ine's "Trollz". "Say So" was the first time a song by two female rappers reached the top of the chart. Two years later, she had her first solo number-one song with "Super Freaky Girl". This song was the first single from her fifth album, Pink Friday 2 (2023). This album also debuted at number one in the US and broke many sales and streaming records for female rap. Her concert tour for Pink Friday 2 became the highest-earning tour ever for a female rapper.
Nicki Minaj is one of the world's best-selling music artists, having sold over 100 million records. She is also the best-selling female rapper. She has three songs that have sold over 10 million copies each, earning diamond awards. In 2024, she became the first female rapper with more than one solo diamond-certified song. In 2023, Billboard and Vibe magazines named her the greatest female rapper of all time. She has won many awards, including a Brit Award, nine American Music Awards, and eight MTV Video Music Awards. In 2016, Time magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world.
In 2023, Minaj started her own record label called Heavy On It Records. Besides music, she has created her own perfume line, press-on nails, and a sneaker collection. She also had a radio show called Queen Radio. Nicki Minaj has acted in animated movies like Ice Age: Continental Drift (2012) and The Angry Birds Movie 2 (2019). She also appeared in live-action comedy films like The Other Woman (2014) and Barbershop: The Next Cut (2016). On TV, she was a judge on American Idol in 2013.
Contents
Early Life
Onika Tanya Maraj was born on December 8, 1982, in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. Her father, Robert Maraj, was a financial executive and part-time gospel singer. Her mother, Carol, was also a gospel singer and worked in accounting. Nicki Minaj has an older brother, Jelani, a younger brother, Micaiah, and a younger sister, Ming.
When she was a child, Nicki and Jelani lived with their grandmother in Trinidad with 11 cousins. Their mother, Carol, worked hard to get her green card and moved to New York to go to college. When Nicki was five, her mother brought her and Jelani to live with her and their father in Queens, New York. Nicki Minaj later shared that she arrived in the United States without legal documents. She said that her parents had legal residency by then. In 2024, she stated that she is not a US citizen.
Nicki Minaj got into Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, a special school for visual and performing arts. After graduating, she acted in an Off-Broadway play in 2001. At 19, she worked as a waitress at a restaurant but was fired for being rude to customers. She said she was fired from many jobs for similar reasons. She also worked in customer service and office management.
Music Career
Early Days and Mixtapes (2002–2009)
From 2002 to 2004, Nicki Minaj rapped in a hip hop group called Hoodstars. The group recorded a song for a WWE wrestler, which appeared on a music album. The group tried to get a record deal but didn't succeed. Record companies were interested in Nicki Minaj as a solo artist but wanted her to use a ghostwriter for her songs. Nicki refused, insisting on writing her own lyrics.
Minaj kept working on her own and uploaded songs to her Myspace page. In 2007, she signed with Dirty Money Entertainment. She changed her stage name from Nicki Maraj to Nicki Minaj. She released her first mixtape, Playtime Is Over, on July 5, 2007.
She released her second mixtape, Sucka Free, in 2008, and her third, Beam Me Up Scotty, in 2009. These mixtapes got good attention from music channels like BET and MTV. Rapper Lil Wayne wanted Nicki Minaj to join his new label, Young Money Entertainment. Her mixtapes made many people in the music industry interested in her. The song "I Get Crazy" from Beam Me Up Scotty reached number 20 on the US Billboard Hot Rap Songs chart. Nicki Minaj eventually signed with Young Money, and her deal allowed her to control her own merchandise, sponsorships, and tours.
In early 2010, Nicki Minaj appeared on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart for the first time with songs like "Knockout" with Lil Wayne and "Up Out My Face" with Mariah Carey. She also appeared on "BedRock" and "Roger That" from the We Are Young Money album. These songs helped her become well-known. She became the first female solo artist to have seven songs on the US charts at the same time.
Pink Friday and Big Success (2010–2011)
On March 29, 2010, Minaj released "Massive Attack". This song was supposed to be the first single from her upcoming album, Pink Friday, but it didn't sell well, so it was removed from the album. The song "Your Love" became the album's lead single instead. It was released in June and reached number 14 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the Rap Songs chart.
In October, Minaj was featured on Kanye West's song "Monster" with Jay-Z and Rick Ross. Her part in the song received a lot of praise, with many critics saying it was the best part of the song. Complex magazine called her "Monster" verse the best rap verse in five years. Soon after, she performed "Monster" with Kanye West and Jay-Z at Yankee Stadium, becoming the first female rapper to perform there. In November 2010, Minaj received her first Grammy Award nomination.
Pink Friday was released on November 19, 2010. It debuted at number two and later reached number one on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 375,000 copies in its first week. This was the biggest sales week for a female rap album in the 21st century. The album stayed in the top ten of the Billboard 200 for fourteen weeks. Critics generally liked the album. The song "Roman's Revenge", featuring Eminem, was seen as a response to comments made by rapper Lil' Kim. Nicki Minaj said the song was about anyone who had been talking about her.
Pink Friday was certified platinum in December 2010, meaning it sold a million copies in the United States. It was the first album by a solo female rapper to go platinum in seven years. By 2016, it was certified triple-platinum. In 2022, Rolling Stone magazine included Pink Friday on its list of "200 Greatest Hip-Hop Albums of All Time". "Moment 4 Life" featuring Drake was released as another single from Pink Friday and reached number 13 on the Hot 100.
"Super Bass" was released in April 2011 and became a huge hit. It reached number three on the Hot 100 chart and sold 12 million copies in the US, becoming the highest-certified song by a female rapper in history. Its music video has over 1 billion views on YouTube.
Minaj was an opening act for Britney Spears' 2011 Femme Fatale Tour. She also performed at big events, including with Prince for a Versace fashion collection. In December 2011, Minaj was nominated for three Grammy Awards. She also won the MTV Video Music Award for Best Hip-Hop Video for "Super Bass", which was her first VMA win.
Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded and American Idol (2012–2013)
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"Starships" was released in February 2012 as the first single from her second album, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded. The song reached number five on the US Billboard Hot 100 and sold over ten million copies, earning a diamond award. Some people criticized her for moving into pop music, even though she was very successful. Other singles from the album included "Beez in the Trap" featuring 2 Chainz and "Right by My Side" featuring Chris Brown.
Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded was released on April 2, 2012. It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and was certified four-times platinum, making it Minaj's highest-certified album. The album mixed hip-hop and pop songs, which received mixed reviews. Minaj performed with Madonna at the Super Bowl XLVI halftime show in February 2012. She was also the first solo female rapper to perform at the Grammy Awards in 2012.
Minaj started her own concert tours, the Pink Friday Tour and the Pink Friday: Reloaded Tour, in 2012. She also voiced a character named Steffie in the animated film Ice Age: Continental Drift (2012). Minaj won awards for Best Female Video and Best Hip-Hop at the MTV Video Music Awards and MTV Europe Music Awards in 2012.
An updated version of Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded, called The Re-Up, was released in November 2012 with seven new songs. That month, a three-part documentary about her, Nicki Minaj: My Truth, was released. In September, Minaj became a judge on the twelfth season of American Idol alongside Mariah Carey, Keith Urban, and Randy Jackson. She left the show at the end of the season. Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded was the best-selling rap album in the US in 2012. In 2013, Minaj became the female rapper with the most songs on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
The Pinkprint and Acting (2014–2017)
Minaj's first live-action movie, The Other Woman, was released on April 25, 2014. While working on her third album, The Pinkprint, she said it would focus on her "hip hop roots".
"Pills n Potions" was the first single from The Pinkprint in May 2014. In July, she appeared on "Bang Bang" with Jessie J and Ariana Grande, which reached number three on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number one in the UK. "Bang Bang" also received a diamond award. Its music video has over two billion views on YouTube. "Anaconda" was released in August as the second single from the album, reaching number two in the US, her highest-charting single at the time. The music video for "Anaconda" became very popular online, setting a record for views in its first 24 hours. It has also surpassed one billion views on YouTube. In November 2014, Minaj hosted the 2014 MTV Europe Music Awards in Scotland.
The Pinkprint was released on December 15, 2014, and debuted at number two in the US. Critics liked the album's production and personal lyrics. Minaj received three more Grammy Award nominations for this album. In March 2015, Minaj started her third world tour, The Pinkprint Tour. She also became the first female artist to have four songs on Billboard's Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop airplay chart at the same time. In August 2015, Madame Tussauds unveiled a wax figure of Minaj.
In May 2015, it was announced that Minaj would appear in the film Barbershop: The Next Cut, which was released in April 2016. She was nominated for a Teen Choice Award for her role. In September 2015, it was announced that Minaj would produce and appear in a TV comedy series based on her life growing up in Queens, New York City.
In February 2017, Minaj was featured on Jason Derulo's single "Swalla", which reached the top ten in several countries. Rapper Remy Ma released a song called "Shether" that criticized Minaj. Minaj responded with her song "No Frauds", featuring Drake and Lil Wayne. In her Instagram post, Minaj said, "Been writing my own raps since I was 11." With the release of "No Frauds" and two other songs, Minaj broke the record for the most Billboard Hot 100 entries for a female artist at the time. That month, Minaj also signed with a major modeling agency, Wilhelmina Models.
In May 2017, Minaj performed a medley of her songs at the 2017 Billboard Music Awards. Throughout 2017, Minaj was featured on several other popular singles, including Migos' "MotorSport" and Yo Gotti's "Rake It Up", both of which reached the top ten in the US.
Queen (2018–2019)
After a break from social media, Minaj released two singles from her fourth album, Queen. She released "Chun-Li" and "Barbie Tingz" on April 12, 2018. She performed "Chun-Li" on Saturday Night Live and at the BET Awards 2018. The single "Bed", featuring Ariana Grande, was released in June 2018. Minaj also appeared on the song "Fefe" with Tekashi 6ix9ine, which debuted at number four in the US. The day before Queen was released, Minaj started her own radio show, Queen Radio, which became very popular.
Queen was released on August 10, 2018. It debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200. Minaj later expressed frustration because Travis Scott's album stayed at number one, blocking Queen from the top spot. Queen received generally positive reviews and was certified Platinum in January 2019.
Minaj performed at the 2018 MTV Video Music Awards and won an award for the "Chun-Li" music video. She also featured on the remix of "Idol" by South Korean boy band BTS and on "Woman Like Me" by British girl group Little Mix. She was also featured on "Dip" by Tyga, which made her the first female artist to have 100 songs on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. She received the Game Changer Award at the Billboard Women in Music event for this achievement.
In April 2019, Minaj made a surprise appearance at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival during Ariana Grande's performance. Later that month, Minaj changed her management team. In June 2019, Minaj released a standalone single called "Megatron". She also had a voice role as Pinky in The Angry Birds Movie 2, released in August 2019. In November, Minaj collaborated with Colombian singer Karol G on the song "Tusa", which became a huge hit and was the first song with two lead female artists to debut at the top of the "Hot Latin Songs" chart.
Beam Me Up Scotty Re-release (2020–2021)
In January 2020, Minaj was featured on "Nice to Meet Ya" by Meghan Trainor. In February, she released "Yikes". Later that month, Minaj was a guest judge on RuPaul's Drag Race. In May, she collaborated with Doja Cat on a remix of her song "Say So". This remix debuted at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming the first number-one single for both Minaj and Doja Cat. It was also the first time a song by two female rappers reached number one in the US. A month later, she released a song with 6ix9ine called "Trollz", which also debuted at number one in the US, making it her second number-one single. This made her the first female rapper to debut at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 since Lauryn Hill in 1998.
Minaj was the most-streamed female rapper on Spotify in 2020. On the 10th anniversary of her debut album Pink Friday, Minaj announced a six-part documentary about her life.
In May 2021, Minaj re-released her mixtape Beam Me Up Scotty (2009), including new songs. The re-release debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200, the highest debut for a female rap mixtape in the US. A song from the re-release, "Seeing Green" featuring Drake and Lil Wayne, reached number twelve in the US. In July, Minaj collaborated with rapper Bia on a remix of her song Whole Lotta Money. In September, Minaj collaborated with Elton John on his album The Lockdown Sessions. She also changed her management team. English singer Jesy Nelson released her solo debut, "Boyz", which featured Minaj. In October 2021, Minaj was a surprise host for the reunion of The Real Housewives of Potomac. In November 2021, her 2011 single "Super Bass" received a Diamond certification, making her the second solo female rapper to get this award. Minaj won the Best Hip Hop award at the MTV Europe Music Awards 2021 for the sixth time.
Pink Friday 2 (2022–present)
After a social media break, Minaj released a song with rapper Lil Baby called "Do We Have a Problem?" on February 4, 2022. It debuted at number two on the US Billboard Hot 100. Another collaboration with Lil Baby, "Bussin", was released a week later. Minaj said her next album would be "fun, gutta, and back to the basics". In March, Minaj and rapper Coi Leray released their collaboration "Blick Blick". Later that month, Minaj released the song "We Go Up" featuring Fivio Foreign. In April, she appeared on James Corden's Carpool Karaoke. In July, Minaj performed at the Essence Music Festival and Wireless Festival. She also released a trailer for her upcoming documentary series titled "Nicki". Her radio show Queen Radio was brought back on Amp, an audio service by Amazon.
On August 26, Minaj released her first greatest hits album called Queen Radio: Volume 1. It included many of her hits and one new song, "Likkle Miss (Remix)" with Skeng. It debuted at number ten on the Billboard 200. Minaj also collaborated on "Love in the Way" with Yung Bleu, and "The Fine Nine Remix" of "Likkle Miss" with eight other female rappers. She also featured on "I Admit" with YoungBoy Never Broke Again. The following month, Minaj collaborated on "Tukoh Taka", which was the official 2022 FIFA Fan Festival anthem. Minaj hosted the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards and received the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award.
On March 5, 2023, Minaj performed as a surprise guest at the Rolling Loud California festival. In April, she teamed up with Ice Spice on a remix of "Princess Diana". This was the first release on Minaj's new record label, Heavy On It. The remix reached number four on the Hot 100 and was the first collaboration between two women to top the Hot Rap Songs chart. Minaj also featured on Kim Petras's "Alone". In June, Minaj and Ice Spice released their second collaboration, "Barbie World" with Aqua, from the Barbie movie soundtrack. This song reached number seven on the Hot 100. Minaj also appeared on songs by Young Thug and Lil Uzi Vert. In October, she released "For All the Barbz" on YouTube. In December, Minaj performed at the Jingle Ball Tour and a New Year's Eve concert.
Minaj's fifth studio album, Pink Friday 2, was released on December 8, 2023, her birthday. It is a sequel to her first album and features many collaborations. The album debuted at the top of the Billboard 200. It broke several records, making Minaj the female rapper with the most US number-one albums (3) and earning the highest first-week vinyl sales for a female rap album in history. Fourteen songs from the album appeared on the Billboard Hot 100. The album was certified platinum in March 2024.
The album's first single, "Super Freaky Girl", was released in August 2023. It debuted at the top of the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Minaj's third US number-one and her first solo song to debut at number one. Minaj spoke about her frustration that "Super Freaky Girl" was considered for pop categories instead of rap at the Grammy Awards.
"Red Ruby da Sleeze" was released as the album's second single in March 2023, followed by "Last Time I Saw You" in September 2023. "Everybody" and "FTCU" became singles in January 2024. On January 26, 2024, Megan Thee Stallion released "Hiss", which some believed was aimed at Minaj. Soon after, Minaj released her own song, "Big Foot", which broke first-day records for solo female rap debuts on Apple Music, Spotify, and YouTube in 2024.
To support Pink Friday 2, Minaj started her Pink Friday 2 World Tour, her biggest tour yet, from March to October 2024. The tour earned over $108 million, becoming the highest-grossing tour by a female rapper in history. Minaj was nominated for two Grammy Awards for "Barbie World". She won Best Female Hip Hop Artist at the BET Awards 2024 for the seventh time. At the 2024 BET Hip Hop Awards, Pink Friday 2 became the first album by a solo woman to win Album of the Year.
Artistry
Musical Style and Lyrics
Nicki Minaj is known for her energetic rap style, clever lyrics, and ability to perform different types of music. Her rapping is unique because she changes her voice and speed, and uses different characters and accents. She said she wants to be a "balanced artist" and enjoys surprising people with different sides of her music. She works hard on her lyrics, sometimes for hours.
Minaj uses metaphors, punch lines, and word play in her songs. She often creates different characters, like Roman Zolanski, who she describes as a "demon" and a "lunatic." She also created Roman's British mother, Martha. Critics have praised her for her "sharp metaphors, humorous comebacks and putdowns," and her ability to switch between different styles.
Her music combines hip hop with R&B and pop. Some of her albums mix different genres. For example, Pink Friday included electropop songs like "Super Bass". Her second album, Pink Friday Roman Reloaded, also had many electro-rap and electro-pop songs. Her fifth album, Pink Friday 2, includes styles like drill, pop, dancehall, afrobeats, R&B, and trap.
Influences
Nicki Minaj says that Lil Wayne, Foxy Brown, and Jay-Z are her biggest influences. She calls Lil Wayne her mentor and says he discovered her. She admired Foxy Brown as a female rapper and was very interested in Jay-Z's lyrics when she was in high school. She said, "I feel like I'm a part of all of them."
Jada Pinkett Smith is a role model for Minaj in her acting career. She was also inspired by R&B singer Monica and sang her songs at talent shows. Lauryn Hill is another major influence. Minaj has also mentioned Madonna, Eminem, Beyoncé, Kanye West, Trina, Drake, and Lil' Kim as influences.
She also looks up to fashion designer Betsey Johnson and was inspired by Cyndi Lauper's style and music videos when she was a teenager.
Cultural Impact
Many people call Nicki Minaj the "Queen of Rap" and one of the most influential rappers ever. In 2012, The New York Times called her "the most influential female rapper of all time." In 2019, Complex ranked her as the eighth best rapper of the 2010s, saying she "continuously redefined what it means to be a crossover rapper." In 2023, Billboard and Vibe ranked her as the greatest female rapper of all time.
Minaj's career has been seen as groundbreaking. She has "repeatedly broken down barriers for female artists in the scene," according to Evening Standard. NPR Music said she "indelibly changed the landscape for artists in hip-hop for the past decade." Billboard credited Minaj for bringing female rap back into the mainstream in the US. She is known for her many collaborations, often helping lesser-known artists get their big break.
Minaj also fought for music streaming to count towards artists' sales and certifications, which helped change the industry. She has influenced many artists, including Doja Cat, Megan Thee Stallion, Ice Spice, and Lil Nas X.
Her rap verse on Kanye West's "Monster" was highly praised. Many critics said it was the best part of the song and helped establish Minaj as a top talent who could outshine male rappers. Kanye West even said he considered removing her verse because he was worried it would be too good.
Other hip hop artists have praised Minaj. Rick Ross was impressed by her writing and performance on "Monster." Kanye West called her "the scariest artist in the game right now." 50 Cent called Minaj an "alpha female," and Ice-T compared her vocal delivery to Busta Rhymes.
Achievements
Minaj has won many awards, including nine American Music Awards, a Brit Award, thirteen BET Awards, and eight MTV Video Music Awards. She has been nominated for 12 Grammy Awards. She is the only rapper to win the BET Award for Best Female Hip Hop Artist eight times. In 2016, Time named her one of the most influential people in the world. In 2019, Billboard Women in Music gave her the Game Changer Award. In 2023, Minaj became the first black artist and first female rapper to win the MTV Europe Music Award for Best US Act.
As of 2021, Minaj has sold over 100 million records worldwide, making her the best-selling female rapper. Her debut album Pink Friday had the largest first-week sales for a female rap album in the 21st century. In 2010, she was the first female solo artist to have seven songs on the Billboard Hot 100 at the same time. In 2017, she broke the record for the most Hot 100 entries by a female artist. In 2018, she became the first woman to have 100 songs on the Hot 100. In 2022, her song "Super Freaky Girl" made her the first solo female rapper to debut at number one on the Hot 100 in the 21st century. She has the most number-ones, top-tens, and appearances on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart among female artists. She has 23 top-ten singles on the Billboard Hot 100, the most for any female rapper. In 2023, she became the first female rapper to have three number-one albums on the Billboard 200. Her Pink Friday 2 World Tour (2024) earned over $108 million, becoming the highest-grossing tour by a female rapper.
Minaj was the first woman to appear on Forbes magazine's "Hip Hop Cash Kings" list. In 2019, she became the first female rapper to achieve 100 million certified units (albums and songs) by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). All of Minaj's studio albums have been certified platinum or higher by the RIAA, making her the female rapper with the most platinum albums in the US (five). Three of her songs have been certified diamond or higher: "Super Bass", "Bang Bang", and "Starships". "Super Bass" is the highest-certified song by a female rapper. "Starships" made Minaj the first female rapper with multiple solo diamond-certified songs.
Minaj is the most-subscribed female rapper on YouTube, with over 27.2 million subscribers. In 2021, the music video for "Anaconda" became the first female rap solo song to reach over one billion views on YouTube. She has nine music videos with over one billion views across all her collaborations, the most among female rappers. Two of these have surpassed two billion views: "Bang Bang" and "Side to Side". Minaj was the fifth-most-streamed woman and most-streamed female rapper of the 2010s decade on Apple Music. As of 2024, Minaj is the most-streamed female rapper on Spotify, with over 36 billion streams. She has five songs with over one billion streams on Spotify.
Giving Back
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In 2010, Minaj performed with singer Katy Perry for military service members at the VH1 Divas Salute the Troops concert. In 2011, Mattel created a Barbie doll that looked like Minaj to be auctioned for Project Angel Food, a charity that helps people with HIV and AIDS. In 2012, after Hurricane Sandy hit New York, Minaj donated $15,000 to the Food Bank For New York City.
In May 2017, Minaj offered on Twitter to pay college tuition fees and student loans for 30 of her fans. She also announced that she would start an official charity for student loans. In the same month, Minaj shared on Instagram that she had been donating money to a village in India for several years. These donations helped the village get a computer center, a tailoring institute, a reading program, and two water wells.
In August 2017, after Hurricane Harvey hit Houston, Texas, Minaj donated $25,000 to the Red Cross. In September 2018, Minaj appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show and, with Walmart, gave over $150,000 in donations to fans. In 2019, Minaj decided not to perform at a concert in Saudi Arabia after activists raised concerns about human rights. She stated that it was important for her to support the rights of women, the LGBTQ community, and freedom of expression.
In 2020, Minaj donated $25,000 to the "St. Jude's Home for Girls" school in her home country of Trinidad. In a speech, she encouraged the girls to overcome tough challenges, sharing some of her own difficult experiences. In the same year, after releasing her song "Trollz" with 6ix9ine, Minaj announced that part of the money from the song would go to The Bail Project, a charity that helps people pay bail.
Other Activities
Endorsements
Minaj has worked with many companies and promoted several products. In November 2010, she collaborated with MAC Cosmetics to launch a special lipstick called "Pink 4 Friday" to promote her first album. In 2011, Mattel created a Barbie doll in her likeness for charity, which Minaj called a "major moment" in her career. She also helped introduce the Casio TRYX camera and created a nail polish collection for OPI Products.
In February 2012, Minaj launched her own line of lip products for MAC Cosmetics' Viva Glam. In April 2012, she helped launch the Nokia Lumia 900 phone. The next month, Minaj appeared in commercials for Pepsi's "LiveForNow" campaign. She also worked with Adidas for their fall and winter 2012 campaign.
In February 2013, Minaj was featured in a comic book series called Fame: Nicki Minaj. She partnered with Beats Electronics to introduce her "Pink Pill" speakers in April 2013. She also launched her lifestyle product line, "The Nicki Minaj Collection," for Kmart, which included clothing, accessories, and home goods.
Throughout 2014, Minaj released more clothing collections for Kmart. She was the face of Roberto Cavalli's spring-summer 2015 fashion campaign. In March 2015, it was announced that Minaj was a co-owner of the music streaming service Tidal. In November 2015, Minaj released a holiday clothing collection for Kmart. In December 2016, Minaj and Glu Mobile released Nicki Minaj: The Empire, a mobile game where players try to become a rap star.
In September 2017, she released a lipstick called "The Pinkprint" with MAC Cosmetics. In November 2017, Minaj starred in H&M's holiday campaign. In March 2018, she appeared in a commercial for the Mercedes-Benz A-Class car. In August 2018, Minaj starred in the trailer for EA Sports' Madden NFL 19 video game. The following month, she appeared in a campaign for the Italian clothing brand Diesel and helped design a t-shirt and denim jacket.
In 2019, Minaj announced a collaboration with luxury fashion house Fendi. A special collection called "Fendi Prints On" was released on October 14, 2019.
In March 2022, Minaj was featured in the campaign for the "Heaven" spring 2022 collection by Marc Jacobs. In July 2022, Minaj collaborated with Rap Snacks and released her own potato chip flavor, "Barbie-Que Honey Truffle". Minaj released a "variety pack" with Rap Snacks in October, and a "Nocho Nachos" flavor in March 2023. Also in October, the rapper appeared in a trailer for the video game, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II. A playable character model of Minaj was released for the game in July 2023. In December 2023, she and Roblox introduced a virtual world called Gag City on the game platform to promote her fifth album, Pink Friday 2.
Products
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Minaj has a line of fragrances that started in September 2012. Her first perfume, "Pink Friday", was nominated for three awards. She released other versions like "Pink Friday: Special Edition" and "Pink Friday: Deluxe Edition". In June 2013, Minaj launched MYX Fusions, a line of fruit-flavored wine drinks. Minaj is a co-owner and creative director for the brand.
Minaj's fourth perfume, "Minajesty", was launched in September 2013, followed by "Minajesty: Exotic Edition". Her sixth perfume, "Onika", was launched in September 2014. A year later, she released her seventh perfume, "The Pinkprint", named after her third album. Her eighth perfume, "Trini Girl", was released in 2016. In 2018, she released her ninth perfume, "Queen", named after her fourth album. Minaj's tenth perfume, "Pink Friday 2", was released in December 2023 to support her fifth album of the same name.
In March 2024, Minaj launched her press-on nails line, Pink Friday Nails. In April, she and British apparel brand Loci released a sneaker collection. Minaj is an investor and co-owner of the brand.
Heavy On It Records
On March 3, 2023, Minaj announced that she was starting her own record label. She later revealed the name of her label as "Heavy On It Records" on March 13, 2023. The label works with Republic Records.
Personal Life
In July 2011, her cousin Nicholas Telemaque passed away near his home. Minaj mentioned this event in some of her songs. Minaj's father, Robert Maraj, passed away in February 2021 in a car accident.
Relationships
Minaj dated rapper Safaree Samuels from 2003 to 2014. In December 2018, Minaj started dating her childhood friend Kenneth Petty. She announced their marriage in October 2019. In July 2020, she announced she was expecting her first child. She gave birth to a son on September 30, 2020, whom she calls "Papa Bear" publicly.
Discography
Studio albums
- Pink Friday (2010)
- Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded (2012)
- The Pinkprint (2014)
- Queen (2018)
- Pink Friday 2 (2023)
Filmography
- Ice Age: Continental Drift (2012)
- The Other Woman (2014)
- Barbershop: The Next Cut (2016)
- The Angry Birds Movie 2 (2019)
Tours
Headlining
- Pink Friday Tour (2011–2012)
- Pink Friday: Reloaded Tour (2012)
- The Pinkprint Tour (2015–2016)
- Pink Friday 2 World Tour (2024)
Co-headlining
- The Nicki Wrld Tour (2019)
Opening act
- Lil Wayne – America's Most Wanted Tour (2008)
- Lil Wayne – I Am Music II Tour (2011)
- Britney Spears – Femme Fatale Tour (2011)
Images for kids
-
Nicki Minaj's signature
See also
In Spanish: Nicki Minaj para niños
- List of Trinidadians
- East Coast hip hop
- List of most-followed Instagram accounts
- List of best-selling music artists
