Biography and Wiki
Nicki Minaj is a Trinidadian-American rapper, singer, and songwriter born as Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty on December 8, 1982. She rose to fame in the early 2010s with her unique style and versatility, becoming a driving force in the resurgence of female rap. Known for her dynamic flow and alter egos, Minaj has been credited as one of the most influential rappers of all time.
| Occupation | Pop Singer |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | 8 December 1982 |
| Age | 42 Years |
| Birth Place | Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago |
| Horoscope | Sagittarius |
| Country | Trinidad and Tobago |
Height, Weight & Measurements
- Height: 5 feet 2 inches (157 cm)
- Weight: Approximately 62 kg (137 lbs)
- Measurements: 34-24-38 inches (86-61-97 cm)
Her debut studio album, Pink Friday (2010), topped the US Billboard 200 and achieved the largest female rap album sales week of the 21st century, spawning the global hit single "Super Bass". Minaj explored dance-pop on her second US number-one album, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded (2012), which produced the top-five single, "Starships". She returned to her hip hop roots with her third and fourth albums, The Pinkprint (2014) and Queen (2018), which yielded the hit singles "Anaconda" and "Chun-Li". Minaj achieved her first two Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles in 2020 with the duets "Say So" and "Trollz"; the former was the first female rap collaboration to top the chart. She had her first solo US number-one song in 2022 with "Super Freaky Girl", the lead single from her fifth studio album, Pink Friday 2 (2023). The album debuted at number one in the US, making Minaj the female rapper with the most US number-one albums in history. Its concert tour became the fourth-highest grossing tour for a rapper and highest-grossing tour for a female rapper in history.
Minaj released her second mixtape, Sucka Free, on April 12, 2008, and her third, Beam Me Up Scotty, on April 18, 2009; it received favorable coverage. The Beam Me Up Scotty track "I Get Crazy", reached number 20 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Rap Songs chart and number 37 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. In the summer of 2009, Minaj performed on a tour headlined by Wayne featuring artists from Young Money, among others. At the time she was managed by Debra Antney. Producer Irv Gotti asked Minaj to sign to his label Murder Inc. Records and she countered with an offer for him to manage her, which he declined. Minaj's mixtapes, freestyles, and features on other artists' songs garnered significant industry and public interest. While she continued playing shows, working on music, and collaborating with other artists, there was a bidding war among record labels to sign her. In late August, Minaj signed a recording contract with Young Money, with her deal entailing her owning her 360 rights, including her merchandising, sponsorships, endorsements, touring and publishing. In a 2011 interview, Minaj said that before she met Lil Wayne, "the person that was spearheading my career was the one person who always told me, 'Don't be too playful, don't be too kooky and weird... no one's gonna feel that, nobody wants to hear that.' So I stifled a lot of that early on, and then once that we parted ways, I was like, 'Guess what, I'm gonna just be me.'" In October 2009, she performed a freestyle at the 2009 BET Hip Hop Awards cypher. The following month, she appeared with Gucci Mane and Trina on the remix of "5 Star Bitch" by Yo Gotti.
Minaj was one of the opening acts on Britney Spears' 2011 Femme Fatale Tour. She and Kesha appeared on the remix of Spears' "Till the World Ends", which peaked at number three in the U.S. On August 7, 2011, Minaj experienced a wardrobe malfunction during a live performance on Good Morning America when she revealed her left nipple. Both ABC and Minaj apologized for the incident, with Minaj denying it was a publicity stunt. Minaj continued to perform at high-profile events throughout 2011 with Donatella Versace inviting her to perform with Prince for the introduction of a Versace collection for H&M. She also performed "Super Bass" at the 2011 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. In December 2011, Minaj was nominated for three Grammy Awards, including Best New Artist and Best Rap Album for Pink Friday. Also that year, she won the MTV Video Music Award for Best Hip-Hop Video for "Super Bass", marking her first VMA win. In 2022, the album was included in Rolling Stone's list of "200 Greatest Hip-Hop Albums of All Time" at number 31; the magazine stated that Pink Friday "proved you could own the charts without dialing back your confrontational individuality, and it set the table for a generation of artists." In 2024, Vibe named it as one of the "50 Greatest Black Albums of the Modern Era".
Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded was eventually released on April 2, 2012, two months later than initially planned. It was preceded by the promotional singles "Roman in Moscow" and "Stupid Hoe". The latter song was viewed by critics as a diss aimed at Lil' Kim, following her previous attacks on Minaj. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, with first-week sales of 253,000 copies, and was certified four-times platinum by the RIAA in November 2024, becoming Minaj's highest-certified album yet. However, the mix of hip-hop songs and mainstream pop material received mixed reviews. "Pound the Alarm" and "Va Va Voom" were later released as the final singles from the album. Minaj along with fellow rapper M.I.A. joined Madonna to perform the single, "Give Me All Your Luvin" during the Super Bowl XLVI halftime show on February 6, 2012. Minaj was the first solo female rapper to perform at the Grammy Awards, performing "Roman Holiday" during the 2012 ceremony on February 12. Her exorcism-themed performance was controversial, with the American Catholic League and its president criticizing her performance.
Minaj began her headlining Pink Friday Tour on May 16, 2012, which was followed by the Pink Friday: Reloaded Tour beginning October 14, 2012. Although she was scheduled to headline the June 3 Hot 97 Summer Jam at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, at the request of Lil Wayne she canceled her appearance the day of the show after Peter Rosenberg of the station dismissed her single "Starships" as "not real hip-hop". The following month, she voiced Steffie in the animated film Ice Age: Continental Drift (2012). Minaj won awards for Best Female Video (for "Starships") at the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards and Best Hip-Hop at the 2012 MTV Europe Music Awards.
Minaj's first live-action theatrical film The Other Woman was filmed in spring 2013 and premiered on April 25, 2014. As she was working on her third studio album The Pinkprint, she described the album as "a continuation of The Re-Up with a lot more" and said it would focus on her "hip hop roots". During an MTV interview, she said that she has "much to talk about" in the album.
| Height | 5 feet 2 inches |
| Weight | 137 lbs |
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Dating & Relationship Status
Nicki Minaj is married to Kenneth Petty, with whom she has one child. The couple tied the knot in 2019.
Her father was Robert Maraj (1956–2021), a financial executive and part-time gospel singer of Dougla (Afro-Trinidadian mother and Indo-Trinidadian father) descent. Her mother, Carol, is also a gospel singer with Afro-Trinidadian ancestry. Carol worked in payroll and accounting departments during Minaj's youth. Minaj's father was an alcoholic and crack cocaine addict whom Minaj described to be "violent" and abusive to her mother. He committed arson onto their house in December 1987. She has an older brother named Jelani, a younger brother named Micaiah, and a younger sister named Ming.
As a child, Minaj and Jelani grew up with their grandmother in Saint James in a household with 11 cousins. Carol was working numerous jobs in Saint James before getting her green card at the age of 24. She then moved to the Bronx in New York to attend Monroe College, leaving both Minaj and Jelani in Trinidad with their grandmother. When Minaj was five, Carol brought Minaj and Jelani to live with her and their father in South Jamaica, Queens. Minaj said she arrived in the United States as an illegal immigrant, and by the time she moved to the country, her mother and father had lawful permanent residency. She stated in 2024 that she is not a US citizen. Minaj recalled, "I don't think I had a lot of discipline in my household. My mom motivated me, but it wasn't a strict household. I kind of wanted a strict household."
From 2002 to 2004, Minaj rapped in a New York hip hop group called Hoodstars, which included rappers Lou$tar and 7even Up and hype man Safaree Samuels. The son of Bowlegged Lou from Full Force, Lou$tar recruited Minaj when he and his father heard her work. Bowlegged Lou liked Minaj's rapping, and said that back then she was already doing "the crazy voices" in her vocal performances. In 2004, the group recorded the entrance song for WWE Diva Victoria, "Don't Mess With", which was featured on the compilation album ThemeAddict: WWE The Music, Vol.6. Full Force tried to get Hoodstars a record deal but were unsuccessful. They then worked with Minaj as a solo artist, meeting with some record companies, including Warner Brothers, who expressed interest in signing Minaj out of the group but required a ghostwriter for a deal. Minaj refused, adamant that she will always write her songs. Brian George from Full Force said that Minaj was impressive in her ambition, describing her as "broke and hungry" while determined to be in control of her craft.
| Parents | |
| Husband | Kenneth Petty (m. 2019) |
| Sibling | |
| Children |
Net Worth and Salary
As of 2025, Nicki Minaj's net worth is estimated at $150 million. Her annual salary is reported to be around $29 million. Her wealth comes from a variety of sources, including music sales, concert tours, brand endorsements, and business ventures.
Business Ventures
- Endorsements: Minaj has partnered with brands like Myx Moscato, Beats By Dre, Activision, Adidas, and Pepsi.
- Fragrances: She has launched her own fragrance line, which is popular among her fans.
- Real Estate: Minaj invests in real estate, contributing to her growing wealth.
Pink Friday was released on November 19, 2010, debuting at number two and later reaching number one on the Billboard 200, with first-week sales of 375,000 copies. It had the largest sales week for a female rap album in the 21st century and second-highest sales week overall after Lauryn Hill's The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998). The album also became the female rap album with the most weeks in the top ten on the Billboard 200 chart at the time, with fourteen consecutive weeks in the region. Upon release, the album received generally positive reviews from critics. The song "Roman's Revenge", featuring Eminem, was interpreted as a response to rapper Lil' Kim's comments against Minaj, including her accusing Minaj of copying her image and that she had recorded a song called "Everywhere We Go" with Minaj but it was pulled from iTunes by Cash Money because it did not perform well. At the time, Minaj said that "Roman's Revenge" was not about a specific person, but about "everyone who has been in interviews talking", adding, "I've been quiet for such a long time and I've been the nice guy. I've been the person that gave everyone their props ... you can't be a rapper and not speak on things being said about you". In a 2018 interview, she explained that she wrote the song after "a veteran got at me, and I hit them with 'Roman's Revenge' and then I kept on going." Pink Friday was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in December 2010, for moving a million units in the United States, with it becoming the first album by a solo female rapper to go platinum in seven years. As of March 2016, it has been certified triple-platinum. "Moment 4 Life" featuring Drake was released as the fourth single from Pink Friday, on December 7, 2010. It reached number 13 on the Hot 100. Minaj performed "Right Thru Me" and "Moment 4 Life" as the musical guest on the January 29, 2011, episode of Saturday Night Live. In February 2011, Lil' Kim released the mixtape Black Friday referencing Minaj, including artwork that showed Lil' Kim decapitating Minaj with a sword and the lyrics "sweetie, you goin' on your 14th minute of fame" and "you a Lil' Kim wannabe". Lil' Kim sold the mixtape on PayPal. Minaj's track "Tragedy" was released online, featuring the lyrics "Pink Friday, Eminem, 8 Mile/ It must hurt to sell your album on PayPal."
An expanded version of Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded, subtitled The Re-Up, was released on November 19, 2012, with seven new songs. That month, she was the subject of a three-part E! documentary titled Nicki Minaj: My Truth. In September, Minaj joined the judges' panel for the twelfth season of American Idol with Mariah Carey, Keith Urban, and Randy Jackson. Throughout the show there were disagreements between Carey and Minaj, with both of them leaving the series at the end of the season. Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded was the best-selling rap album released in 2012 in the US. It was also the 25th-best-selling album globally in 2012, with over 1.4 million copies sold worldwide, according to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI). In 2013, Minaj became the most-charted female rapper on the Billboard Hot 100 at the time, with 44 entries, and tied Carey as seventh among female artists.
Social Network
- Instagram: Minaj has a large following on Instagram, where she engages with fans and promotes her work.
- Twitter: She is active on Twitter, often using it to express her views and connect with her audience.
Minaj continued to work independently and uploaded her songs on her Myspace profile, sending several of them to people in the music industry. In 2006, Fendi, who owned the Brooklyn production company Dirty Money Entertainment, reached out to Minaj on Myspace, and signed her to Dirty Money under a 180-day contract. Originally using the stage name Nicki Maraj, she eventually changed it to Nicki Minaj after Fendi switched her last name when he met her due to her having a "nasty flow". Minaj wrote a number of songs, including "Itty Bitty Piggy" and "I Get Crazy", and booked shows in New York and New Jersey. She released her first mixtape, Playtime Is Over, on July 5, 2007. She filmed a music video for the track "Click Clack", which was featured on the underground rap DVD The Come Up Vol. 11. Her rap on the DVD caught the attention of rapper Lil Wayne, who got in contact with Fendi to set up a call with Minaj and asked her to join his crew he was assembling for his new imprint called Young Money. Minaj collaborated with Wayne, who featured on her next mixtapes, but she did not sign a contract with Young Money then. She continued working on her songs, communicating with fans on social media, and booking shows.
In early February 2010, Minaj made her first two appearances on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart with her features on "Knockout" and "Up Out My Face" by Lil Wayne and Mariah Carey respectively. Minaj also appeared on "BedRock" and "Roger That" on the compilation album, We Are Young Money (2009). The singles peaked at numbers two and 56, respectively, in the U.S. Their parent album reached number nine on the U.S. Billboard 200, and was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). At Jay-Z's suggestion, Robin Thicke featured Minaj on his single "Shakin' It 4 Daddy". Allison Stewart of The Washington Post stated that, during that time, she "became the go-to girl for artists who wanted to add some skank to their tracks without sullying themselves in the process". Minaj became the first female solo artist to have seven singles simultaneously charting in the U.S.
"Super Bass" was released as Pink Friday's fifth single in April 2011. It became a sleeper hit and commercially successful, ultimately peaking at number three on the Hot 100. It was eventually certified 12-times platinum in the US, for selling 12 million units; it became the highest-certified song by a female rapper in RIAA history. "Super Bass" was the highest-charting solo single by a female rapper, at the time, since Missy Elliott's "Work It" in 2002. In 2017, Billboard ranked it as the second-biggest US Hot 100 hit by a female rapper of all time (behind Iggy Azalea's "Fancy"); and in 2024, ranked it as the biggest Hot 100 hit of Minaj's career. Its music video has over 1 billion views on YouTube, as of October 2024.
"Pills n Potions" was released as the lead single from The Pinkprint in May 2014. In July, she appeared on the song "Bang Bang" with singers Jessie J and Ariana Grande, which peaked at number three on the US Billboard Hot 100 and marked Minaj's first number-one on the UK singles chart. "Bang Bang" was certified diamond by the RIAA in May 2024, for recognized sales of 10 million units; it became the first all-female collaboration to achieve the certification. Its music video garnered over two billion views on YouTube. "Anaconda" was released in August as the second single from the album, peaking at number two, which became her highest-charting single in the US at the tim
Education
Minaj attended Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts in New York City. Despite her decision not to pursue a formal education beyond high school, she has become a successful entrepreneur and artist.
With her diverse career and business ventures, Nicki Minaj continues to inspire fans worldwide while expanding her financial empire.
Minaj successfully auditioned for admission to Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, which focuses on visual and performing arts. A week after graduation, Minaj was cast in the Off-Broadway play In Case You Forget in 2001. At the age of 19, she worked as a waitress at a Red Lobster in the Bronx, but was fired for discourtesy to customers. She said she was fired from "at least 15 jobs" for similar reasons. Her other jobs included customer service representative and office management on Wall Street.
