Nicki Minaj

Minaj briefly signed with Brooklyn group Full Force, in which she rapped in a quartet called The Hoodstars composed of Lou$tar (son of "Bowlegged Lou"), Safaree Samuels (Scaff Beezy) and 7even Up.[24][25] 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. Minaj later left Full Force and uploaded songs on her Myspace profile, sending several of her songs to people in the music industry. At the time, she was managed by Debra Antney. Later, Fendi, CEO of Brooklyn label Dirty Money Entertainment, signed Minaj to his label in 2007 under a 180-day contract.[26] Originally adopting the stage name Nicki Maraj, she eventually changed it to Nicki Minaj stating that "my real name is Maraj. Fendi flipped it when he met me because I had such a nasty flow!"[27]

Minaj released her first mixtape, Playtime Is Over, on July 5, 2007,[28] and her second, Sucka Free, on April 12, 2008.[29] That year, she was named Female Artist of the Year at the 2008 Underground Music Awards.[30] She released her third mixtape, Beam Me Up Scotty, on April 18, 2009;[31] it received favorable coverage on BET and MTV.[32][33] One of its tracks, "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.[34] After Minaj was discovered by fellow rapper Lil Wayne,[35] in August 2009 it was reported that she signed a recording contract with his Young Money Entertainment.[36] That November, she appeared with Gucci Mane and Trina on the remix of "5 Star Bitch" by Yo Gotti.[37] Minaj also appeared on "BedRock" and "Roger That"[38] on the compilation album, We Are Young Money (2009).[39] The singles peaked at numbers two and 56, respectively, on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100;[40] their parent album reached number-nine on the U.S. Billboard 200, and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[40][41] At Jay-Z's suggestion, Robin Thicke featured Minaj on his single "Shakin' It 4 Daddy".[42]

Minaj at 2010 MTV Video Music Awards

On March 29, 2010, Minaj released "Massive Attack".[43] Intended as the lead single from her forthcoming debut album, Pink Friday,[44] the song was dropped from the album due to poor commercial performance[45] and the next single, "Your Love", released on June 1, became the album's lead single,[46] peaking at number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number-one on the Billboard Rap Songs chart.[34] In September, Minaj released "Check It Out" and "Right Thru Me" as follow-up singles.[47][48] She also became the first female rap artist to ever perform at Yankee Stadium in 2010.[49] In October, Minaj became the first female solo artist to have seven songs on the Billboard Hot 100 simultaneously and the first woman to appear on MTV's Annual Hottest MC List.[50][51] The same month she was featured on Kanye West's "Monster", and received wide praise, with many critics regarding it as the best verse; The Village Voice's Sean Fennessey stated that "Monster" was the track that announced Minaj's "brilliance" to most people.[52] In November 2010, Minaj received her first Grammy Award nomination for her guest verse on Ludacris' song "My Chick Bad".[53]

Pink Friday was released on November 19, 2010,[54] debuting at number-two on the Billboard 200, with first-week sales of 375,000 copies.[55] Upon release, the album received generally positive reviews from critics. Sam Wolfson of NME complimented Minaj's "pop sensibility" and found her "volatility and quirks ... reminiscent of heyday Lil Wayne".[56] Entertainment Weekly's Brad Wete commended Minaj's "knack for melody" and "boasting lyrics".[57] Allison Stewart of The Washington Post wrote that the album "nibbles at the edges of what female rappers are allowed to do, even as it provides a steady helping of pop hits".[58] The album was certified platinum in December, and eventually reached number-one in the United States in February 2011.[59]

"Moment 4 Life" was released as the fourth single from Pink Friday shortly after the album's release.[60] The song serves as the third single off the album, released as a single on December 7, 2010. Minaj performed "Right Thru Me" and "Moment 4 Life" as the musical guest on the January 29, 2011 episode of Saturday Night Live.[61] "Super Bass", the album's fifth single, was released in April 2011,[62] and became a sleeper hit and commercial success; it ultimately peaked at number-three on the Billboard Hot 100 and was eventually certified octuple-platinum in the U.S.[34][63]

Minaj performing in New York City in 2010

Minaj was one of the opening acts on Britney Spears' 2011 Femme Fatale Tour.[64] She and Kesha appeared on the remix of Spears' "Till the World Ends", which peaked at number-three on the Billboard Hot 100.[65] On August 7, 2011, Nicki experienced a "nip slip" during a live performance on Good Morning America. Minaj was criticized for wearing the low-cut shirt during her performance which led to the brief exposure of her breast on a live telecast. ABC apologized for incident.[66] Minaj, while interviewed on ABC's Nightline show, apologized for the incident and denied that she intentionally sought to expose herself on live television as a publicity stunt.[67] The incident attracted protest from the Parents Television Council.[68] Despite this, Minaj continued to perform at high-profile events throughout 2011; Donatella Versace invited her to perform with Prince for the introduction of a Versace collection for H&M, and she performed "Super Bass" at the 2011 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.[69] In December 2011, Minaj was nominated for three Grammy Awards, including Best New Artist and Best Rap Album for Pink Friday.[70] Also that year, she won the MTV Video Music Award for Best Hip-Hop Video for "Super Bass", marking her first VMA win.[71]

"Starships" was released in February 2012 as the lead single from Minaj's forthcoming second album Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded.[72] The song reached number-five on the Billboard Hot 100,[34] and went on to become the fifth best-selling single of 2012 and one of the best-selling singles of all time.[73] Minaj's crossover into pop music was criticized by some, despite her commercial success.[74] Minaj was sued by Chicago artist Clive Tanaka in September 2013 for its alleged copyright infringement.[75] Follow-up singles "Beez in the Trap" and "Right by My Side" were released shortly after.[76][77] Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded was eventually released on April 2, 2012, two months later than planned.[78] The album was preceded by the promotional singles "Roman in Moscow" and "Stupid Hoe".[79][80] The album debuted at number-one on the Billboard 200, with first-week sales of 253,000 copies,[55] and was certified platinum by the RIAA in June 2012.[81] However, its mix of hip-hop songs and mainstream pop material received mixed reviews from music critics.[82] Randall Roberts of the Los Angeles Times commended its "minimal, bouncy hip-hop tracks" for highlighting Minaj's "charm and achievement", but wrote that the "disjointed, artistically confused" album "drives off a cliff" with "dance pop songs as simple as they are generic".[83] Slant Magazine's Matthew Cole panned it as a "mediocre rap album".[84] In a positive review for Rolling Stone, journalist Jody Rosen called it a "filler-free mega-pop album" and commented that "the energy never flags".[85] "Pound the Alarm" and "Va Va Voom" were later released as the final singles from the album.[86][87] Minaj and 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.[88] Minaj was the first solo female rapper to perform at the Grammy Awards, premiering "Roman Holiday" during the 2012 ceremony on February 12.[89] Her exorcism-themed performance was controversial, with the American Catholic League criticizing Minaj for bringing a fake "Pope" to escort her on the red carpet. The "exorcism" scene that was performed during her appearance was criticized as well.[90][91] Catholic League president Bill Donohue called Minaj's performance "vulgar".[91][92]

Minaj began her headlining Pink Friday Tour on May 16, 2012,[93] which was followed by the Pink Friday: Reloaded Tour beginning October 14, 2012.[94] 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".[95]

The following month, Minaj voiced Steffie in the animated film Ice Age: Continental Drift (2012).[96] She 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.[97] Her collaboration with Pearl Future on the song "Looking At Me" made it to the top 20 in BBC Radio 1.[98] An expanded version of Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded, subtitled The Re-Up, was released on November 19, 2012.[99] That month, Minaj was the subject of a three-part E! documentary titled Nicki Minaj: My Truth.[100] She announced plans for her own record label after signing Parker Ighile, Brinx, Keisha, and Blackout Movement.[101]

In September, Minaj joined the judges' panel for the twelfth season of American Idol with Mariah Carey, Keith Urban, and Randy Jackson.[102] Throughout the show there were disagreements between Carey and Minaj.[103][104][105] Minaj left the series at the end of the season.[106] That year, Minaj was the most-charted female rapper in the history of the Billboard Hot 100, with 44 entries, tying Mariah Carey among women of all genres.[107] Her seven nominations led those for rap musicians at the 2013 Billboard Music Awards,[108] and she was the first rapper to win the BET Best Female Hip-Hop Artist Award four consecutive times.[109] Before any other female artist, she was on the Forbes Hip-Hop Cash King List where she was ranked fourth in 2013, earning $29 million.[110]

Minaj's first live-action theatrical film The Other Woman was filmed in spring 2013 and premiered on April 25, 2014.[111] She played Lydia, assistant to Carly (played by Cameron Diaz).[112][113] In 2013, Minaj described her then-forthcoming third album, The Pinkprint, as "a continuation of The Re-Up with a lot more" and said it would focus on her "hip-hop roots".[114][115] During an MTV interview, she said that her third album would be "next level" and that she has "much to talk about".[116]

In February 2014, Malcolm X's daughter Ilyasah Shabazz voiced her displeasure by the artwork of her slain father used "inappropriately" for Minaj's single "Lookin' Ass Nigga".[117] A statement from the Malcolm X estate read: "Ms. Minaj's artwork for her single does not depict the truth of Malcolm X's legacy, is completely disrespectful, and in no way is endorsed by [Shabazz or the Malcolm X] family."[117] Minaj released an apology to the estate,[117] however the rapper received backlash after remarks were made towards Shabazz in a mixtape recording ("Chi-Raq") that went: "Malcolm X daughter came at me/lookin' ass niggas ain't happy/rolled out with some Latin Kings and some eses in them plain khaki's."[118]

"Pills n Potions" was released as the lead single from The Pinkprint in May 2014.[119] "Anaconda" was released in August as the second single, peaking at number-two on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming her highest-charting single in the U.S. to date.[120][121] The music video for "Anaconda" attracted significant controversy and went viral upon release online; it set a 24-hour Vevo record, accumulating 19.6 million views on its first day of release, breaking the record previously held by Miley Cyrus for "Wrecking Ball".[122] In December of that year, Minaj received two Grammy Award nominations, for Best Rap Song ("Anaconda") and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance ("Bang Bang" with Jessie J and Ariana Grande).[123]

Minaj being interviewed in 2016

The Pinkprint was officially released on December 15, 2014, and debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200, with first week sales of 244,000 equivalent units (198,000 in pure album sales and 46,000 combined album-equivalent units and streams).[124][125] Upon release, the album received generally positive reviews from critics. Billboard magazine's Niki McGloster called it "her best album to date".[126] Sheldon Pearce of The A.V. Club thought that The Pinkprint is "the closest Nicki Minaj has ever gotten to balancing her tendencies".[127] Randall Roberts from the Los Angeles Times wrote that throughout the album, "she's intent on channeling her talent to explore and document her many moods. The combination is often, if not always, intoxicating".[128] At the 58th Grammy Awards, Minaj received three more Grammy Award nominations, including a second Best Rap Album nomination for The Pinkprint.[129]

In November 2014, Minaj released a video containing Nazi-style imagery for her third single "Only". There was immediate backlash from the Anti Defamation League, who stated that it was "troubling that no one among Minaj's group of producers, publicists and managers raised a red flag about the use of such imagery before ushering the video into public release." They called the video "insensitive to Holocaust survivors and a trivialization of the history of that era."[130][131]

On November 9, 2014, Minaj hosted the 2014 MTV Europe Music Awards at The SSE Hydro, Glasgow, Scotland.[132] She also won the Best Hip-Hop Award for a second time.[132] In March 2015, Minaj embarked on her third world tour entitled The Pinkprint Tour and also became the first female artist to chart four songs simultaneously in the top 10 of Billboard's Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop airplay chart.[133] At the 2015 BET Awards, Minaj won her sixth consecutive award for Best Female Hip-Hop Artist, becoming the female rapper with most wins in that category.[134]

In September 2015, it was announced that Minaj would executive produce and appear in a scripted single-camera comedy series for ABC Family (now Freeform) based on her life growing up in Queens, New York.[135] The show was titled Nicki and the pilot episode was filmed in Minaj's hometown in January 2016.[135] In October 2016, Minaj stated the filming was postponed for undisclosed reasons.[136] In 2015, Madame Tussauds unveiled a wax figure of Minaj, which depicted her bent down on her hands and knees—the pose from the "Anaconda" music video.[137][138] The attraction received criticism from some, including rapper Azealia Banks and The Independent, who called it "sexist" and "racist".[139][140] Despite this, Minaj voiced her approval of the wax figure on social media.[141] After numerous visitors began taking sexually suggestive photos with Minaj's statue,[142] the museum instituted extra security.[141][143]

In May 2015, it was announced that Minaj would feature in the third installment of the Barbershop film series, alongside Ice Cube, Cedric the Entertainer, Eve, and other original cast members.[144] Titled Barbershop: The Next Cut, the film was released on April 15, 2016, and received critical acclaim, earning an average score of 93% on Rotten Tomatoes; the site's critical consensus reads, "Heartfelt, thought-provoking, and above all funny, Barbershop: The Next Cut is the rare belated sequel that more than lives up to the standard set by its predecessors."[145] Minaj's character in the film is a "sassy" hairdresser named Draya.[144] For her performance, she was nominated for a Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Actress: Comedy.[146]

In February 2017, Minaj was featured on Jason Derulo's single "Swalla",[147] which reached the top ten in several countries, including a peak of number six in the UK singles chart.[148] The following month, Minaj signed with the major modeling agency, Wilhelmina Models.[149] On March 20, 2017, when her singles "No Frauds", "Changed It", and "Regret in Your Tears" were released simultaneously, Minaj broke the record for the most Billboard Hot 100 entries for a female artist, which was previously held by Aretha Franklin.[150] In May, Minaj opened the 2017 Billboard Music Awards with a medley performance that was described by a Rolling Stone writer as "flamboyantly produced" and "dexterous".[151]

Throughout the remainder of 2017, Minaj performed guest verses on several singles, including Migos' "MotorSport" and Yo Gotti's "Rake It Up", both of which peaked inside the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100 chart, at numbers six and eight, respectively.[152] She also featured on Katy Perry's "Swish Swish", which peaked at 46 on the chart and was certified platinum in the US and Canada.[153]

Minaj performing at the 2018 MTV Video Music Awards

Minaj announced her fourth album, Queen, on the red carpet at the 2018 Met Gala; the album was scheduled to be released on June 15, 2018,[154] but was delayed multiple times before being released on August 10, 2018.[155][156][157] Its lead single, "Chun-Li", was released on April 12, 2018, and peaked at number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100.[158] She performed the song on Saturday Night Live and the 2018 BET Awards.[159][160] Another single, "Barbie Tingz", was released alongside "Chun-Li", but did not make the final album cut. It is, however, included on the Target version of the album.[161] Queen's second single, "Bed", featuring Ariana Grande, was released on June 14, 2018, alongside the album pre-order, and peaked at number 42 on the Hot 100.[162][163][164] On July 22, 2018, Tekashi 6ix9ine's single "Fefe", which featured Minaj, was released and debuted at number four on the Billboard Hot 100.[165] "Fefe" marked Minaj's highest bow on the chart as a featured artist, besting the sixth place start of "Bang Bang" in 2014.[166] It later peaked at number three on the Hot 100,[165] and was added to Queen in the middle of its first tracking week.[167]

The day before the album's release, Minaj launched her own Beats 1 radio show, Queen Radio.[168][169] Queen debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200 with 185,000 album-equivalent units, of which 78,000 came from pure album sales.[170] It also debuted at number five in the UK and at number four in Australia, marking the highest debut of Minaj's career in the latter country.[171][172] Upon debuting second on the Billboard 200, Minaj expressed frustration and criticized several people in a series of tweets, including Travis Scott, whose album Astroworld claimed the top spot for a second week in a row, blocking Queen from the top spot.[173] Queen's roll-out and the ensuing controversy was criticized by several news outlets and commentators.[174][175][176][177] Queen received generally favorable reviews,[178] though some critics took issue with the album's length and lyrical content. Mosi Reeves of Rolling Stone wrote that Queen "brings a new Nicki Minaj character: the regal, haughty monarch, a woman who insists on sword-sharpened rhymes as a prerogative for excellence", but described "a flabby, meandering mid-section". In a mixed review, Bryan Rolli of Forbes concluded that Queen is "a great 10-song album hiding inside a messy 19-song album", but said it "gives fans plenty to sink their teeth into".[179] For The Washington Post, Chris Richards felt the "songs are way too long, and there are far too many of them". He also wrote that Minaj's "sense of melody feels stale and flavorless".[180]

Minaj performing with Little Mix at the 2018 MTV Europe Music Awards

On August 20, Minaj won her fourth MTV Video Music Award for the "Chun-Li" music video at the 35th annual ceremony.[181] Later that month, BTS' single, "Idol", featuring Minaj, was released; it debuted and peaked at number 11 on Billboard Hot 100, making it the group's second highest charting song.[182] On October 12, 2018, British girl group Little Mix released their single featuring Minaj, "Woman Like Me",[183] which debuted at number 5 in the UK.[184] A music video, which features Minaj wearing "Elizabethan ruff and not much else", was released the same month.[185][186] A BBC writer opined that the video "tackle[s] gender stereotypes".[187] Minaj was featured on Tyga's song "Dip", which reached number 63 on the Hot 100, making her the first female artist to have 100 entries on the chart.[188] She later attended the year-end Billboard Women in Music event, receiving the Game Changer Award for the accomplishment.[189]

Minaj also participated in a series of music festivals. On September 2, 2018, Minaj co-headlined the annual Made in America Festival and suffered a wardrobe malfunction.[190][191] In November 2018, Minaj was invited to the DWP music festival in China but did not perform due to problems with the company hosting the event.[192] In April 2019, Minaj made a guest appearance at the 2019 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival during Ariana Grande's set and performed alongside her to their collaborations "Side to Side" and "Bang Bang". However, she experienced technical difficulties with her earpiece.[193] Later that month, Minaj parted ways with her longtime management team after a mutual agreement.[194]

In June 2019, Minaj released her first solo song of 2019, titled "Megatron". In July, she provided information on her forthcoming fifth studio album, appearing on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon stating "You're the first to find out ... of course there's a new album."[195] She appeared on the song "Hot Girl Summer" alongside Megan Thee Stallion in August 2019, which debuted and peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100.[196] Minaj had a voice role in The Angry Birds Movie 2, released in the same month.[197] On November 1, 2019, Minaj appeared on the Charlie's Angels: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack on the song "Bad To You", along with Ariana Grande and Normani. The song peaked at 51 in the UK.[198] The following week, "Tusa", Minaj's collaboration with Colombian singer Karol G, was released to streaming platforms. The track peaked at number 51 on the Billboard Hot 100 and reached the top of many other charts, notably the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart.[199]

After a social media hiatus, she returned to both Twitter and Instagram on January 30, 2020, to announce her appearance as a guest judge on the premiere episode of the twelfth season on the American reality competition series RuPaul's Drag Race.[200] The next day, her collaboration with American singer Meghan Trainor entitled "Nice to Meet Ya" was released accompanied by a music video.[201] Soon after posting a snippet of a new, untitled track, Minaj announced that she would be returning to music with her first solo song of 2020, titled "Yikes" which was released on February 7, 2020.[202][203]

On May 1, 2020, American rapper Doja Cat featured Minaj on two remixes of her song "Say So". That week, the remix topped the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Minaj's first single to reach number-one on the chart.[204] It also marked the first time that a song by two female rap artists reached the top,[205] and the first female collaboration since "Fancy" by Iggy Azalea featuring Charli XCX (2014) to peak atop the chart.[206] Minaj also broke the record for having the longest wait to reach the top of the Hot 100, as the remix became her 109th entry on the chart.[206] Minaj charted for two weeks as a featured artist.[207] On June 12, 2020, 6ix9ine and Minaj released "Trollz", which became their third collaboration. It debuted atop the Hot 100, becoming Minaj's second number-one single.[208] This made Minaj the second female rapper to debut atop the Hot 100 chart since Lauryn Hill did so in 1998 with "Doo Wop (That Thing)".[209] As it dropped to 34, "Trollz" became the first single to fall over 30 positions in its second week after debuting at number one, breaking the record for largest fall from number one in the country at the time;[210] the record was broken by Taylor Swift's "Willow" which dropped to 38 after debuting atop of the chart.[211]

On July 30, 2020, Minaj collaborated with ASAP Ferg and MadeinTYO for the track "Move Ya Hips".[212][213] Dropping 80 spots in its second week from number 19 to 99, the single broke the record for the largest fall in Hot 100 history.[214] Almost a month later, Minaj featured on Ty Dolla Sign's track, "Expensive" and featured in the video for it.[215][216] She continued to appear as a featured artist on several songs into late 2020,[217][218] and released "What That Speed Bout!?" with Mike Will Made It and YoungBoy Never Broke Again on November 6.[219] Later that month, Minaj announced a six-part docuseries cataloging her life set to premiere on HBO Max.[220]

Minaj performing during the Femme Fatale Tour in 2011

Minaj is known for her animated rapping style and her unique flow. Her rapping is distinctive for its speed and the use of alter egos and accents, primarily British cockney.[221][5] She often both sings and raps in her songs and combines metaphors, punch lines, and word play into her work. The alter egos are incorporated with her lyrics in British accents (Roman Zolanski) or soft-spokenness (Harajuku Barbie). Ice-T said about Minaj's rapping style, "[Minaj] does her thing. She has her own way of doing it. She has an ill vocal delivery. She kind of reminds me of a female Busta Rhymes, like how she throws her voice in different directions."[222]

The New York Times called Minaj "a sparkling rapper with a gift for comic accents and unexpected turns of phrase. She's a walking exaggeration, outsize in sound, personality and look. And she's a rapid evolver, discarding old modes as easily as adopting new ones."[5] Although many critics describe her technique as bubblegum rap, Minaj said: "What people don't know is that before I was doing that craziness I was doing me, I was just doing regular sounding rap that anyone could hear and identify with. But once I started doing all that weird shit—I'm not mad at it because it got everyone's attention."[223]

Noted as a rap artist, she lends herself to electronic music genres (especially electropop).[224] Pink Friday marked her exploration of the genres, spawning electro songs including the pop-laden "Super Bass".[225][226] Also combining rap with synthesizer music, Minaj's second album had a number of electro-hop and electro pop songs: "HOV Lane", "Whip It", "Automatic", "Come on a Cone", "Young Forever", "Fire Burns",[227] "Roman Holiday"[228] and "Beez in the Trap";[229] while "Starships" is a eurodance song.[230] She collaborated with other artists, which led to more electronic songs: "The Boys" with singer Cassie and "Beauty and a Beat" with Justin Bieber.[231]

Her verse on Kanye West's "Monster" was critically acclaimed and contributed greatly to her popularity; many critics said she had the best verse in the song.[232][233] Her verse was listed by Complex as the best rap verse of the 2010s.[234] West claimed at one point he considered deleting her verse from the track, because he was worried it would outshine his own work:

It was like that moment when I thought about taking Nicki's verse off of "Monster" because I knew people would say that was the best verse on the best Hip Hop album of all time or arguably top ten albums of all time. And I would do all that work, eight months of work on "Dark Fantasy" and people to this day would say to me 'My favorite thing was Nicki Minaj's verse.' So if I let my ego get the best of me instead of letting that girl get the shot to get that platform to be all she could be, I would take it off or marginalize her, try to stop her from having that shining moment…[235]

Tara Colley of The Conversation described Minaj as a "pre-eminent female rapper" and that she has "consistently straddled the distinct personas of gangsta boss and sexy pop siren without truly committing to either" and that "her chameleonic ability" matches "some of rap's most verbose, witty, filthy and pop-friendly" stars such as Eminem and Lil Wayne.[236]

With her parents frequently fighting during her childhood, Minaj lived through characters she created as a means of escape. She recalled that "fantasy was my reality" and her first identity was Cookie, who became Harajuku Barbie and (later) Nicki Minaj.[237] In November 2010, Minaj assumed the alter ego Nicki Teresa, wearing a colorful headdress and calling herself "healer to her fans" during a visit to the Garden of Dreams Foundation at Fuse Studios in New York.[238] She introduced another alter ego, Rosa (pronounced with an exaggerated R), to commemorate her December 2010 appearance on Lopez Tonight.[239]

One of Minaj's most well-known alter-egos is "a demon inside her" named Roman Zolanski (named after film director Roman Polanski with modified surname), Minaj's "twin brother", whose character she assumes when she is angry.[240] Roman has been compared to Eminem's alter ego Slim Shady, and on "Roman's Revenge" Minaj and Eminem collaborate as their alter egos.[241] On her next album, she said that there would be a lot of Roman: "And if you're not familiar with Roman, then you will be familiar with him very soon. He's the boy that lives inside of me. He's a lunatic and he's gay and he'll be on there a lot."[242] Roman has a mother, Martha Zolanski,[243] who appeared on "Roman's Revenge" with a British accent[244] and singing on "Roman Holiday" for the first time.[245][246] Martha appeared in the "Moment 4 Life" video as Minaj's apparent fairy godmother.[240]

According to Minaj, rappers Jay-Z (left) and Foxy Brown (right) are her two major influences

Minaj cites Foxy Brown and Jay-Z as major influences: "I really loved [Foxy] as a female rapper. I was really interested in her mind and her aura [and] I was really, really into Jay-Z. Me and my friends in high school, we were reciting all of the Jay lyrics. His words were our words in our conversations all the time."[247] She said, further: "I never really told Foxy how much she has influenced me and how much she changed my life, and you've gotta tell people that when they're alive to even be able to take the compliment, instead of paying tribute to them when they're no longer here", adding that Foxy Brown was "the most influential female rapper" for her,[248] though she initially was compared to Lil Kim when she debuted. Nicki and Lil Kim, often cited as Foxy's main rap rival, have reportedly exchanged words with each other, on social media and in their music.[249] Minaj and Foxy colloborated on the song "Coco Chanel" off Minaj's fourth album, Queen.[250]

Jada Pinkett Smith is one of Minaj's role models in her acting career.[251] Minaj was inspired by R&B singer Monica, singing "Why I Love You So Much" at every talent show she entered. While performing in Atlanta as part of her Pink Friday Tour, she called Monica one of her all-time greatest musical influences. Minaj has also cited Madonna,[252] Enya,[253] Lil Wayne,[254] Eminem,[254] Beyoncé, Kanye West, Trina and Drake as influences.[255]

She called Betsey Johnson a fashion inspiration: "[Betsey] is a free spirit. When I met her the other day, I felt like I knew her for my whole life. She's so warm and considerate and caring. She's amazingly talented and I've been wearing her clothes forever, so to meet her was like, 'Yay!' [I was] bowing down to her; she's dope!"[256] Minaj has also expressed appreciation for Cyndi Lauper's style and how her videos inspired her as a teenager: "When I first went to get my hair colored, I was about 14 and I wanted blonde highlights. The beautician said, 'No, you have to get your mother on the phone,' and I was just crying and begging. I've always been experimenting. Cyndi Lauper's videos – that's what intrigued me."[257]

Minaj promoting her first fragrance "Pink Friday" in 2012

Minaj has a prominent line of fragrances first launched in September 2012. She partnered with 'Give Back Brands' to introduce her first fragrance, "Pink Friday",[326] which was nominated for three 2013 FiFi Awards for Fragrance of the Year, Best Packaging, and Media Campaign of the Year.[327] A "Pink Friday: Special Edition" was released in April 2013 and a deluxe edition version of the fragrance, titled "Pink Friday: Deluxe Edition", was also launched in December 2013.[328][329] Her fourth and fifth fragrance line, "Minajesty", was launched in September 2013[330] followed by a flanker fragrance, "Minajesty: Exotic Edition", which was released exclusively to the Home Shopping Network in June 2014. This was followed by the launch of her sixth fragrance line, "Onika", in September 2014.[331] A year later in 2015, Minaj release "The Pinkprint", her seventh fragrance in support of her third studio album of the same name.[332] In 2016, Minaj launched her eighth fragrance "Trini Girl."[333] In 2018, in support of her fourth studio album, she released her ninth fragrance, "Queen."[334]

Minaj has been affiliated with several manufacturing companies and has endorsed a number of products during her career. She has also stated that she has learned the ins and outs of business so she could do it herself.[335] Her first collaboration was a November 2010 endorsement deal with MAC Cosmetics which sold a lipstick, "Pink 4 Friday", for four consecutive Fridays to promote her album Pink Friday.[336] In 2011, Minaj helped introduce the Casio TRYX in Times Square, and created a six-piece nail polish collection for OPI Products with colors named after her songs.[337][338] In April 2012, Minaj helped launch the Nokia Lumia 900 in Times Square.[339] The following month, Minaj appeared in television and internet advertisements for Pepsi's "LiveForNow" campaign, which featured a remix of her single "Moment 4 Life".[340][341] She endorsed the 2012 Viva Glam campaign with Ricky Martin, which raised $270 million for the Mac AIDS Fund.[342][343] With designer Jeremy Scott, Minaj signed an endorsement deal with Adidas' fall and winter 2012 campaign to appear in internet advertisements and commercials for Adidas Originals. Set to her song, "Masquerade", her segment of the advertisement was filmed in Brooklyn and also featured Big Sean, Derrick Rose, Sky Ferreira and 2NE1 in other locations worldwide.[344][345]

In 2011, Mattel crafted a Barbie doll with Minaj's likeness for charity, which Minaj described as a "major moment" in her career.[346] A spokeswoman for Mattel stated that, "Barbie is obviously a pop culture icon [...] and Nicki is a big part of pop culture and also huge within the fashion industry, as well as a big Barbie fan."[346] Matthew Perpetua of Rolling Stone stated that the "Minaj Barbie doll is notable in that the rapper has made Barbie dolls a crucial part of her aesthetic."[347]

In early 2013, Minaj fronted the Viva Glam campaign by herself, which included the introduction of "Nicki 2 lipstick and lip gloss". She also introduced the "Nicki Minaj Collection" clothing line for Kmart, composed of clothing, accessories and housewares.[348][349] In February 2013, Bluewater Comics announced that Minaj would star in the Fame biographical-comic series, debuting in Fame: Nicki Minaj.[350] She partnered with Beats Electronics to introduce her "Pink Pill" speakers in April 2013, appearing with DeRay Davis in a commercial for the speakers that same month.[351][352] In June 2013, Minaj lead an ad campaign for Myx Fusions, a fruit-infused, single serve moscato wine beverage of which she is a part owner.[353][354] In December 2014, Minaj was announced as the new face of the Roberto Cavalli spring/summer 2015 campaign.[355] The campaign images, shot in Los Angeles by Italian photographer Francesco Carrozzini, see Minaj posing in flowy bohemian dresses, defined by embroideries and animal prints typical of the Cavalli brand.[355] On March 30, 2015, it was announced that Minaj is a co-owner of the music streaming service Tidal. The service specializes in lossless audio and high definition music videos. In addition to Minaj and company owner Jay Z, sixteen stakeholders including Beyoncé, Madonna, Rihanna, and Kanye West own a 3% equity stake in the service.[356]

In 2017, she starred in H&M's holiday campaign along with Anna Ewers, Mariacarla Boscono, Jesse Williams, Charlee Fraser, and Elibeidy Dani.[357] In 2019, Minaj began a partnership with the luxury clothing company Fendi who stated that the collaboration "made sense ... she will present it extremely well."[358] Minaj's "Fendi Prints On" collection launched in 2019 on October 14.[359]

Disagreements between Minaj and rapper Remy Ma originated in 2007, when Ma took note of Minaj's freestyle record, nicknamed "Dirty Money", from her mixtape Playtime Is Over (2007).[371] In the record, Minaj recites: "Tell that bitch with the crown to run it like Chris Brown/she won three rounds, I'ma need a hundred thou/like 'Chinatown'—bitches better bow down/oh you ain't know, betcha bitches know now/fuck I got a gun—let her know that I'm the one".[372] Minaj reportedly never confirmed or denied that the song was about Ma.[371] Although Ma and Minaj shared words of encouragement in recent years,[373] their relationship soon soured, and they began releasing verses and songs with lyrics aimed at each other, including Ma's "Money Showers" with Fat Joe and Minaj's "Make Love" with Gucci Mane.[374] On February 25, 2017, Ma released "Shether".[375] On March 3, 2017, during a visit to The Wendy Williams Show, Ma accused Minaj of "trying to keep [her] off of red carpets" and "trying to make sure awards don't go to [her]".[376] A week later, in an interview hosted by BuzzFeed News, Ma stated that she had second thoughts about releasing the diss track, and commented on the difficulties of being a woman in the music industry.[377] Minaj subsequently responded with the song "No Frauds."[378]

Minaj has been embroiled in a feud with rapper Lil' Kim since her success with Pink Friday.[379] Kim accused Minaj of copying her image, saying: "If you are going to steal my swag, you gonna have to pay. Something gotta give. You help me, I help you. That's how it goes to me."[379] Minaj's single "Roman's Revenge" with Eminem was believed to be a response to Kim's comments,[380] although she later denied this.[381] She responded to the situation in an interview with HOT 97's Angie Martinez saying, "She picked a fight with Foxy, then she picked a fight with Eve, then she picked a fight with Remy, then it was Mrs. Wallace, then it was Nicki Minaj. Every time you in the news, it's 'cause you gettin' at somebody! Where's your music? Put your music out, and when I see your name on Billboard, that's when I'll respond to you. Other than that, goodbye. It's Barbie, bitch."[382] Lil' Kim reignited the feud with the release of her mixtape Black Friday (the title of which directly referenced Minaj). The artwork portrays Lil' Kim decapitating Minaj with a sword.[379] A fragment of a diss track called "Tragedy" was released in response by Minaj in April 2011.[383] Following the release of Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded, critics suggested that the track "Stupid Hoe"[384] may have contained attacks directed at Kim. Lil' Kim later suggested in an interview with 105's Breakfast Club that the song "Automatic" was similar to her unreleased material, also calling Minaj "obnoxious" and "catty".[385]

• Pink Friday Tour (2012)
• Pink Friday: Reloaded Tour (2012)
• The Pinkprint Tour (2015)
• The Nicki Wrld Tour (2019)

• Lil Wayne – America's Most Wanted Tour (2008)
• Lil Wayne – I Am Still Music Tour (2011)
• Britney Spears – Femme Fatale Tour (2011)