Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty, known professionally as Nicki Minaj, is a Trinidadian-born rapper, singer, and songwriter who has become one of the most influential figures in hip-hop. Born on December 8, 1982, in Saint James, Trinidad and Tobago, she moved to the Queens borough of New York City at the age of five. Her early life was marked by a turbulent home environment, which she has stated fueled her ambition to succeed. Minaj attended LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, where she studied acting.
Career Beginnings
Minaj initially pursued acting but later turned her focus to music, taking on backup singing roles for local New York City rappers. She began to gain recognition by releasing a series of mixtapes between 2007 and 2009: Playtime Is Over (2007), Sucka Free (2008), and Beam Me Up Scotty (2009). Her distinctive style and lyrical prowess on these mixtapes caught the attention of rapper Lil Wayne, who signed her to his Young Money Entertainment label in 2009.
Rise to Stardom
Minaj's debut studio album, Pink Friday, was released in 2010 and became a commercial success, eventually topping the U.S. Billboard 200 chart. The album featured the hit single "Super Bass," which peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified diamond by the RIAA. Her second album, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded (2012), saw her explore more dance-pop sounds and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. This album included the worldwide hit "Starships". She returned to her hip-hop roots with her third album, The Pinkprint (2014), which featured the popular and provocative single "Anaconda." Her fourth album, Queen (2018), included the platinum-certified single "Chun-Li."
Recent Work
In 2020, Minaj achieved her first two Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles with her features on the remix of Doja Cat's "Say So" and her collaboration with 6ix9ine, "Trollz". She earned her first solo number-one song on the Hot 100 in 2022 with "Super Freaky Girl". This track made her the first solo female rapper to debut at number one since 1998. Her fifth studio album, Pink Friday 2, was released in 2023 and debuted at number one, making her the female rapper with the most number-one albums in U.S. history.
Impact and Achievements
Often referred to as the "Queen of Rap," Nicki Minaj is one of the best-selling music artists worldwide, with over 100 million records sold. She is credited with revitalizing female rap in the 2010s. Her accolades include numerous American Music Awards, BET Awards, MTV Video Music Awards, and Billboard Music Awards. In 2016, Time magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world. She also holds the Guinness World Record for the most Billboard Hot 100 entries by a female artist.