By some she's known as the modern day Wonder Woman, the next Lil' Kim or Foxy Brown, but she likes to go by the name Nicki Minaj. Her “Wonder Woman” characteristics are embodied in the three facets of Nicki Minaj: Nicki the Ninja, Nicki the Harajuku Barbie and Nicki the Boss. The 23-year-old grew up in Southside Jamaica, Queens, NY, and for those of you who wanted to know her ethnic background, her parents are of Afro-Trinidadian and Indo-Asian origins. She graduated from LaGuardia High School in Manhattan where she studied singing and acting. She started off singing background vocals and hooks for local rappers. In order to stand out from other aspiring singers, she began writing raps, and started out as the lone female in a group, (which she left in 2006).
Nicki Minaj was discovered on MySpace by Dirty Money CEO Fendi, who signed her to his Dirty Money label. After appearing on The Carter Edition of Dirty Money's The Come Up DVD series, Minaj was contacted by Lil Wayne. The two collaborated on a number of mixtape tracks. In April 2007, she released her first mixtape, Playtime Is Over, where she posed as a Barbie doll on the cover. Lil Wayne appeared on the track "Can't Stop, Won't Stop".
Nicki Minaj was discovered on MySpace by Dirty Money CEO Fendi, who signed her to his Dirty Money label. After appearing on The Carter Edition of Dirty Money's The Come Up DVD series, Minaj was contacted by Lil Wayne. The two collaborated on a number of mixtape tracks. In April 2007, she released her first mixtape, Playtime Is Over, where she posed as a Barbie doll on the cover. Lil Wayne appeared on the track "Can't Stop, Won't Stop".
In 2008, Minaj released her mixtape, Sucka Free. Minaj appeared in the July issue of XXL magazine, giving a brief overview of her life up to that point in time. Later that year, Minaj won Female Artist of the Year at the Underground Music Awards. Minaj released Beam Me Up Scotty, another mixtape, in 2009.
What are these three facets of Nicki you ask: Nicki the Ninja is a hip-hop lyrical assassin who’s sometimes naughty. Nicki the Harajuku Barbie accentuates the qualities of an imaginative, fun fashionista that loves all things pink. This is also the muse who ignites the transformation of Nicki’s performances as an R&B/pop singer and future rock star icon. Nicki the Boss is the austere business woman that always thinks outside of the box.
Nicki honed her ability and star potential at the renowned New York school of performing arts featured in the movie and TV series FAME. It wasn’t long before she began to attract the attention of local producers and hip-hop artists. She was reluctant at first to cast herself as a rapper due to the thought the industry would attempt to limit her to one thing, when she knew that she was so much more. She accepted the challenge and has embarked on the journey of a female emcee in a hip-hop world dominated by males.
It wasn’t long before her lyrical skills were sought after by rap powerhouse Lil Wayne. Success was inevitably achieved with her critically acclaimed performance credit on the The Come Up DVD and mixtapes like Play Time is Over and Sucka Free. Nicki’s now a featured artist and the leading lady of Wayne’s record label Young Money Entertainment.
What are these three facets of Nicki you ask: Nicki the Ninja is a hip-hop lyrical assassin who’s sometimes naughty. Nicki the Harajuku Barbie accentuates the qualities of an imaginative, fun fashionista that loves all things pink. This is also the muse who ignites the transformation of Nicki’s performances as an R&B/pop singer and future rock star icon. Nicki the Boss is the austere business woman that always thinks outside of the box.Nicki honed her ability and star potential at the renowned New York school of performing arts featured in the movie and TV series FAME. It wasn’t long before she began to attract the attention of local producers and hip-hop artists. She was reluctant at first to cast herself as a rapper due to the thought the industry would attempt to limit her to one thing, when she knew that she was so much more. She accepted the challenge and has embarked on the journey of a female emcee in a hip-hop world dominated by males.
It wasn’t long before her lyrical skills were sought after by rap powerhouse Lil Wayne. Success was inevitably achieved with her critically acclaimed performance credit on the The Come Up DVD and mixtapes like Play Time is Over and Sucka Free. Nicki’s now a featured artist and the leading lady of Wayne’s record label Young Money Entertainment. Currently unsigned and considering numerous major label deals, Nicki’s in the studio recording her first rap album which will also feature touches of pop and R&B. Nicki’s also considering several acting roles, including playing the lead character of Erica Payne in the film adaptation of the Charge it to the Game by author Michele A. Fletcher and is the current winner of the Under Ground Music Awards (UMA) female artist of the year.
Nicki Minaj, the first lady of Lil Wayne’s Young Money Entertainment, Radio personality DJ Nina Stakz had a lot of good things to say about the Queens, New York native. According to Nina Staks, who witnessed Minaj perform, the “teenage girls in the crowd were loving her ‘Barbie Bitch’ theme.” She also says that Nicki “defintely brings back the glam factor to a genre saturated with ‘D’ boys and dance crazes”.
Nicki Minaj, the first lady of Lil Wayne’s Young Money Entertainment, Radio personality DJ Nina Stakz had a lot of good things to say about the Queens, New York native. According to Nina Staks, who witnessed Minaj perform, the “teenage girls in the crowd were loving her ‘Barbie Bitch’ theme.” She also says that Nicki “defintely brings back the glam factor to a genre saturated with ‘D’ boys and dance crazes”.
Rising stars Pleasure P and Nicki Minaj are among the latest artists to be added to what is sure to become the summer’s most popular tour, the ‘America’s Most Wanted’ tour. Before beginning the ‘America’s Most Wanted’ tour, Nicki Minaj was doing some touring of her own, promoting her most recent project, Beam Me Up Scotty. "It's been hectic for the last couple of months, with me promoting my mixtape and being back in the studio, but I'm definitely excited and looking forward to getting back on the road with Young Money,” said Minaj in a statement. You can download some hot Nicki mixtapes here.
Then ending on the words of Nicki Minaj, “We don’t say bye no more, we say Barbie BITCH!”
♥ t i f f a n y ♥
MISS elleelleeye
Sources: bet.com, memphisrap.com, live.drjays.com
iTz BaRbi3 biSh !