With winning the 2010 best female Hip-Hop artist, and the best new artist, it is no surprise why Nicki Minaj is getting called the “female version of Lil Wayne.” Her great rapping skills, energetic dance moves, and outgoing personality are just a few factors that make her stand out from all the other female singers.
Minaj has rapped her way into many other famous rapper’s albums such as Trey Songz, Lil Wayne, and many more. Has the pink headed singer always rapped about cars, guys, and money, or did she have to work extra hard to get to where she is now?
Onika Tayna Maraj, commonly known as Nicki Minaj, was born on December 8, 1984 in Queens, New York. She lived there with her grandparents until she was five because her parents were constantly fighting. Minaj’s mother would occasionally come and visit her. One day she didn’t just visit Onika, but ended up taking her with her. Minaj has stated in many interviews that her dad was always a very violent person. He drank alcohol, took drugs, and once even tried to kill her mother by setting the house on fire. Despite her rough family life, Minaj was determined to follow her dreams, which was to be famous.
When she was a child she had hopes of being an actress, but as she grew up she realized that she wanted to express her feelings to the world, and she figured music was a great way of doing so. All her music is written by her and expresses the way she feels and what she used to go through. In an interview Minaj gave to Vibe Magazine she stated, “I have a song I wrote called ‘Autobiography.’ I came from a very intense living situation, with having a parent on drugs and not having a lot of money. So I always want to talk about the real things. But I think 90% of my music, I want it to be ‘feel-good music.’ I’m already recording tracks for my album, but when it comes time to actually say, ‘this is the album,’ I may be in a completely different space than I’m in right now.”
Minaj was discovered on MySpace by Dirty Money CEO Fendi, who signed her to his Dirty Money label. Erica White, senior, was estatic when she first heard Nicki Minaj rap in the hit single “Bed Rock.”
“I like Nicki a lot because she expresses her feelings through her music in a way that many of us can relate to. Another reason why I like her so much is because her ability to try out new music styles, such as her new album, which features R&B songs. I admire her because she’s one of the only female rappers out there right now and knows what she is doing.”
Before she became famous, her life wasn’t always luxurious parties at the Ritz Carlton. To escape the pain in her family life, Minaj would imagine herself being a different person. In an interview with New York she stated, “Cookie was my first identity -- that stayed with me for a while. I then went on to ‘Harajuku Barbie’, then ‘Nicki Minaj’. Fantasy was my reality."
One of the reasons many people refer the young artist as the “Lil Wayne” female version is because her raps flow naturally from her. What many people don’t know is that Lil’ Wayne was one of Nicki’s biggest influences. Other people that have influenced her music style include: Lauryn Hill, Jadakiss, Natasha Bedingfield, Foxy Brown, and Missy Elliot.
Nikki Seward, senior, states what she thinks is the best thing about the young rapper. “I love all the songs she raps in and she always includes my name in all the songs which is pretty cool. She’s definitely the best female artist out there."
Despite her extravagant music skills, rapping isn’t the only thing that makes Nicki stand out of the crowd. Her appearance varies every time she makes an appearance on T.V., but the bubblegum hair color says a lot about her personality. She’s nice to the press and great towards her fans. Carly Sabato, senior, gives us her opinion on Minaj. “I like her because she is real and you can tell that from her music and the interviews she has given. I wish there were more people out there that were down to earth like her.”
While talking to students here at MRHS and asking what they like best about the talented rapper, one response that we thought was very interesting was KJ Brent’s, senior.
“I listen to her music because I think it’s really cool that she writes her own lyrics. Not many people can write their own lyrics and have it sound good, especially rapping it.”
In an interview Minaj gave to The Fader, she let us know what the significance of writing her own music is and why she does it, “I am so territorial, that [from the start] I just felt like whatever I was gonna do I was gonna write it myself. Its my personal preference to always be in control of everything I do in life.”
One of the things that people are excited about is her new debut album titled “Pink Friday.” It will be released today, November 19, 2010. The first official single from her album is “Your Love.” We are positive that many people will buy this album and the radio will be blaring her music 24/7, just like they did in October 2010 when Minaj became the first artist to have seven songs on the Billboard Hot 100 chart simultaneously.
Nicki Minaj is definitely not your ordinary, typical artist., but that is what makes her unique, makes people want to listen to her music and follow her fan pages on Twitter and Facebook. This is just the beginning of the young rappers career. There’s no telling where she will take us in her upcoming songs.
“I don't know where I fit in the spectrum of rap yet, I think now I'm kind of proving myself, but before, people thought of I was more of a sex symbol or wannabe sex symbol. Now they're seeing. That's why I make the goofiest faces, I don't want people to think I'm up here trying to be cute. I'm trying to just show my true personality, and I think that means more than anything else. I think when personality is at the forefront, its not about male or female, its just about, who is this weird character?” -- Nicki Minaj