Our September cover star Nicki Minaj has just collected the coveted MTV Video Vanguard Award for her career of hits at the recent VMA’s. Widely regarded as the pinnacle of the music industry awards, Nicki scooping this for her career at aged 39 is a staggering nod to the rapper.
Nicki also co-hosted the 2022 VMA’s with Jack Harlow and LL Cool J on August 28th at the Prudential Center in New Jersey, and even took to the stage to perform a medley of her songs.
On receiving her Video Vanguard Award (won by major artists including The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Madonna and David Bowie) Nicki dedicated her award to all those in the music industry that have inspired her and made a poignant tribute to mental health sufferers.
“I wish that Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson were here,” she said. “I wish that people understood what they meant, what they were going through and took mental health seriously.”
Her performance was out of this world good too. A plethora of pop and colour that deserved its standing ovation.
Often cited as the “Queen of Rap” and the “Queen of Hip Hop” by media outlets, Minaj is also one of the best-selling music artists, with more than 100 million records sold worldwide to date. She has also become the first female artist to have one hundred Billboard Hot 100 entries and has 21 US top ten singles.
HUMBLE BEGINNINGS
Nicki Minaj comes from a large, close-knit family originally born in Trinidad. At one stage she was living with her brothers, sister and 11 cousins in just one house. Her mother Carol moved to the Bronx in New York to start a better life for the family aged only 24 after leaving her alcoholic abusive partner (Nicki’s Dad), leaving Minaj at home in her grandmother’s care.
When Carol got her house and greencard in the US, Minaj moved from Trinidad to Queens, New York to be with her mother and her immediate family (minus her Dad) aged 5.
After school, she struggled to break into the music scene and acting world and has admitted being sacked from at least 15 jobs in the space of three years before she reached 19! It wasn’t until she met up with Lil’ Wayne the troublemaker Minaj eventually turned hitmaker.
DOUBLE PLATINUM ALL THE WAY
Minaj has absolutely smashed her record sales, getting the highest accolade, “Double Platinum” for more than 2 million record sales for all 4 of her albums released so far. And the good news… a fifth album is on the way.
Within a few years of her first ever mixtape, ‘Playtime Is Over’, being released in 2007, Minaj had made it into the big time.
She solidly established herself on Wayne’s “Young Money Entertainment camp” and was rapping on songs alongside artists like Robin Thicke, Rihanna, Christina Aguilera and Kanye West.
“So let me get this straight/ Wait, I’m the rookie? But my features and my shows 10 times your pay? 50K for a verse No album out!” she announced in her benchmark verse on West’s ‘Monster’ signalling her debut into the music industry.
Nicki Minaj is gutsy and not afraid to tell it like it is. Probably another reason for her unrelenting staying power. Insiders say a collaboration with Nicki is a surefire hit – to this day, she often dwarfs the huge artists she’s featured alongside. Jessie J, Ariana Grande, (in ‘Bang Bang’) Doja Cat and Kanye to name but a few.
Her rapping is also extremely distinctive for its fast flow and the use of alter egos and accents, primarily British cockney. Minaj is also widely known for her colourful costumes, wigs and jewellery too.
She stands out from the plethora of rappers out there today and anyone who is anyone is clawing to work with her.
SCREEN STARLET
Minaj made her blockbuster movie debut alongside Cameron Diaz and Leslie Mann in the 2014 comedy flick ‘The Other Woman’; a gig she characterises as a “minor sideline” project rather than a breakout. She was praised for her comedic talents playing Diaz’s secretary Lydia at a New York-based law firm wearing three different wigs.
“I’m not going to say I’m not focused on acting,” Minaj said, “because I don’t want a director to read this interview and think, Oh, she’s not focused on acting. But it’s not exactly where my heart lies.”
Her first foray into acting was voicing the comical character Steffie in ‘Ice Age 4: Continental Drift’ in 2012 and since her big screen debut in ‘The Other Women’ she has dabbled in various roles as a performing artist and/or writer. She starred in the recent Netflix hit ‘Me Time’ alongside Kevin Hart and Mark Whalberg and in TV show ‘Queens.’
A DIVERSIFYING DIVA
Minaj is an entrepreneur at heart and like any good businesswoman she is constantly finding new ways to connect with her varied audiences, whether it’s via music, campaigns for brands including Pepsi, Moscato, MAC Cosmetics and K-Mart or even producing bottles of perfume shaped like her more than ample bust! She knows how to market herself!
She has tackled and taken over the sometimes “snobbish” fashion glitterati too with campaigns for Louis Vuitton, Burberry and Dior to name drop a few.
Minaj has been described by pals as “a tough cookie”, “smart businesswoman” and a “little bit crazy”. From sell-out tours, to movies, to rap collaborations anything Nicki Minaj seems to touch turns to gold – including our front cover.
