Nicki Minaj is the undisputed Queen of Rap — a Trinidadian-American artist who transformed hip-hop's gender landscape, broke records previously held only by male artists, and built a commercial and cultural empire that has made her the most successful female rapper in history. Her extraordinary versatility, technical rapping ability, and magnetic stage persona have influenced virtually every female rapper who has followed her.
Early Life
Onika Tanya Maraj was born on December 8, 1982, in Saint James, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. When she was five years old, she moved with her mother to South Jamaica, Queens, New York City, joining her father Robert Maraj, who had already immigrated to the United States. Her childhood was marked by instability and hardship — her father struggled with drug and alcohol addiction and at one point set fire to the family home. Despite these difficulties, she excelled academically and was accepted to the highly competitive Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music and Art and Performing Arts in Manhattan, where she studied drama. It was while working as a waitress at Red Lobster in her early twenties — after being fired multiple times from other jobs — that she committed entirely to music.
Career
Nicki Minaj began her career releasing three mixtapes between 2007 and 2009 — Playtime Is Over, Sucka Free, and Beam Me Up Scotty — that established her reputation as a technically formidable rapper. Lil Wayne signed her to Young Money Entertainment in 2009. Her debut studio album Pink Friday (2010) debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and made her the first female solo rap artist to debut at number one in over a decade. She became a judge on American Idol Season 12 (2013), and released critically acclaimed albums Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded (2012), The Pinkprint (2014), and Queen (2018). Her single Super Bass (2011) was one of the first rap songs to cross over to mainstream pop radio in the streaming era. She became the first female solo artist to have 100 entries on the Billboard Hot 100. In 2024 she released her highly anticipated fifth studio album Pink Friday 2 and embarked on the Pink Friday 2 World Tour, which was one of the highest-grossing female rap tours in history. She has collaborated with nearly every major artist in pop and hip-hop, from Beyoncé and Rihanna to Eminem and Drake.
Net Worth
As of 2026, Nicki Minaj's estimated net worth is approximately $150 million. Her income is generated through her music catalog, tour revenue, her fragrance line (which has generated over $70 million in sales), brand partnerships, acting work, her Fendi and other fashion collaborations, and her social media revenue from one of the largest followings on Instagram.
Personal Life
Nicki Minaj married her childhood friend Kenneth Petty on October 21, 2019. Petty is a convicted sex offender, a fact that caused significant public controversy. Together they have a son, Papa Bear (whose full legal name has not been made public), born on September 30, 2020. Petty was convicted in 2023 in federal court for failing to register as a sex offender in California, and in 2024 was sentenced to probation and house arrest. The couple remained married as of 2026.
Quick Facts
- Full Name: Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty
- Date of Birth: December 8, 1982
- Birthplace: Saint James, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago
- Nationality: American (Trinidadian-born)
- Height: 5 ft 2 in
- Net Worth: $150 Million (2026)
- Husband: Kenneth Petty (married October 21, 2019)
- Son: Papa Bear (born September 30, 2020)
- Best Known For: Super Bass, Pink Friday, Pink Friday 2, Queen of Rap title, Billboard Hot 100 records
