“I fly with the stars in the skies,
I am no longer trying to survive,
I believe that life is a prize,
But to live doesn’t mean you’re alive,
Don’t worry bout me and who I fire
I get what I desire it’s my empire
And yes I call the shots I am the umpire.”
She’s taking the entertainment industry by storm, and yes, she seems to have gotten what she has dreamed of since she was a young girl living in South Jamaica, Harlem, New York. Most of the world would not know her name if it weren’t for a little help from the man running the show: Lil’ Wayne. But given her fiercely competitive nature and (virtually unchallenged) seat as music’s Best Female Rapper of the Millennium, gives Nicki Minaj a pretty comfortable seat upon the throne of Rap and Hip-Hop. And hey, it doesn’t hurt if Drake has a small crush (ahem, serious obsession) with you, right?
Born on December 8, 1984 as Onika Maraj, the aspiring actress and singer changed her name to what it is today but the reason remains somewhat vague. According to 365Sing.com, she “started calling herself ‘Minaj’ because she started ‘eating chicks’ with her vicious rap skills.” Hmmm…right. Anyways, Minaj chose to ignore any sort of conventional spelling of her new surname, and left the “J” at the end because it resembled the original title.
Apparently, she has been fickle with this name game: “Aside from her original moniker, Minaj also uses an array of aliases to describe herself, such as; ‘Nicki Lewenski’ and ‘Sit on your favorite rapper’s face.’” Like I said, not completely traditional. Despite struggling with family issues, the teenage Minaj was able to complete her high school education on time and graduated with her degree from La Guardia in Manhattan.
Fast-forward to present time, and the girl has become featured on seemingly every track produced by Wayne’s Young Money label. She performed a duet last year at the MTV Video Music Awards with Will.i.am, wearing a powerfully purple space-suit ensemble during their hit “Check It Out.” In addition to the VMAs, The Ellen DeGenerous Show, BET, Summer Jam, and numerous others have welcomed Minaj into their exclusive families. Definitely keep your eyes open for those colorful and crazy wigs, sky-high heels and completely constricting get-ups that are Nicki Minaj.
“And this very moment I’m king
This very moment I slay Goliath with a sling,
This very moment I bring
Put it on everything that I will retire with the ring,
And I will retire with the crown, Yes!” –Nicki Minaj’s Moment 4 Life