Nicki Minaj has been a part of the music industry for more than a decade.
Her humble beginnings in the mixtape era resulted in the release of her debut album, “Pink Friday,” and the eventual massive success of “Super Bass,” which catapulted her to the ranks of pop and hip-hop music’s greatest artists of all time.
Minaj, 39, has sat down with JT of City Girls and i-D Magazine to discuss her recent endeavors and upcoming projects as she ushers in a new era of her music.
Nicki Minaj, widely regarded as an outspoken artist, has earned a reputation for making controversial statements on social media. However, in a recent conversation with ID, she explained why she does this.
She pointed out:
“Well, there’s a huge misconception with people who come across as outspoken. The misconception is that we’re so strong. Just because a person fights back doesn’t mean they’re not afraid. I have suppressed years’ worth of things that I’ve wanted to say. People have lied about me, and I didn’t respond. There’s always been a level of fear there because this is a business.”
Minaj treats her music as a job, just like any other 9-5 office job. She succinctly explained how, if she did not speak up, she would lose her job and be unable to pay her bills, just like any other American worker.
But she did point out the double standard that the public has applied to her statements.
Minaj admitted:
“I see the hip-hop community praise so many other people for speaking up for themselves, but for some reason, they seem to have an issue when I do it. Once I realised that there’s that double standard, I decided I don’t give a shi-t anymore.”
Minaj recently received a lot of backlash online after reports that her record-breaking single “Super Freaky Girl,” classified as a rap song, was moved from the rap categories to the pop categories by the Recording Academy’s rap committee.
Minaj, being the outspoken lady that she is, took to social media to express her concerns, noting that if “SFG” was to be recategorized to pop, Latto’s sonically similar song “Big Energy” should be moved as well (BE remains on rap, according to reports), sparking a fiery back and forth between the two rappers on social media.