Watching old Nicki Minaj interviews on YouTube is pretty fascinating. In one clip from 2009 she explains her favorite saying, “Step your cookies up.”

“It has nothing to do with sex. It just means that whatever you’re doing, step it up. It’s almost like self-empowerment for girls. I have so many young fans now, and I feel like I have a responsibility to them to be a little smarter with my words. I mean, I still say crazy s--t, but you know, as my catchphrase? I wanted it to be kid-friendly. So it’s step your cookies up, and it means going to college, it means being business-savvy as a girl—no matter how old you are, just putting your business first—and I pride myself on doing that. And so, to all my Harajuku Barbies, that’s what I look for in a BFF.”

Even if you’re a Nicki Minaj hater, you can’t be mad at the girl for empowering the youth. 

(Photo:  Getty Images)