The Evolution of Nicki Minaj
Happy Birthday, Nicki!
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The Evolution of Nicki Minaj - Nicki Minaj is a powerhouse still in the making. The rapper, entrepreneur and rising media mogul has transformed her love for music into a burgeoning empire. Hailing from humble beginnings and pushing forward with steadfast determination, the Pink Friday star is well on her way to making history, particularly for women in hip hop.(Photo: John Ricard / BET)
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Trini Gyal, Queens-bred - Born in Trinidad, raised in Queens, Onika Tanya Meraj spent much of her life in New York. Graduating from the esteemed LaGuardia High School, known for their performing arts program, she was trained as a drama major, which would prepare her for a creative music career as Nicki Minaj. (Photo: Public Domain)
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Rap Beginnings - Starting her rap career as part of a group called Hoodstars, Nicki eventually broke off to do her own thing and was discovered by Fendi, CEO of Dirty Money Entertainment. After signing to his label and changing her name from Nicki Maraj to Nicki Minaj, she began to gain respect for her budding talent. (Photo: jamesdelgattofilms)
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Playtime Is Over - The artist began releasing mixtapes like Playtime Is Over, Sucka Free and Beam Me Up Scotty to attract more attention to her flow. She caught the attention of TV networks like BET and MTV, plus some major media outlets. Her efforts would not go unnoticed. (Photo: Young Money)
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Young Money - In 2009, Nicki Minaj signed her first major record deal with Lil Wayne's Young Money Entertainment. Ready to take her career to the next level, she began getting attention for her outrageous features on major artists' hit songs, making her an up-and-coming household name.(Photo: Gregg DeGuire/PictureGroup)
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Holding It Down for the Ladies - While Nicki Minaj wasn't YM's first lady, she was their first female rap artist. Apart from R&B singer Shanell, the hip hop star received major attention for being the new popular rap crew's token girl while appearing on hit YM songs like "Roger That" and "Bedrock." (Photo: Young Money)
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Split Personalities - In making an effort to be different from past female MCs, Nicki Minaj began incorporating wacky voices and personalities into her flow. Complemented by her crazy sense of style and colorful wigs, her dramatic performances on records, music videos and live stages would hype fans for the release of her first album.(Photo: Def Jam)
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Pink Friday - Nicki Minaj released her first studio album, Pink Friday, on November 19, 2010. "Your Love" was the first official single off the record, peaking at No. 14 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album also included collaborations with major stars like Rihanna, Drake, Will.i.am and Kanye West.(Photo: Young Money)
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Nicki vs. Kim - With the hip hop star's rising success, of course, the comparisons to Lil' Kim were inevitable. Nicki Minaj's fashion choices and several of her promotional photographs resembled the earlier hip hop celeb, which caused Kim to call out Nicki for jacking her style. While the Pink Friday rapper claimed to always show love to Kim, the two eventually became arch enemies. Kim even released a mixtape full of disses toward Minaj called Black Friday. (Photos from left: Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images, Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
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The Grammys - Nicki Minaj is a four-time Grammy nominee for Best New Artist, Best Rap Album, Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group. She received her first nod in 2011, and then her last three in 2012, where she graced the ceremony's stage.(Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
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The Super Bowl - The raptress secured her first Super Bowl performance at the 2012 XLVI Halftime Show in Indianapolis, Indiana with Madonna. It was clear that Nicki Minaj's success had gone from a hip hop phenomenon to a pop culture frenzy.(Photo: Al Bello/Getty Images)
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Roman Reloaded - Nicki Minaj's second studio album, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded, was another commercial success, drawing from her hardcore Roman personaity. With numerous charting singles like "Starships" and "Right by My Side" featuring Chris Brown, the music celeb propelled her reign and launched two world tours.(Photo: Young Money)
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American Idol Pop Stardom - The rapping pop star recently signed on to become a judge for American Idol Season 12, but not without drama. Joining country star Keith Urban and R&B diva Mariah Carey, the outspoken Nicki Minaj would become a magnet for press, including feuds between her and Carey, plus disputes with past judge Steven Tyler and Barbara Walters.(Photo: MICHAEL BECKER/FOX)
