History of Nicki Minaj in Timeline
Nicki Minaj, born Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty, is a highly influential Trinidadian rapper, singer, and songwriter. Recognized as the "Queen of Rap," she's celebrated for her unique rap flow, clever lyrics, versatility, and use of alter egos. Minaj is widely credited with spearheading the revival of female rap's popularity in mainstream music from the 2010s onward.
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Nicki Minaj's evolving political stance, including embracing Trump and the MAGA movement, alongside other rappers' endorsements, sparks discussion about motivations and impacts within the music industry and beyond.
1956: Robert Maraj's Birth
In 1956, Robert Maraj, Nicki Minaj's father, was born. He was a financial executive and part-time gospel singer.
December 8, 1982: Onika Tanya Maraj's Birth
On December 8, 1982, Onika Tanya Maraj, who later became known as Nicki Minaj, was born in Saint James, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.
December 1987: Arson Incident
In December 1987, Nicki Minaj's father, who was an alcoholic and crack cocaine addict, committed arson on their house.
1995: Husband's Conviction
In 1995, Kenneth Petty, Nicki Minaj's husband, was convicted of attempted rape at age 16, serving four years in prison and registering as a sex offender upon release.
1997: Aqua released "Barbie Girl"
In 1997, Europop band Aqua released the single "Barbie Girl", which Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice would later sample in their 2023 collaboration, "Barbie World."
1998: Comparisons to Lauryn Hill
In 2010, Pink Friday had the largest sales week for a female rap album in the 21st century and second-highest sales week overall after Lauryn Hill's The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998).
2002: Rapping in Hoodstars
From 2002 to 2004, Nicki Minaj rapped in a New York hip hop group called Hoodstars.
2004: Recorded entrance song for WWE Diva Victoria
In 2004, the group Hoodstars, which included Nicki Minaj, recorded the entrance song "Don't Mess With" for WWE Diva Victoria, featured on the compilation album ThemeAddict: WWE The Music, Vol.6.
2006: Signed to Dirty Money Entertainment
In 2006, Nicki Minaj was signed to Dirty Money Entertainment under a 180-day contract after being contacted by Fendi on Myspace.
July 5, 2007: Release of Playtime Is Over Mixtape
On July 5, 2007, Nicki Minaj released her first mixtape, Playtime Is Over.
2007: Mixtapes between 2007 and 2009
Nicki Minaj gained recognition with her three mixtapes between 2007 and 2009.
April 12, 2008: Sucka Free Mixtape Release
On April 12, 2008, Nicki Minaj released her second mixtape, Sucka Free.
April 18, 2009: Beam Me Up Scotty Mixtape Release
On April 18, 2009, Nicki Minaj released her third mixtape, Beam Me Up Scotty, which received favorable coverage.
October 2009: BET Hip Hop Awards Cypher Freestyle
In October 2009, Nicki Minaj performed a freestyle at the 2009 BET Hip Hop Awards cypher.
2009: Collaboration Album
In 2009, Nicki Minaj appeared on "BedRock" and "Roger That" on the compilation album, We Are Young Money.
2009: Mixtapes between 2007 and 2009
Nicki Minaj gained recognition with her three mixtapes between 2007 and 2009.
February 2010: Billboard Hot 100 Chart Appearances
In February 2010, Nicki Minaj made her first two appearances on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart with her features on "Knockout" and "Up Out My Face" by Lil Wayne and Mariah Carey respectively.
March 29, 2010: Release of Massive Attack
On March 29, 2010, Nicki Minaj released "Massive Attack" featuring Sean Garrett, which was intended as the lead single from her debut album Pink Friday but was later dropped due to poor commercial performance.
November 2010: Minaj Assumed the Alter Ego Nicki Teresa
In November 2010, Nicki Minaj assumed the alter ego Nicki Teresa, wearing a colorful headdress and calling herself "healer to her fans" during a visit to the Garden of Dreams Foundation at Fuse Studios in New York.
November 2010: First Grammy Award Nomination
In November 2010, Nicki Minaj received her first Grammy Award nomination for her guest verse on Ludacris' song "My Chick Bad".
November 19, 2010: Pink Friday Album Release
On November 19, 2010, Nicki Minaj released Pink Friday, which debuted at number two and later reached number one on the Billboard 200.
December 7, 2010: Release of Moment 4 Life
On December 7, 2010, "Moment 4 Life" featuring Drake was released as the fourth single from Pink Friday.
December 2010: Introduction of Rosa Alter Ego
In December 2010, Nicki Minaj introduced another alter ego, Rosa, to commemorate her appearance on Lopez Tonight.
December 2010: Pink Friday Certified Platinum
In December 2010, Pink Friday was certified platinum by the RIAA for accumulating a million units in the United States, becoming the first album by a solo female rapper to go platinum in seven years.
2010: VH1 Divas Salute the Troops Concert
In 2010, Nicki Minaj performed alongside Katy Perry at the VH1 Divas Salute the Troops concert.
2010: Minaj aims to be a balanced artist
In 2010, Nicki Minaj stated her aim to be a "balanced artist", incorporating her unique style and performance into her music to capture the audience's attention.
2010: Release of Pink Friday
In 2010, Nicki Minaj's debut studio album, Pink Friday, was released, achieving the largest female rap album sales week of the 21st century and topping the US Billboard 200. It also featured the single "Super Bass".
January 29, 2011: Saturday Night Live Performance
On January 29, 2011, Nicki Minaj performed "Right Thru Me" and "Moment 4 Life" as the musical guest on Saturday Night Live.
February 2011: Lil' Kim Releases Black Friday Mixtape
In February 2011, Lil' Kim released the mixtape Black Friday, referencing Nicki Minaj, including artwork that showed Lil' Kim decapitating Minaj with a sword and lyrics dissing her.
2011: Cousin Nicholas Telemaque's Murder
In 2011, Nicki Minaj's cousin, Nicholas Telemaque, was murdered near his home in Brooklyn. This event was later referenced in her songs "All Things Go" and "Champion".
2011: Nicki Minaj interview
In a 2011 interview, Nicki Minaj said that before she met Lil Wayne, someone spearheading her career told her not to be too playful, kooky and weird, so she stifled a lot of that early on, and then once that they parted ways, she was like, 'Guess what, I'm gonna just be me.'
2012: Called the most influential female rapper of all time
In 2012, Jon Caramanica of The New York Times called Nicki Minaj "the most influential female rapper of all time".
2012: Hurricane Sandy Relief Efforts
In 2012, Nicki Minaj donated $15,000 to the Food Bank For New York City and held a turkey drive at her alma mater, PS 45, following Hurricane Sandy.
2012: First Album since 2012 to Debut Atop Billboard 200
In 2012, Nicki Minaj released her first album to debut atop Billboard 200.
2012: Release of Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded
In 2012, Nicki Minaj released her second US number-one album, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded, which explored dance-pop and featured the top-five single "Starships".
2012: Voice acted in Ice Age: Continental Drift
In 2012, Nicki Minaj voice acted in the animated film Ice Age: Continental Drift.
2013: Judge on American Idol
In 2013, Nicki Minaj served as a judge on the twelfth season of American Idol.
2014: Minaj's success an exception for women rappers
In 2014, Erik Nielson of NPR noted that Nicki Minaj's success over the last decade was an exception to the unwritten rule that women rappers no longer have a place among elite artists.
2014: Acted in The Other Woman
In 2014, Nicki Minaj acted in the comedy film The Other Woman.
2014: Release of The Pinkprint
In 2014, Nicki Minaj returned to her hip-hop roots with the release of The Pinkprint, which produced the singles "Anaconda" and "Chun-Li".
2015: Comment on Charleston Church Shooting
In 2015, Nicki Minaj commented on the Charleston church shooting, where multiple people were murdered.
2015: Named world's biggest female rap superstar
In 2015, Vanessa Grigoriadis from The New York Times magazine called Nicki Minaj "the world's biggest female rap superstar".
March 2016: Pink Friday Certified Triple-Platinum
As of March 2016, Pink Friday has been certified triple-platinum by the RIAA.
2016: Acted in Barbershop: The Next Cut
In 2016, Nicki Minaj acted in the comedy film Barbershop: The Next Cut.
2016: Time 100 Most Influential People
In 2016, Time named Nicki Minaj one of the 100 most influential people in the world.
2016: Won Best Female Hip Hop Artist
Nicki Minaj won Best Female Hip Hop Artist at the BET Awards 2024, her seventh win in the category, and first since 2016.
August 2017: Hurricane Harvey Donation
In August 2017, Nicki Minaj donated $25,000 to the Red Cross to support humanitarian aid efforts following Hurricane Harvey.
April 12, 2018: Release of "Chun-Li" and "Barbie Tingz"
On April 12, 2018, Nicki Minaj simultaneously released "Chun-Li" and "Barbie Tingz" from her fourth studio album, Queen. The songs reached number ten and number twenty-five in the US, respectively.
June 11, 2018: Release of "Rich Sex"
On June 11, 2018, "Rich Sex" featuring Lil Wayne was released as the first promotional single from Nicki Minaj's album Queen.
June 14, 2018: Release of "Bed"
On June 14, 2018, Nicki Minaj released "Bed" featuring Ariana Grande, as the second single alongside the album pre-order. It reached number 42 on the Hot 100.
August 10, 2018: Release of Queen Album
Nicki Minaj's album Queen was finally released on August 10, 2018, after multiple delays. It debuted at number two on the U.S. Billboard 200.
October 12, 2018: Featured on "Woman Like Me"
On October 12, 2018, Nicki Minaj was featured on the song "Woman Like Me" by British girl group Little Mix.
2018: Student of the Game Charity
In 2018, Nicki Minaj announced she would launch an official charity called Student of the Game for student loans and tuition relief, after paying college tuition and education expenses for fans on Twitter.
2018: Donations on The Ellen DeGeneres Show
In 2018, Nicki Minaj gave out over $150,000 in donations to her fans during an episode of The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
2018: Release of Queen
In 2018, Nicki Minaj released the album Queen, which yielded the singles "Anaconda" and "Chun-Li".
2018: Minaj on Roman's Revenge
In a 2018 interview, Nicki Minaj explained that she wrote the song "Roman's Revenge" after "a veteran got at me, and I hit them with 'Roman's Revenge' and then I kept on going."
January 2019: Queen Certified Platinum
In January 2019, Nicki Minaj's album Queen was certified Platinum by the RIAA for moving over 1 million equivalent units.
April 2019: Surprise Appearance at Coachella
In April 2019, Nicki Minaj made a surprise guest appearance at the 2019 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival during Ariana Grande's set where they performed their collaborations "Side to Side" and "Bang Bang".
June 2019: Release of "Megatron"
In June 2019, Nicki Minaj released a standalone single titled "Megatron" along with an accompanying music video, which debuted at number twenty in the U.S.
August 2019: Featured on "Hot Girl Summer"
In August 2019, Nicki Minaj featured on the song "Hot Girl Summer" alongside Megan Thee Stallion, which reached number eleven in the U.S. Also in August 2019, Minaj had a voice role as Pinky in The Angry Birds Movie 2.
2019: Ranked among the best rappers of the 2010s
In 2019, Complex ranked Nicki Minaj eighth on their list of best rappers of the 2010s, recognizing her as the most important female rapper of the decade.
2019: Pulling Out of Saudi Arabia Concert
In 2019, Nicki Minaj pulled out of headlining a concert in Saudi Arabia after online backlash from activists due to the detention and arrest of women's rights activist Loujain al-Hathloul. She expressed support for women's rights, the LGBTQ community, and freedom of expression.
2019: Voice acted in The Angry Birds Movie 2
In 2019, Nicki Minaj voice acted in the animated film The Angry Birds Movie 2.
2019: Billboard Women in Music Game Changer Award
In 2019, Nicki Minaj was honored with the Billboard Women in Music Game Changer Award.
January 2020: Featured on "Nice to Meet Ya"
In January 2020, Nicki Minaj was featured on "Nice to Meet Ya" by Meghan Trainor.
February 2020: Husband's Indictment
In February 2020, Kenneth Petty was indicted for failing to update his residence on the sex offender registry after moving to California; he registered in the state's database by the following month.
February 2020: End of Queen Radio
Nicki Minaj's Queen Radio show on Apple Music concluded in February 2020, after running for 17 episodes. The show, which started the day before the album's release, became the most-listened radio show on Apple Music in 2019.
August 2020: Featured on "Expensive"
In August 2020, Nicki Minaj featured on Ty Dolla Sign's track "Expensive".
2020: Called Best Female Rapper
In 2020, Nick Soulsby of PopMatters called Nicki Minaj the best female rapper and the best rapper of the past ten years, regardless of gender.
2020: Billboard Hot 100 Number-One Singles
In 2020, Nicki Minaj achieved her first Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles with the duets "Say So" and "Trollz"; "Say So" was the first female rap collaboration to top the chart.
2020: Donation to St. Jude's Home for Girls and Bail Project
In 2020, Nicki Minaj donated $25,000 to the St. Jude's Home for Girls in Trinidad. Following the release of "Trollz" with 6ix9ine, she announced that a portion of its proceeds and merchandise profits would go to the Bail Project amid the Black Lives Matter protests.
2020: Support for End SARS Protests
In 2020, Nicki Minaj supported End SARS, a series of protests against police brutality in Nigeria, expressing solidarity with the young people on the front lines.
May 2021: Reissue of Beam Me Up Scotty
In May 2021, Nicki Minaj released a reissue of her mixtape Beam Me Up Scotty (2009), including new songs previously unavailable on streaming services. The reissue debuted at number two on the U.S. Billboard 200.
August 2021: Lawsuit Filed Against Couple
In August 2021, Jennifer Hough, Petty's accuser, filed a lawsuit against Nicki Minaj and Kenneth Petty alleging harassment, intimidation, and emotional distress. Hough eventually dismissed the case against Minaj.
September 2021: COVID-19 and Vaccination Stance
In September 2021, Nicki Minaj explained her absence from public events due to COVID-19 concerns for her infant son, revealing she tested positive and had to quarantine. She stated she planned to get the COVID-19 vaccine after research. Her tweet about her cousin's friend in Trinidad experiencing swollen testicles and impotence after vaccination received backlash and was denied by Trinidad and Tobago's health minister.
October 2021: Surprise Host on The Real Housewives of Potomac
In October 2021, Nicki Minaj appeared as a surprise host for the season six reunion of the reality television show The Real Housewives of Potomac.
November 2021: "Super Bass" Receives Diamond Certification
In November 2021, Nicki Minaj's 2011 Pink Friday single "Super Bass" received a Diamond certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Also, Nicki Minaj won the Best Hip Hop award in the MTV Europe Music Awards 2021.
2021: Father Robert Maraj's Death
In 2021, Nicki Minaj's father, Robert Maraj, was killed in a hit-and-run accident in Long Island. Charles Polevich was charged with leaving the scene of an incident involving death and tampering with evidence.
2021: Beat selection has moved to refined production full of grit and hip-hop flare
Zoe Johnson of XXL stated in 2021 that in recent years Minaj's "beat selection has moved to refined production full of grit and hip-hop flare".
February 4, 2022: Release of "Do We Have a Problem?"
On February 4, 2022, Nicki Minaj released a song collaboration with rapper Lil Baby titled "Do We Have a Problem?" which debuted at number two on the US Billboard Hot 100.
May 2022: Attending the Met Gala
In May 2022, Olivia Truffaut-Wong of The Cut speculated that Nicki Minaj likely received the COVID-19 vaccine, as proof of vaccination and a negative PCR test were required to attend the 2022 Met Gala, which Minaj attended.
August 12, 2022: Release of "Super Freaky Girl"
On August 12, 2022, Nicki Minaj released "Super Freaky Girl", which debuted atop the Billboard Hot 100, marking Minaj's third US number-one and her first solo chart-topper.
2022: Nicki Minaj identifies as Christian
In 2022, Nicki Minaj stated that she is a Christian.
March 5, 2023: Surprise performance at Rolling Loud California
On March 5, 2023, Nicki Minaj made a surprise appearance during Lil Wayne's performance at the Rolling Loud California festival.
March 2023: Release of "Red Ruby da Sleeze"
In March 2023, Nicki Minaj released "Red Ruby da Sleeze" as the second single from her album.
September 2023: Release of "Last Time I Saw You"
In September 2023, Nicki Minaj released "Last Time I Saw You" as the third single from her album.
October 2023: Queen Radio Discontinued
Nicki Minaj's radio show Queen Radio was discontinued in October 2023, as a result of the closure of Amp.
December 8, 2023: Release of Pink Friday 2
On December 8, 2023, Nicki Minaj released her fifth studio album, Pink Friday 2, through Republic Records. The album is a sequel to her debut album Pink Friday and features hip-hop, R&B, and pop rap elements.
December 2023: Death of Martha
In December 2023, Nicki Minaj confirmed that her alter ego Roman Zolanski's mother, Martha, had died of old age.
2023: Billboard and Vibe rank Nicki Minaj
In 2023, Billboard and Vibe ranked Nicki Minaj as the greatest female rapper of all time.
2023: Founded Heavy On It record label
In 2023, Nicki Minaj founded the record label imprint Heavy On It.
2023: Release of Pink Friday 2
In 2023, Nicki Minaj released her fifth album, Pink Friday 2, which made her the female rapper with the most US number-one albums (three) and spawned her first solo US number-one single, "Super Freaky Girl".
2023: Ranked as a top rapper of all time
In 2023, Nicki Minaj was ranked as the tenth-greatest rapper and greatest female rapper of all time on Billboard and Vibe's list of the 50 greatest rappers.
2023: Independent Assessment Philosophy
In a 2023 interview, Nicki Minaj expressed her preference for making independent assessments without influence from others, rejecting being told who to campaign for and emphasizing the complexity of government.
January 2024: Release of "Everybody" and "FTCU" as singles
In January 2024, Nicki Minaj released "Everybody" and "FTCU" as singles.
January 26, 2024: Megan Thee Stallion releases "Hiss"
On January 26, 2024, Megan Thee Stallion released the song "Hiss", which was believed to include jabs at Nicki Minaj and her husband.
March 2024: Pink Friday 2 Certified Platinum
In March 2024, Nicki Minaj's album, Pink Friday 2, was certified platinum by the RIAA.
April 2024: Open Letter Against AI in Music
In April 2024, Nicki Minaj was one of over 200 artists who signed an open letter demanding safety from the "predatory use of AI" in the music industry.
April 2024: Alleged Assault on Tour Employee
In April 2024, while working on her Pink Friday 2 tour, Nicki Minaj allegedly struck Brandon Garrett, a day-to-day manager, multiple times. He claimed he was then informed by Minaj's former manager that he would not be joining the tour for their next date. Minaj's lawyer denied the allegations.
September 2024: Nicki Minaj scraps Gag City Reloaded
In September 2024, Nicki Minaj announced that she had scrapped the deluxe version of Pink Friday 2, titled Gag City Reloaded, in favor of making her sixth studio album.
October 2024: End of Pink Friday 2 World Tour
In October 2024, Nicki Minaj concluded the Pink Friday 2 World Tour, which became the highest-grossing tour by a female rapper in history.
2024: Ranked on Greatest Pop Stars of the 21st Century list
In 2024, Billboard ranked Nicki Minaj at number 13 on its "Greatest Pop Stars of the 21st Century" list, recognizing her influence on pop music, fandom, and pop star perception.
2024: Billboard states Minaj remains at the apex of the rap mountain
In 2024, Billboard stated that while "hip-hop has continued to cycle through rappers looking to knock Minaj off the throne", she "remains at the apex of the rap mountain 15 years after the release of her breakout mixtape, Beam Me Up Scotty".
2024: First Female Rapper With Multiple Diamond-Certified Solo Songs
In 2024, Nicki Minaj became the first female rapper with multiple diamond-certified solo songs (two) by the RIAA.
2024: Citizenship Status
In 2024, Nicki Minaj stated that she does not have U.S. citizenship, despite being a long-time legal permanent resident.
January 2025: Lawsuit Filed by Former Tour Employee
In January 2025, Brandon Garrett, a former tour employee, filed a lawsuit against Nicki Minaj alleging assault, battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
November 2025: Denouncing Violence Against Christians in Nigeria and Speech at the UN
In November 2025, Nicki Minaj denounced violence against Christians in Nigeria on social media. She later delivered a speech at the United Nations advocating for an end to religious violence, gaining media attention for her support of Donald Trump's stance on the issue.
November 2025: Hurricane Melissa Relief Supplies to Jamaica
In November 2025, Nicki Minaj sent a team to Jamaica to deliver relief supplies to people affected by Hurricane Melissa.
December 2025: Criticism of Gavin Newsom's Statement
In December 2025, Nicki Minaj criticized California governor Gavin Newsom's statement about wanting to "see trans kids", arguing for healthy, safe, and happy children.
December 2025: RapTV Ranks Pink Friday 2 World Tour
In December 2025, RapTV ranked Nicki Minaj's Pink Friday 2 World Tour as the sixth-highest-grossing tour of all time by a rap or hip-hop artist.
January 2026: Citizenship Paperwork
In January 2026, Nicki Minaj stated she was finalizing her U.S. citizenship paperwork following a public appearance with President Donald Trump.
March 2026: Minaj posts about being neurodivergent
In March 2026 Nicki Minaj posted on Twitter about being neurodivergent.
2026: Pledge to Trump Accounts
In 2026, Nicki Minaj pledged to donate to the Trump Accounts, an investment program created to aid the financial future of American children. She stated the program encourages financial literacy.
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