Early Life and Education of Nicki Minaj: A Complete Timeline

How education and upbringing influenced the life of Nicki Minaj. A timeline of key moments.

Nicki Minaj, born Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty, is a highly influential Trinidadian-American rapper, singer, and songwriter. Widely recognized as the "Queen of Rap," she's celebrated for her unique rap flow, clever lyrics, and musical versatility. Minaj is also known for her use of alter egos and is credited with revitalizing female rap in the mainstream during the 2010s. She remains a prominent figure in contemporary music and pop culture.

Sections (7)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals Legacy & Impact

1956: Robert Maraj's Birth

In 1956, Robert Maraj, Nicki Minaj's father, was born.

December 8, 1982: Nicki Minaj's Birth

On December 8, 1982, Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty, known professionally as Nicki Minaj, was born in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.

December 1987: Arson Committed by Nicki Minaj's Father

In December 1987, Nicki Minaj's father committed arson on their house.

1995: Kenneth Petty's Conviction

In 1995, Nicki Minaj's husband, Kenneth Petty, was convicted of attempted rape at age 16, serving four years in prison and registering as a sex offender upon release.

November 2010: Assumes 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.

December 2010: Introduces Alter Ego Rosa

In December 2010, Nicki Minaj introduced another alter ego, Rosa (pronounced with an exaggerated R), to commemorate her appearance on Lopez Tonight.

2010: Minaj intends to subdue her sexuality in her work

In 2010, Nicki Minaj stated that she intended to subdue her sexuality in her work, wanting young girls to know that success shouldn't be based solely on sex appeal.

July 2011: Murder of cousin Nicholas Telemaque

In July 2011, Nicki Minaj's cousin, Nicholas Telemaque, was murdered near his home in Brooklyn, an event that she referenced in her songs "All Things Go" and "Champion".

2014: Minaj Reinvented Her Image

In 2014, Nicki Minaj reinvented her image, adopting a more "natural" and "softer" look, reducing the use of wigs and colorful costumes, signaling a shift in her public persona.

March 2015: Co-ownership of Tidal

In March 2015, Nicki Minaj became a co-owner of the music streaming service Tidal, alongside other artists like Beyoncé, Madonna, and Rihanna.

August 2015: Madame Tussauds Unveils Wax Figure

In August 2015, Madame Tussauds unveiled a wax figure of Nicki Minaj, depicting a pose from the "Anaconda" music video.

September 2015: Minaj to Produce Comedy Series

In September 2015, it was announced that Nicki Minaj would executive produce and appear in a scripted single-camera comedy series for ABC Family (now Freeform) based on her life growing up in Queens, New York City, titled Nicki.

2015: Minaj discusses feminism

In 2015, Nicki Minaj spoke about feminism in an interview with Vogue, expressing that she does not label herself but believes women can achieve anything they set their minds to.

January 2016: Filming of Nicki Pilot Episode

In January 2016, the pilot episode of the TV series Nicki was filmed in Minaj's hometown.

October 2016: Postponement of Nicki Filming

In October 2016, Nicki Minaj stated that the filming of the TV series Nicki was postponed for undisclosed reasons.

August 2017: Donation to Red Cross after Hurricane Harvey

In August 2017, Nicki Minaj donated $25,000 to the Red Cross after Hurricane Harvey hit Houston, Texas, answering a social media challenge by Kevin Hart and expressing her prayers for the city.

2018: Minaj discusses sex workers and sexuality

In 2018, Nicki Minaj discussed sex workers, her own sex appeal, and sexuality in music and on social media, during an interview, which attracted criticism.

2018: Nicki Minaj explains Roman's Revenge inspiration

In a 2018 interview, Nicki Minaj revealed that she wrote the song "Roman's Revenge" after a veteran artist criticized her, leading to her response with the song.

October 2019: Marriage to Kenneth Petty

In October 2019, Nicki Minaj announced her marriage to Kenneth Petty, hyphenating his last name to hers.

2019: Pulling out of Saudi Arabia concert

In 2019, Nicki Minaj cancelled her headlining performance in Saudi Arabia following criticism due to the detainment and arrest of women's rights activist Loujain al-Hathloul. She stated that it was important for her to make clear her support for the rights of women, the LGBTQ community, and freedom of expression.

February 2020: Indictment of Kenneth Petty

In February 2020, Kenneth Petty, Nicki Minaj's husband, 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.

July 2020: Pregnancy Announcement

In July 2020, Nicki Minaj announced that she was expecting her first child.

September 30, 2020: Birth of Son

On September 30, 2020, Nicki Minaj gave birth to her son, publicly referred to as Papa Bear.

2020: Donation to St. Jude's Home for Girls and "Trollz" proceeds to Bail Project

In 2020, Nicki Minaj donated $25,000 to St. Jude's Home for Girls in Trinidad. Following the release of "Trollz", a collaboration with 6ix9ine, Nicki Minaj announced that a portion of the song's proceeds, along with profits from all merchandise, would go towards the Bail Project amid the Black Lives Matter protests.

February 2021: Death of father Robert Maraj

In February 2021, Nicki Minaj's father, Robert Maraj, died in a hit-and-run accident in Long Island. Charles Polevich was charged in the incident.

August 2021: Lawsuit Filed Against Nicki Minaj and Kenneth Petty

In August 2021, Jennifer Hough, who accused Kenneth Petty of rape when they were both 16, filed a lawsuit against Nicki Minaj and her husband alleging harassment, intimidation, and infliction of emotional distress. The case against Minaj was voluntarily dismissed after she responded to the allegations, calling them "blatant falsehoods".

2021: Death of Robert Maraj

In 2021, Robert Maraj, Nicki Minaj's father, passed away.

May 2022: Attendance at the Met Gala

In May 2022, Olivia Truffaut-Wong of The Cut speculated that Nicki Minaj had likely been vaccinated against COVID-19, as proof of vaccination and a negative COVID-19 PCR test were required for attendance at the 2022 Met Gala, which Minaj attended.

December 2022: MaximBet shutting down

In December 2022, MaximBet, a sports betting brand for which Nicki Minaj served as creative director, global ambassador, and advisor, was shut down.

December 2023: Martha's Death Confirmed

In December 2023, Nicki Minaj confirmed that Martha, Roman Zolanski's mother, had died of old age.

April 2024: Signing open letter on AI use in music

In April 2024, Nicki Minaj joined over 200 artists in signing an open letter advocating for safety from the "predatory use of AI" within the music industry.

September 2024: Scraps Gag City Reloaded Album

In September 2024, Nicki Minaj announced that she had scrapped the deluxe version of the album, titled Gag City Reloaded, in favor of making her sixth studio album.