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-born rapper, singer, and songwriter. Often hailed as the "Queen of Rap", she rose to prominence in the late 2000s with a series of mixtapes and is recognized for her unique flow, lyrical wit, versatility, and use of alter egos. Minaj is widely credited with spearheading the resurgence of female rap into the mainstream during the early 2010s, solidifying her position as a major force in contemporary music and pop culture.
1956: Father's Birth Year
In 1956, Nicki Minaj's father, Robert Maraj, was born.
April 7, 1978: Kenneth Petty's birth
April 7, 1978, is the birthdate of Kenneth Petty, Nicki Minaj's husband.
December 8, 1982: Nicki Minaj Born
On December 8, 1982, Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty, known professionally as Nicki Minaj, was born in Trinidad and Tobago.
December 1987: House Fire Incident
In December 1987, Nicki Minaj's father committed arson onto their house.
November 2010: Nicki Teresa Alter Ego
In November 2010, Nicki Minaj assumed the alter ego Nicki Teresa during a visit to the Garden of Dreams Foundation at Fuse Studios in New York, wearing a colorful headdress and calling herself a "healer to her fans".
December 2010: Rosa Alter Ego
In December 2010, Nicki Minaj introduced another alter ego, Rosa (pronounced with an exaggerated R), to commemorate her appearance on Lopez Tonight.
2010: Subduing Sexuality in Career
In 2010, Nicki Minaj said that she intended to subdue her sexuality because she "[wants] people—especially young girls—to know that in life, nothing is going to be based on sex appeal. You've got to have something else to go with that."
July 2011: Cousin's Murder
In July 2011, Nicki Minaj's cousin, Nicholas Telemaque, was murdered near his home in Brooklyn, an event she referenced in her songs.
2012: Hurricane Sandy Relief Efforts
In 2012, in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, Nicki Minaj donated $15,000 to the Food Bank For New York City and held a turkey drive at her alma mater, PS 45.
2014: Image Reinvention
In 2014, Nicki Minaj reinvented her image, sporting a "natural" and "softer" look, wearing fewer wigs and less colourful costumes.
2015: Feminism Views
In 2015, Nicki Minaj spoke about feminism in an interview with Vogue, saying "There are things that I do that feminists don't like, and there are things that I do that they do like. I don't label myself. I just say the truth about what I feel. I feel like women can do anything that they put their minds to."
May 2017: College Tuition and Loan Payments for Fans
In May 2017, Nicki Minaj offered via Twitter to pay college tuition fees and student loans for 30 of her fans and revealed that she has been donating money to a village in India for a few years via her pastor, Lydia Sloley.
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.
September 4, 2018: Appearance and Donations on The Ellen DeGeneres Show
On September 4, 2018, Nicki Minaj appeared as a guest on The Ellen DeGeneres Show and, with the participation of Walmart, gave out over $150,000 in donations to fans.
October 2019: Marriage to Kenneth Petty
In October 2019, Nicki Minaj announced her marriage to Kenneth Petty.
2019: Pulls Out of Concert in Saudi Arabia
In 2019, Nicki Minaj pulled out of headlining a concert in Saudi Arabia following online backlash from activists, after women's rights activist Loujain al-Hathloul was detained.
July 2020: Pregnancy Announcement
In July 2020, Nicki Minaj announced via Instagram that she was expecting her first child.
September 30, 2020: Birth of Son
On September 30, 2020, Nicki Minaj gave birth to a son, publicly referred to as "Papa Bear".
2020: Donations 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 and announced that a portion of the proceeds from "Trollz" would go towards the Bail Project amid the Black Lives Matter protests.
February 2021: Father's Death
In February 2021, Nicki Minaj's father, Robert Maraj, died in a hit-and-run accident in Long Island.
May 2022: Met Gala Attendance
In May 2022, it was suggested that Nicki Minaj had likely been vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to attend the 2022 Met Gala, which required proof of vaccination.
December 2023: Martha's Death Confirmed
In December 2023, Nicki Minaj confirmed that Martha, the mother of her alter ego Roman Zolanski, had died of old age.
April 2024: Signs Open Letter on AI Use in Music
In April 2024, Nicki Minaj was one of over 200 artists who signed an open letter speaking to and asking for safety from the "predatory use of AI" in the music industry.
2024: Not a U.S. Citizen
In 2024, Nicki Minaj stated that she is not a US citizen.
