Nicki Minaj's Success and Achievements in Timeline

A closer look at the biggest achievements of Nicki Minaj. Awards, milestones, and records that define success.

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

April 18, 2009: Release of 'Beam Me Up Scotty' Mixtape

On April 18, 2009, Nicki Minaj released her third mixtape, Beam Me Up Scotty, which received favorable coverage. The track "I Get Crazy" reached number 20 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Rap Songs chart and number 37 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.

2009: Release of 'We Are Young Money'

In 2009, Nicki Minaj appeared on "BedRock" and "Roger That" on the compilation album, We Are Young Money. The singles peaked at numbers two and 56, respectively, in the U.S.

February 2010: Billboard Hot 100 Chart Appearances

In early 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. She also appeared on "BedRock" and "Roger That" on the compilation album, We Are Young Money (2009).

November 2010: First Grammy 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: Release of Pink Friday

On November 19, 2010, Nicki Minaj released her debut album, Pink Friday, which debuted at number two and later reached number one on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 375,000 copies in its first week. It had the largest sales week for a female rap album in the 21st century.

December 2010: Pink Friday Certified Platinum

In December 2010, Pink Friday was certified platinum by the RIAA for selling a million units in the United States, marking the first album by a solo female rapper to achieve platinum status in seven years.

2010: Minaj achieves Billboard Hot 100 milestone

In 2010, Nicki Minaj became the first female solo artist to simultaneously have seven songs on the Billboard Hot 100, marking a significant achievement in her career.

2010: First Woman on MTV's Hottest MC List

In 2010, Nicki Minaj became the first woman to appear on MTV's Annual Hottest MC List since its inception in 2007, acknowledging her prominence in the rap scene.

2010: Debut Album 'Pink Friday' and 'Super Bass' Release

In 2010, Nicki Minaj released her debut studio album, Pink Friday, which topped the US Billboard 200 and achieved the largest female rap album sales week of the 21st century. The album spawned the global hit single "Super Bass".

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December 2011: Grammy Award Nominations

In December 2011, Nicki Minaj was nominated for three Grammy Awards, including Best New Artist and Best Rap Album for Pink Friday.

2011: Ranked on Rolling Stone's Kings of Hip Hop

In 2011, Nicki Minaj was ranked sixth on the Rolling Stone master ranking of the "Kings of Hip Hop", which is based on record sales and social media metrics.

2012: Forbes includes Minaj in 30 Under 30 list

In 2012, Forbes recognized Minaj's achievements by including her in its 30 Under 30 list, highlighting her influence in music.

2012: Called 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: Release of 'Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded'

In 2012, Nicki Minaj explored dance-pop on her second US number-one album, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded, which produced the top-five single, "Starships".

2013: Most-Charted Female Rapper on Billboard Hot 100

In 2013, Nicki Minaj became the most-charted female rapper on the Billboard Hot 100 at the time, with 44 entries, and tied with Mariah Carey as seventh among all female artists.

November 9, 2014: Hosts MTV Europe Music Awards

On November 9, 2014, Nicki Minaj hosted the 2014 MTV Europe Music Awards in Glasgow, Scotland and won the Best Hip-Hop Award for a second time.

2014: Final appearance on Forbes Hip Hop Cash Kings list

2014 marked the last of four consecutive appearances for Nicki Minaj on the Forbes "Hip Hop Cash Kings" list, highlighting her financial success in the music industry since 2011.

2015: Minaj Featured on Forbes Celebrity 100 List

In 2015, Nicki Minaj was featured in Forbes magazine's Celebrity 100 list, acknowledging her popularity and financial success.

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: Last Won Best Female Hip Hop Artist Award

Before winning in 2024, Nicki Minaj last won the Best Female Hip Hop Artist award in 2016. In 2024, she earned her seventh win in the category at the BET Awards.

2016: Minaj featured in Time 100

In 2016, Time Magazine included Minaj in its annual Time 100 list of the most influential people in the world, recognizing her cultural impact.

2016: Named One of Time's 100 Most Influential People

In 2016, Time named Nicki Minaj one of the 100 most influential people in the world.

March 20, 2017: Breaks Billboard Hot 100 Record

On March 20, 2017, Nicki Minaj broke the record for the most Billboard Hot 100 entries for a female artist, previously held by Aretha Franklin, with the release of three songs.

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.

2017: Minaj breaks record for most Hot 100 entries by a female artist

In 2017, Nicki Minaj surpassed Aretha Franklin to hold the record for the most Hot 100 entries by a female artist, solidifying her presence in the music charts.

2018: Minaj achieves 100 entries on the Hot 100

In 2018, Nicki Minaj became the first woman to accumulate 100 entries on the Billboard Hot 100, setting a new milestone for female artists in the music industry.

January 2019: 'Queen' certified Platinum

In January 2019, Nicki Minaj's album Queen was certified Platinum by the RIAA.

2019: Minaj Receives Game Changer Award at Billboard Women in Music

In 2019, Billboard Women in Music honored Nicki Minaj with the Game Changer Award for her impact and influence in the music industry.

2019: Ranked Among Best Rappers of the 2010s

In 2019, Complex ranked Nicki Minaj eighth on their list of best rappers of the 2010s, calling her "the most important female rapper of this decade".

2019: Minaj achieves 100 million certified units by RIAA

In 2019, Nicki Minaj became the first female rapper to achieve 100 million certified units by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) across her albums and songs, marking a significant milestone in her career.

2019: Honored with Billboard Women in Music Game Changer Award

In 2019, Nicki Minaj was honored with the Billboard Women in Music Game Changer Award.

December 2020: Minaj holds record for most Hot 100 entries by a female artist

As of December 2020, Nicki Minaj previously broke the record for the most Hot 100 entries by a female artist.

2020: Called Best Rapper of the Past Ten Years

In 2020, Nick Soulsby of PopMatters called Nicki Minaj the "best female rapper and the best rapper of the past ten years – no gender preposition required." Billboard also said she "redefined success for women in hip-hop" in the decade.

2020: Billboard Hot 100 Number-One Singles

In 2020, Nicki Minaj achieved her first two Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles with the duets "Say So" and "Trollz"; the former was the first female rap collaboration to top the chart.

November 2021: 'Super Bass' Receives Diamond Certification and Wins MTV Europe Music Award

In November 2021, Nicki Minaj's 2011 Pink Friday single "Super Bass" received a Diamond certification by the RIAA, and she won the Best Hip Hop award in the MTV Europe Music Awards 2021.

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2021: "Anaconda" music video surpasses one billion views

In 2021, the music video for Nicki Minaj's "Anaconda" became the first female rap solo song to surpass one billion views on YouTube, setting a new record in the music industry.

2022: First Solo Number-One Hit with 'Super Freaky Girl'

In 2022, Nicki Minaj had her first solo US number-one song with "Super Freaky Girl", the lead single from her fifth studio album.

2022: Pink Friday Included in Rolling Stone's List

In 2022, the album Pink Friday was included in Rolling Stone's list of "200 Greatest Hip-Hop Albums of All Time" at number 31.

August 2023: Release of "Super Freaky Girl"

In August 2023, "Super Freaky Girl", the lead single from Pink Friday 2 which samples Rick James's 1981 song, "Super Freak", was released. It debuted atop the Billboard Hot 100, marking Minaj's third US number-one and her first solo chart-topper.

December 8, 2023: Release of Pink Friday 2

On December 8, 2023, Nicki Minaj's birthday, her fifth studio album, Pink Friday 2, was released. The album debuted atop the Billboard 200 with 228,000 album-equivalent units.

2023: Minaj wins Best US Act at MTV Europe Music Awards

At the 2023 MTV Europe Music Awards, Nicki Minaj became the first black artist and first female rapper to win the MTV Europe Music Award for Best US Act.

2023: Ranked as Greatest Female Rapper of All Time

In 2023, Billboard and Vibe ranked Nicki Minaj as the greatest female rapper of all time.

2023: Minaj earns three number-one albums on Billboard 200

In 2023, Nicki Minaj became the first female rapper to earn three number-one albums on the Billboard 200 chart, further establishing her dominance in the music industry.

2023: Emcees MTV Video Music Awards and Hosts Ceremony

In 2023, Nicki Minaj hosted the MTV Video Music Awards ceremony. At the previous ceremony in 2022, she received the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award and performed a medley of her hits.

2023: Release of 'Pink Friday 2' and Tour Success

In 2023, Nicki Minaj's album Pink Friday 2, debuted at number one in the US, making her the female rapper with the most US number-one albums (three) in history. Its concert tour became the fourth-highest grossing tour for a rapper and highest-grossing tour for a female rapper in history.

March 2024: Pink Friday 2 Certified Platinum

In March 2024, Nicki Minaj's album, Pink Friday 2, was certified platinum by the RIAA.

May 2024: "Bang Bang" Certified Diamond

In May 2024, "Bang Bang" was certified diamond by the RIAA, recognizing sales of 10 million units, becoming the first all-female collaboration to achieve the certification.

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October 2024: End of Pink Friday 2 World Tour

In October 2024, Nicki Minaj concluded the Pink Friday 2 World Tour, which was her most extensive tour yet. The tour included her headlining slots at ten festivals.

November 2024: "Starships" Certified Diamond

In November 2024, "Starships" was certified diamond by the RIAA, for moving over ten million units in the US.

November 2024: Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded Certified Four-Times Platinum

In November 2024, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded was certified four-times platinum by the RIAA, becoming Minaj's highest-certified album yet.

2024: Ranked Among Greatest Pop Stars of the 21st Century

In 2024, Billboard ranked Nicki Minaj at number 13 on its "Greatest Pop Stars of the 21st Century" list. Her success as a female rapper "has been a landmark step towards gender equality in the rap industry."

2024: Recognized as Queen of Rap

In 2024, Billboard stated that Nicki Minaj "remains at the apex of the rap mountain 15 years after the release of her breakout mixtape, Beam Me Up Scotty".

2024: Multiple Diamond-Certified Solo Songs

In 2024, Nicki Minaj became the first female rapper with multiple diamond-certified solo songs by the RIAA.

2024: Pink Friday 2 World Tour grosses over US$108 million

In 2024, Nicki Minaj's Pink Friday 2 World Tour grossed over US$108 million, marking it as the fourth-highest-grossing tour by a rap or hip hop artist of all time, the highest-grossing tour by a female rapper, and the first among female rappers to surpass US$100 million in revenue.

2024: Pink Friday Named One of the Greatest Black Albums

In 2024, Vibe named Pink Friday as one of the "50 Greatest Black Albums of the Modern Era".

2025: Billboard ranks Minaj among top women artists of the 21st century

In 2025, Billboard ranked Nicki Minaj at number 16 on its "Top 100 Women Artists of the 21st Century" list, recognizing her significant contributions to music.