Nicki Minaj
Onika Tanya Maraj (born December 8, 1982) is a Trinidadian-born American rapper, singer and songwriter, as well as an actress and voice actress. Known professionally as Nicki Minaj, she is hailed as the most famous female rapper in the planet, notably acclaimed for her versatility as an artist, her sharp lyrics and animated flow in her rapping, including alter egos and hyper accents. As a small child, Minaj lived with her grandmother in Saint James, Trinidad and Tobego until moving to New York City to live with her parents when she was five years old. Her father, Robert Maraj, a financial executive and part-time gospel singer, is of Indo-Trinidadian and Afro-Trinidadian descent, while her mother, Carol Maraj, also a gospel singer, is of Afro-Trinidadian ancestry. Minaj graduated from the LaGuardia High School in Manhattan, which focuses on visual and performing arts with the intention to become an actress, and in 2001 was cast in the Off-Broadway play 'In Case You Forget'. Nicki Minaj earned public attention after releasing three mixtapes between 2007 and 2009, signing to Young Money Entertainment and outshining other artists in her infamous features all before the release of her first studio album 'Pink Friday' in 2010, which skyrocketed her into a global and cultural icon, her influence, popularity and acclaim only growing to cement her as an icon of over the course of the decade. She is the most followed rapper of all time on the social media platform, Instagram. Nicki Minaj made her film debut in a voice acting role for the 2012 animated film 'Ice Age: Continental Drift', followed by supporting roles in 'The Other Woman' (2014) and a voice acting role in 'Angry Birds Movie 2' (2019). She has appeared as self-archive footage in multiple films and documentaries, and stated in early 2022 her intention to return her focus to acting with her biggest role to date.
Known For
Credits
- 2020 · Feels Good Man as Self (archive footage)
- 2020 · History 101 as Self (archive footage)
- 2019 · The Angry Birds Movie 2 as Pinky (voice)
- 2018 · Matangi / Maya / M.I.A. as Self (archive footage)
- 2018 · Nicki Minaj - Road To Success as
- 2017 · Double Dutchess: Seeing Double as
- 2016 · Nicki Minaj: The Pinkprint Tour as Nicki Minaj
- 2016 · Madonna: Rebel Heart Tour as Self - Vocals
- 2016 · Barbershop: The Next Cut as Draya
- 2015 · Charli XCX: The F-Word and Me as Self (archive footage)
- 2015 · The Late Show with Stephen Colbert as Self
- 2015 · Nicki Minaj: My Time Again as Self
- 2014 · On the Run Tour: Beyoncé and Jay-Z as Self - Performer
- 2014 · Dave Skylark's Very Special VMA Special as Nicki Minaj
- 2014 · New World Order: Communism by the Backdoor as Self (archive footage)
- 2014 · The Other Woman as Lydia
- 2014 · 73 Questions as Self
- 2014 · The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon as Self
- 2013 · Justin Bieber's Believe as Self
- 2013 · Steven Universe as Sugilite (voice)
- 2013 · Madonna: MDNA World Tour as Self - Vocals
- 2013 · Radio Disney Music Awards as Self
- 2013 · Nicki Minaj: Pink Planet as Self (archive footage)
- 2012 · Nicki Minaj: My Truth as
- 2012 · Ice Age: Continental Drift as Steffie (voice)
- 2011 · Britney Spears Live The Femme Fatale Tour as Self
- 2011 · Playtime Is Over as Self
- 2010 · Nicki Minaj: My Time Now as Herself
- 2010 · My Mic Sounds Nice: A Truth About Women and Hip Hop as Self (archive footage)
- 2010 · RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked as Self - Guest
- 2009 · Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen as Self - Guest
- 2009 · RuPaul's Drag Race as Self - Guest Judge
- 2009 · The Carter as
- 2007 · Keeping Up with the Kardashians as Self
- 2007 · The Come Up: The Strip Club Edition as Herself
- 2007 · The Graham Norton Show as Self
- 2003 · The Ellen DeGeneres Show as Self
- 2003 · America's Next Top Model as Guest
- 2002 · American Idol as Self - Judge
- 1995 · Victoria's Secret Fashion Show as Self
- 1994 · MTV Europe Music Awards as Self - Performer
- 1994 · MTV Europe Music Awards as Self - Host
- 1992 · MTV Movie & TV Awards as Self / Presenter
- 1992 · The Tonight Show with Jay Leno as Herself
- 1984 · MTV Video Music Awards as Self - Performer
- 1984 · MTV Video Music Awards as Self - Host
- 1984 · MTV Video Music Awards as Self
- 1981 · Entertainment Tonight as Self
- 1975 · Saturday Night Live as Self - Musical Guest
- 1975 · Saturday Night Live as
- 1974 · American Music Awards as Self - Musical Guest
- Future · Nicki Minaj: Queen of Rap as Self (archive footage)