WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.060 Welcome to the Deep Dive. Today, we're really 00:00:03.060 --> 00:00:05.740 getting into the career and impact of a true 00:00:05.740 --> 00:00:09.339 musical force, Oynika Tanya Mirage. You know 00:00:09.339 --> 00:00:12.119 her, of course, as Nicki Minaj. Absolutely. And 00:00:12.119 --> 00:00:13.880 we've got a lot to cover. We've pulled together 00:00:13.880 --> 00:00:16.199 sources looking at everything from, well, her 00:00:16.199 --> 00:00:18.059 incredibly challenging beginnings in Trinidad 00:00:18.059 --> 00:00:20.940 and Queens, right through to her status now as, 00:00:21.019 --> 00:00:25.079 frankly, a global music icon and businesswoman. 00:00:25.339 --> 00:00:27.940 Yeah, our goal here is to go a bit deeper than 00:00:27.940 --> 00:00:30.000 the usual headlines. We want to piece together 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:33.140 a really solid understanding of her legacy, you 00:00:33.140 --> 00:00:35.420 know, what makes her artistry tick, how she built 00:00:35.420 --> 00:00:38.119 this business empire, and the huge cultural mark 00:00:38.119 --> 00:00:40.560 she's left on music. It's about decoding that 00:00:40.560 --> 00:00:43.140 pink print. Exactly. And to really grasp the 00:00:43.140 --> 00:00:44.759 Nicki Minaj phenomenon, you kind of have to start 00:00:44.759 --> 00:00:46.859 at the beginning, understanding how that ambition, 00:00:46.979 --> 00:00:49.479 that artistic complexity was forged in the first 00:00:49.479 --> 00:00:51.579 place. Okay, so let's start there. The journey 00:00:51.579 --> 00:00:54.130 kicks off in the Caribbean. Onika Tanya Mirage, 00:00:54.229 --> 00:00:57.549 born December 8th, 1982, Port of Spain, Trinidad 00:00:57.549 --> 00:01:00.409 and Tobago. A place known for vibrancy, but also, 00:01:00.490 --> 00:01:03.090 well, some real turmoil in her early life. Yeah, 00:01:03.250 --> 00:01:05.750 the sources we looked at paint a very tough picture. 00:01:05.930 --> 00:01:08.290 Her father, Robert Mirage, he was a financial 00:01:08.290 --> 00:01:11.450 executive, also sang gospel part -time, of Dougla 00:01:11.450 --> 00:01:14.129 descent, but he struggled intensely with addiction, 00:01:14.510 --> 00:01:18.200 alcohol. crack cocaine. Right. And critically, 00:01:18.420 --> 00:01:21.560 this led to violence. He was described as abusive 00:01:21.560 --> 00:01:24.219 towards her mother, Carol. It culminated in this 00:01:24.219 --> 00:01:27.280 really awful incident in December 87 when he 00:01:27.280 --> 00:01:29.480 actually set fire to their family home. Wow. 00:01:29.959 --> 00:01:32.879 Yeah. I mean, that kind of early trauma. Yeah. 00:01:33.000 --> 00:01:35.599 You can only imagine the impact that has on someone, 00:01:35.680 --> 00:01:37.659 especially an artist developing their voice. 00:01:37.859 --> 00:01:40.540 For sure. And during this first few years, she 00:01:40.540 --> 00:01:42.280 wasn't even with her parents full time. She was 00:01:42.280 --> 00:01:44.659 living in St. James with her grandmother. And 00:01:44.659 --> 00:01:48.340 get this. Eleven cousins. Eleven. Wow. Yeah. 00:01:48.420 --> 00:01:50.099 While her mother was in the U .S., just working 00:01:50.099 --> 00:01:52.239 incredibly hard to get a green card. So that 00:01:52.239 --> 00:01:54.040 sense of instability, maybe needing to carve 00:01:54.040 --> 00:01:56.680 out her own space, starts really early. It seems 00:01:56.680 --> 00:01:58.959 so. She eventually moved to South Jamaica, Queens, 00:01:59.099 --> 00:02:01.000 when she was about five, to be with her parents 00:02:01.000 --> 00:02:03.000 again. And it's interesting, she confirmed later 00:02:03.000 --> 00:02:05.819 in 2018 and just recently in 2024 that she initially 00:02:05.819 --> 00:02:08.479 came to the U .S. as an undocumented immigrant. 00:02:09.159 --> 00:02:12.180 Even though her parents had become lawful permanent 00:02:12.180 --> 00:02:15.520 residents by then. And she also mentioned. quite 00:02:15.520 --> 00:02:17.620 recently, actually, that despite everything, 00:02:17.800 --> 00:02:20.180 she's still not a naturalized U .S. citizen. 00:02:20.439 --> 00:02:22.939 That's fascinating. So with all that chaos happening 00:02:22.939 --> 00:02:25.400 externally, it kind of makes sense that performance 00:02:25.400 --> 00:02:28.780 became an escape, right? She auditioned for LaGuardia 00:02:28.780 --> 00:02:30.919 High School, the fame school, aiming to be an 00:02:30.919 --> 00:02:33.819 actress. Right. But the path wasn't exactly smooth 00:02:33.819 --> 00:02:36.180 after that. The sources really talk about the 00:02:36.180 --> 00:02:40.060 grind. Before any kind of success, she was cycling 00:02:40.060 --> 00:02:43.830 through jobs, fired from apparently At least 00:02:43.830 --> 00:02:48.770 15 jobs. Yeah, mostly for, let's say, discourtesy 00:02:48.770 --> 00:02:51.550 to customers. That famous Red Lobster job in 00:02:51.550 --> 00:02:53.370 the Bronx is one of them. Right. I remember hearing 00:02:53.370 --> 00:02:56.210 about that. She also did customer service, office 00:02:56.210 --> 00:02:58.169 management, even worked on Wall Street for a 00:02:58.169 --> 00:03:00.129 bit, just trying to make ends meet while figuring 00:03:00.129 --> 00:03:03.090 things out. And that same persistence shows up 00:03:03.090 --> 00:03:05.460 in her early music career. She started rapping 00:03:05.460 --> 00:03:08.080 in the early 2000s, was part of a group called 00:03:08.080 --> 00:03:10.500 Hood Stars for a couple of years. But there's 00:03:10.500 --> 00:03:13.419 this really key moment before any major deal 00:03:13.419 --> 00:03:16.280 happened. Yes. And this, I think, is crucial 00:03:16.280 --> 00:03:18.280 for understanding her whole approach to business 00:03:18.280 --> 00:03:21.580 later on. She was offered a record deal early, 00:03:21.699 --> 00:03:25.120 but the label wanted her to use a ghostwriter. 00:03:25.280 --> 00:03:30.020 And she refused. Flat out. Even though, as Brian 00:03:30.020 --> 00:03:32.280 George from Full Force apparently noted, she 00:03:32.280 --> 00:03:35.080 was broken hungry, she insisted she would always 00:03:35.080 --> 00:03:37.479 write her own songs. This is foundational, isn't 00:03:37.479 --> 00:03:39.860 it? Establishing that creative control right 00:03:39.860 --> 00:03:42.710 from the jump, non -negotiable. She's a writer, 00:03:42.789 --> 00:03:45.189 period. Exactly. It sets the tone for everything 00:03:45.189 --> 00:03:47.830 that follows. Her discovery story is kind of 00:03:47.830 --> 00:03:50.509 classic early internet uploading music to MySpace. 00:03:50.789 --> 00:03:53.310 Right. Led to a short deal with Dirty Money Entertainment 00:03:53.310 --> 00:03:55.889 in 2006, and that's apparently when Nicki Mirage 00:03:55.889 --> 00:03:59.030 became Nicki Minaj. The label owner thought Minaj 00:03:59.030 --> 00:04:02.229 fit her nasty flow. Okay, so the name itself 00:04:02.229 --> 00:04:04.689 had that edge from the start, but the real artistic 00:04:04.689 --> 00:04:06.509 foundation, you could argue, was built during 00:04:06.509 --> 00:04:09.030 the mixtape era. Oh, absolutely. Playtime is 00:04:09.030 --> 00:04:11.599 over in 07, Suckafree in 08, and... And then 00:04:11.599 --> 00:04:13.939 Beam Me Up Scotty in 2009, that one actually 00:04:13.939 --> 00:04:16.180 made it onto the Billboard Hot Rap Songs chart. 00:04:16.339 --> 00:04:18.540 So the industry was already noticing her before 00:04:18.540 --> 00:04:20.819 Young Money. And how did that Young Money connection 00:04:20.819 --> 00:04:23.180 happen? Lil Wayne saw her on this underground 00:04:23.180 --> 00:04:26.500 rap DVD series, the come up volume Ellen, that 00:04:26.500 --> 00:04:28.680 got his attention. And boom, she signed with 00:04:28.680 --> 00:04:31.959 Young Money in late August 2009. Okay, this is 00:04:31.959 --> 00:04:34.759 where we have to pause. The deal itself. She 00:04:34.759 --> 00:04:38.019 secured her 360 rights. Can you break down why 00:04:38.019 --> 00:04:40.300 that was such a massive, almost revolutionary 00:04:40.300 --> 00:04:44.379 move for a new artist signing to a powerhouse 00:04:44.379 --> 00:04:46.389 label like Young Money back then? It's absolutely 00:04:46.389 --> 00:04:49.569 critical. So normally a 360 deal, which became 00:04:49.569 --> 00:04:51.910 common, means the label puts up the money, invests 00:04:51.910 --> 00:04:54.389 in the artist, right? But in return, they get 00:04:54.389 --> 00:04:56.209 a piece of everything, not just record sales. 00:04:56.509 --> 00:04:58.910 Touring, merch, endorsements, publishing, the 00:04:58.910 --> 00:05:01.790 whole 360 degrees of the artist's income. So 00:05:01.790 --> 00:05:03.750 the label controls or at least gets a cut of 00:05:03.750 --> 00:05:06.750 the entire brand. Pretty much. But Nicki or her 00:05:06.750 --> 00:05:09.930 team flipped that. By securing her 360 rights, 00:05:10.230 --> 00:05:12.389 she kept control over all those other income 00:05:12.389 --> 00:05:14.970 streams, the merchandise, the endorsements, the 00:05:14.970 --> 00:05:17.569 touring money, the publishing. Young Money handled 00:05:17.569 --> 00:05:19.970 the records, but she controlled the brand empire. 00:05:20.310 --> 00:05:22.730 So right from the start, she wasn't just an artist 00:05:22.730 --> 00:05:25.329 signing a deal. She was positioning herself as 00:05:25.329 --> 00:05:27.870 a business owner. Precisely. It set her up for 00:05:27.870 --> 00:05:30.149 incredible financial independence and control 00:05:30.149 --> 00:05:33.610 down the line. Just a genius move, really. Okay, 00:05:33.670 --> 00:05:35.629 so the business side is locked down, and then 00:05:35.629 --> 00:05:39.189 her career just... takes off. 2010 was all about 00:05:39.189 --> 00:05:40.689 the features, right? She was everywhere. She 00:05:40.689 --> 00:05:44.689 absolutely was. She became, as one source controversially 00:05:44.689 --> 00:05:47.589 put it at the time, the go -to girl for artists 00:05:47.589 --> 00:05:49.470 who wanted to add some skank to their tracks 00:05:49.470 --> 00:05:52.410 without sullying themselves. Basically, her name 00:05:52.410 --> 00:05:55.329 on a track guaranteed buzz. And that translated 00:05:55.329 --> 00:05:57.930 into chart history pretty fast. First female 00:05:57.930 --> 00:06:00.350 solo artist ever to have seven singles on the 00:06:00.350 --> 00:06:02.550 Billboard Hot 100 at the same time. Yeah, it's 00:06:02.550 --> 00:06:04.790 wild. That level of saturation before her own 00:06:04.790 --> 00:06:07.430 debut album even dropped. Just incredible. momentum. 00:06:07.470 --> 00:06:09.750 But was there one moment that shifted her from 00:06:09.750 --> 00:06:12.310 hot feature artist to potential superstar in 00:06:12.310 --> 00:06:14.069 the eyes of the industry? Without a doubt, it 00:06:14.069 --> 00:06:17.050 was her verse on Kanye West's Monster. Ah, yes. 00:06:17.209 --> 00:06:19.029 That verse is legendary. The critical reaction 00:06:19.029 --> 00:06:21.610 was just unanimous, wasn't it? It really was 00:06:21.610 --> 00:06:24.629 something else. Complex Magazine called it the 00:06:24.629 --> 00:06:27.810 best rap verse of the previous five years. Sean 00:06:27.810 --> 00:06:30.269 Fennessy at The Village Voice said it was the 00:06:30.269 --> 00:06:32.970 moment that announced Minaj's brilliance to everyone. 00:06:33.149 --> 00:06:36.279 Right. The consensus was clear. She was top tier 00:06:36.279 --> 00:06:38.540 talent. She wasn't just a female rapper. She 00:06:38.540 --> 00:06:40.980 was a rapper, period, who could hang with the 00:06:40.980 --> 00:06:44.360 absolute best in the game. It kind of obliterated 00:06:44.360 --> 00:06:46.959 those gender distinctions on the track. And didn't 00:06:46.959 --> 00:06:49.040 Kanye himself almost cut it because it was too 00:06:49.040 --> 00:06:50.959 good? Worried it would overshadow them. That's 00:06:50.959 --> 00:06:53.420 the story, yeah. Which just speaks volumes about 00:06:53.420 --> 00:06:55.120 the power she brought to that verse. It was a 00:06:55.120 --> 00:06:57.759 massive statement. And it set things up perfectly 00:06:57.759 --> 00:07:01.040 for Pink Friday, her debut album, in late 2010. 00:07:01.540 --> 00:07:04.180 And Pink Friday was huge commercially. Number 00:07:04.180 --> 00:07:06.540 one debut on the Billboard 200, biggest sales 00:07:06.540 --> 00:07:09.620 week for a female rap album this century, only 00:07:09.620 --> 00:07:12.000 behind Lauryn Hill's classic. Yeah, Miseducation. 00:07:12.100 --> 00:07:15.199 And Pink Friday had legs, too. First solo female 00:07:15.199 --> 00:07:17.920 rap album to go platinum in seven years, ended 00:07:17.920 --> 00:07:20.560 up triple platinum by 2016. And a big part of 00:07:20.560 --> 00:07:22.839 that was Super Bass. Right. That song was everywhere. 00:07:23.319 --> 00:07:26.579 Super Bass was massive. A bit of a sleeper hit 00:07:26.579 --> 00:07:29.160 initially, but it just kept growing. Peaked at 00:07:29.160 --> 00:07:31.399 number three on the Hot 100. And get this, as 00:07:31.399 --> 00:07:34.540 of 2024, it's certified 12 times platinum by 00:07:34.540 --> 00:07:37.680 the RIAA. 12 times. Yep, that makes it the highest 00:07:37.680 --> 00:07:41.000 certified song by a female rapper in RIAA history. 00:07:41.220 --> 00:07:43.819 Just shows its incredible staying power. But 00:07:43.819 --> 00:07:46.040 that success almost immediately brought conflict, 00:07:46.139 --> 00:07:48.430 didn't it? The feud with Lil' Kim kicked off 00:07:48.430 --> 00:07:51.790 around then. The track Roman's Revenge, which 00:07:51.790 --> 00:07:54.350 featured Eminem as Slim Shady, was widely seen 00:07:54.350 --> 00:07:57.149 as Nicki firing back at Kim's claims that she 00:07:57.149 --> 00:07:59.189 was copying her style, her image. Right, the 00:07:59.189 --> 00:08:01.509 alter egos going at it. Exactly. And Kim hit 00:08:01.509 --> 00:08:03.689 back hard with her Black Friday mixtape. The 00:08:03.689 --> 00:08:06.290 cover art literally showed her decapitating Nicki. 00:08:06.509 --> 00:08:09.399 Oh. Intense. And Nicki's response, lyrically, 00:08:09.540 --> 00:08:12.060 was just as cutting. That line about Kim having 00:08:12.060 --> 00:08:14.839 to sell your album on PayPal, it showed that 00:08:14.839 --> 00:08:16.540 these feuds weren't just about lyrics. They were 00:08:16.540 --> 00:08:19.040 often about business, status, financial success, 00:08:19.160 --> 00:08:22.600 too. That became a recurring theme. So that intensity 00:08:22.600 --> 00:08:26.279 carries over into the next era, 2012 -2013, with 00:08:26.279 --> 00:08:29.290 Pink Friday, Roman Reloaded. This is often called 00:08:29.290 --> 00:08:31.970 her big pop crossover album. It definitely was 00:08:31.970 --> 00:08:35.509 a conscious shift. She leaned heavily into dance 00:08:35.509 --> 00:08:38.529 pop, electropop sounds. And commercially, it 00:08:38.529 --> 00:08:40.830 worked like gangbusters, debuted at number one 00:08:40.830 --> 00:08:43.250 again, eventually went quadruple platinum. Right. 00:08:43.330 --> 00:08:45.809 And Starships, the big single from that, was 00:08:45.809 --> 00:08:48.149 Diamond certified. Fifth best -selling single 00:08:48.149 --> 00:08:51.049 in the world in 2012. Huge numbers. But that 00:08:51.049 --> 00:08:53.629 pop move caused some friction, didn't it? Within 00:08:53.629 --> 00:08:55.730 the hip -hop community specifically. Oh, yeah. 00:08:56.480 --> 00:08:58.740 Big time. You had figures like Peter Rosenberg 00:08:58.740 --> 00:09:01.700 at Hot 97 publicly dismissing Starships On Air, 00:09:01.799 --> 00:09:03.799 saying it wasn't real hip hop. Right. I remember 00:09:03.799 --> 00:09:06.100 that controversy. Yeah. Led to Lil Wayne pulling 00:09:06.100 --> 00:09:08.279 her from Summer Jam that year. Exactly. So that 00:09:08.279 --> 00:09:12.100 tension balancing massive mainstream pop success 00:09:12.100 --> 00:09:14.840 with quote unquote hip hop authenticity really 00:09:14.840 --> 00:09:17.059 defined that period for her. But she wasn't exactly 00:09:17.059 --> 00:09:21.000 avoiding controversy elsewhere either. That very 00:09:21.000 --> 00:09:23.919 theatrical exorcism themed performance of Roman 00:09:23.919 --> 00:09:26.639 Holiday at the 2012 Grammys. That definitely 00:09:26.639 --> 00:09:28.379 raised some eyebrows. The American Catholic League 00:09:28.379 --> 00:09:30.379 was not happy about that one. And then she expanded 00:09:30.379 --> 00:09:32.860 her visibility even more, voicing a character 00:09:32.860 --> 00:09:34.919 in Ice Age, joining American Idol as a judge. 00:09:35.100 --> 00:09:38.379 Right, alongside Mariah Carey. And those on -set 00:09:38.379 --> 00:09:41.740 clashes became huge news, driving ratings through 00:09:41.740 --> 00:09:43.759 the roof. She was constantly in the spotlight. 00:09:44.100 --> 00:09:47.039 So after that big pop moment, we get to the pink 00:09:47.039 --> 00:09:50.679 print era, 2014 to 2017. And the narrative here 00:09:50.679 --> 00:09:53.220 was very much about her returning to her hip 00:09:53.220 --> 00:09:55.759 -hop roots, getting more personal. Yeah, it felt 00:09:55.759 --> 00:09:57.740 like a recalibration. And she managed to balance 00:09:57.740 --> 00:10:00.899 it really well. Anaconda was the huge viral moment 00:10:00.899 --> 00:10:03.100 from this album. Oh, yeah. That video broke the 00:10:03.100 --> 00:10:05.679 Internet. Totally. Broke the Vivo 24 -hour review 00:10:05.679 --> 00:10:08.440 record at the time, like 19 .6 million views 00:10:08.440 --> 00:10:11.139 first day. Peaked at number two on the charts, 00:10:11.220 --> 00:10:13.519 her highest solo spot up to that point. But there 00:10:13.519 --> 00:10:15.480 was another big collaboration around then that 00:10:15.480 --> 00:10:17.899 maybe gets overlooked sometimes. Bang, bang. 00:10:18.759 --> 00:10:21.440 With Jessie J and Ariana Grande. Bang Bang was 00:10:21.440 --> 00:10:23.899 huge and its long -term impact is significant. 00:10:24.100 --> 00:10:27.480 Just in 2024, it got diamond certification. Wow. 00:10:27.700 --> 00:10:30.500 And that made it the first all -female collaboration 00:10:30.500 --> 00:10:33.080 in history to hit that diamond mark. That's a 00:10:33.080 --> 00:10:35.240 massive milestone for all three of them and for 00:10:35.240 --> 00:10:37.539 female collaborations in general. Incredible. 00:10:37.580 --> 00:10:39.879 But of course, the cycle of success and conflict 00:10:39.879 --> 00:10:43.240 continues. 2017 brought the Remy Moss situation. 00:10:43.580 --> 00:10:47.629 Ah, yes. Shether. That was a blistering diss 00:10:47.629 --> 00:10:50.169 track from Rummy Ma. And it brought back some 00:10:50.169 --> 00:10:53.289 old damaging rumors specifically that Nikki used 00:10:53.289 --> 00:10:55.669 ghostwriters and that she was actually in a 360 00:10:55.669 --> 00:10:58.330 deal despite what she'd claimed. So how did Nikki 00:10:58.330 --> 00:11:00.409 respond to those specific business allegations? 00:11:00.850 --> 00:11:03.929 Her response track, No Frauds, featuring Drake 00:11:03.929 --> 00:11:06.529 and Lil Wayne, came quick. And she addressed 00:11:06.529 --> 00:11:08.850 those points head on. There's that specific line 00:11:08.850 --> 00:11:11.789 everyone pointed to. I never signed a 360, bitch, 00:11:11.809 --> 00:11:15.149 you wild dumb. Very. It wasn't just a rap battle. 00:11:15.230 --> 00:11:17.649 It was her publicly defending her business integrity 00:11:17.649 --> 00:11:19.870 and her creative authorship again, reinforcing 00:11:19.870 --> 00:11:22.870 that narrative. She writes her own rhyme. She 00:11:22.870 --> 00:11:25.190 controls her own business. And all this consistent 00:11:25.190 --> 00:11:27.909 success year after year culminated in another 00:11:27.909 --> 00:11:31.320 major chart record in March 2017. Right. She 00:11:31.320 --> 00:11:33.500 officially surpassed Aretha Franklin for the 00:11:33.500 --> 00:11:35.919 most entries ever by a female artist on the Billboard 00:11:35.919 --> 00:11:38.559 Hot 100. That was a huge moment, statistically 00:11:38.559 --> 00:11:40.899 cementing her dominance over the long haul. Okay, 00:11:40.960 --> 00:11:42.940 so we've charted the commercial rise, the hits, 00:11:43.039 --> 00:11:45.879 the feuds. Let's dig into the how. What actually 00:11:45.879 --> 00:11:48.070 makes her musical style so distinctive? Well, 00:11:48.149 --> 00:11:50.909 the sources use words like nimble, animated, 00:11:51.350 --> 00:11:55.049 witty, intricate. Her flow is incredibly dynamic. 00:11:55.289 --> 00:11:57.929 She plays with speed, cadence, often switching 00:11:57.929 --> 00:12:00.549 things up dramatically mid -verse. And the accents, 00:12:00.730 --> 00:12:02.870 the different voices. The British Cockney one 00:12:02.870 --> 00:12:05.149 is probably the most famous. How important are 00:12:05.149 --> 00:12:07.230 those vocal shifts to her technique? Oh, they're 00:12:07.230 --> 00:12:09.529 absolutely central. She's talked about rapping 00:12:09.529 --> 00:12:12.509 being like both an art and a sport for her. She'll 00:12:12.509 --> 00:12:15.669 apparently spend hours revising lines, perfecting 00:12:15.669 --> 00:12:18.610 the delivery. She likes keeping listeners guessing 00:12:18.610 --> 00:12:21.450 you never quite know what Nicki you're going 00:12:21.450 --> 00:12:24.669 to get. That shape -shifting, vocally, lets her 00:12:24.669 --> 00:12:26.990 attack a beat or a topic from multiple angles. 00:12:27.210 --> 00:12:30.009 It keeps her sound fresh. She's a master of vocal 00:12:30.009 --> 00:12:32.070 texture and character. It's a versatility sense 00:12:32.070 --> 00:12:34.549 to genre, too, right? She moves between hip -hop, 00:12:34.610 --> 00:12:37.889 R &B, pop, electronic music. Effortlessly. And 00:12:37.889 --> 00:12:40.169 more recently, she's folded in sounds like drill, 00:12:40.450 --> 00:12:43.409 dancehall, afrobeats, even Jersey Club. She seems 00:12:43.409 --> 00:12:45.870 determined to constantly evolve her sound, absorb 00:12:45.870 --> 00:12:48.919 what's current. and make it her own. A true musical 00:12:48.919 --> 00:12:51.740 chameleon. And a lot of that fluidity seems tied 00:12:51.740 --> 00:12:53.779 to her use of alter egos. Can you talk about 00:12:53.779 --> 00:12:55.820 where those came from? Yeah, it's fascinating. 00:12:56.039 --> 00:12:58.240 The sources suggest characters like Cookie and 00:12:58.240 --> 00:13:01.120 her Juku Barbie actually started as coping mechanisms 00:13:01.120 --> 00:13:03.679 during her difficult childhood, escaping the 00:13:03.679 --> 00:13:05.240 fighting between her parents. She literally said, 00:13:05.320 --> 00:13:08.240 fantasy was my reality. So it starts as psychological 00:13:08.240 --> 00:13:11.039 protection, then evolves into this really powerful 00:13:11.039 --> 00:13:14.299 artistic tool, Roman Zelansky being the prime 00:13:14.299 --> 00:13:17.970 example. Exactly. Roman is the most famous. Described 00:13:17.970 --> 00:13:20.889 as her demon, a lunatic, sometimes a gay boy 00:13:20.889 --> 00:13:23.450 living inside her, Roman allows her to channel 00:13:23.450 --> 00:13:26.470 aggression, theatricality, dark humor, things 00:13:26.470 --> 00:13:28.529 that might feel jarring coming directly from 00:13:28.529 --> 00:13:30.549 Nicki Minaj. Which is why him teaming up with 00:13:30.549 --> 00:13:33.350 Eminem Slim Shady on Roman's Revenge felt so 00:13:33.350 --> 00:13:36.809 potent. Two dark alter egos colliding. Totally. 00:13:36.929 --> 00:13:38.830 And then you have others like Martha, who is 00:13:38.830 --> 00:13:41.629 Roman's very proper British mother. Nicki even 00:13:41.629 --> 00:13:44.149 jokingly announced Martha had died of old age 00:13:44.149 --> 00:13:48.279 in 20 - OK, but beyond the artistic expression, 00:13:48.480 --> 00:13:51.419 is there a strategic element to using these personas, 00:13:51.620 --> 00:13:54.220 especially in a male dominated genre like hip 00:13:54.220 --> 00:13:56.200 hop? I think absolutely. It gives her distance, 00:13:56.440 --> 00:13:59.379 control. If a lyric is particularly harsh or 00:13:59.379 --> 00:14:02.600 maybe too pop or too experimental, she can kind 00:14:02.600 --> 00:14:05.460 of attribute it to Roman or her Juku Barbie. 00:14:05.639 --> 00:14:07.940 It lets her push boundaries, creative boundaries, 00:14:08.220 --> 00:14:10.960 gender boundaries, while maintaining a slight 00:14:10.960 --> 00:14:13.120 separation from her core Nicki brand. It's like 00:14:13.120 --> 00:14:16.039 a strategic layer allowing for calculated risks. 00:14:16.159 --> 00:14:18.519 Makes sense. And who are her big influences coming 00:14:18.519 --> 00:14:20.690 up? She's always shouted out Lil Wayne, obviously. 00:14:21.649 --> 00:14:24.190 Foxy Brown, she's called Foxy, the most influential 00:14:24.190 --> 00:14:27.889 female rapper for her. Jay -Z, Biggie, Lauryn 00:14:27.889 --> 00:14:29.669 Hill, too. You can hear bits of all of them, 00:14:29.710 --> 00:14:31.769 but she synthesized it into something totally 00:14:31.769 --> 00:14:34.269 unique. And her early image was just as unique 00:14:34.269 --> 00:14:36.509 in boundary pushing, that whole Barbie aesthetic. 00:14:36.610 --> 00:14:39.190 Oh, yeah. The crazy colorful wigs, the dramatic 00:14:39.190 --> 00:14:42.590 makeup, the wild costumes. It was pure maximalism, 00:14:42.610 --> 00:14:45.230 very theatrical. It made her instantly recognizable. 00:14:45.730 --> 00:14:47.850 Barbie dolls were a huge part of that visual 00:14:47.850 --> 00:14:50.549 identity. early on. But then around 2014, with 00:14:50.549 --> 00:14:53.090 the pink print, she shifted, went for a much 00:14:53.090 --> 00:14:56.029 more natural, softer look. Why the change? Well, 00:14:56.090 --> 00:14:58.509 she said the goal was to shock them even more. 00:14:58.710 --> 00:15:01.450 By stripping it back, it felt like another calculated 00:15:01.450 --> 00:15:04.870 move. Once the shock value of the super theatrical 00:15:04.870 --> 00:15:07.970 look had maybe peaked, she pivoted. It put the 00:15:07.970 --> 00:15:10.809 focus back on her lyrics, her skill, proving 00:15:10.809 --> 00:15:12.669 she didn't need the costumes to command attention, 00:15:12.950 --> 00:15:15.490 a kind of strategic maturation of the brand image. 00:15:16.000 --> 00:15:18.779 Interesting. And she's always been outspoken 00:15:18.779 --> 00:15:21.360 about women's power speaking your mind, even 00:15:21.360 --> 00:15:23.399 if she doesn't explicitly call herself a feminist. 00:15:23.440 --> 00:15:26.710 Right. And she's been open about being pro -choice, 00:15:26.809 --> 00:15:29.129 linking it back to her own difficult experience 00:15:29.129 --> 00:15:31.809 having an abortion as a teenager, which she's 00:15:31.809 --> 00:15:33.970 referenced in her music. That adds another layer 00:15:33.970 --> 00:15:36.330 of personal depth. OK, let's circle back to that 00:15:36.330 --> 00:15:39.110 business savvy securing the 360 rights early 00:15:39.110 --> 00:15:41.830 on. Yeah. How did that control pave the way for 00:15:41.830 --> 00:15:44.610 the massive brand portfolio she has now? It was 00:15:44.610 --> 00:15:47.049 the foundation for everything else. Because she 00:15:47.049 --> 00:15:49.129 controlled those auxiliary rights, she could 00:15:49.129 --> 00:15:51.309 build this huge diversified business outside 00:15:51.309 --> 00:15:53.559 of just music. Think about the fashion deals, 00:15:53.820 --> 00:15:56.600 Emmett Cosmetics multiple times, Adidas, Roberto 00:15:56.600 --> 00:15:59.240 Cavalli. Right. And don't forget, she's a co 00:15:59.240 --> 00:16:01.580 -owner of Tidal, the streaming service that puts 00:16:01.580 --> 00:16:04.720 her at the table with Jay -Z, Beyonce. actual 00:16:04.720 --> 00:16:06.659 ownership in the music industry infrastructure. 00:16:06.980 --> 00:16:09.399 And the fragrances. Yeah. That seems like a huge 00:16:09.399 --> 00:16:11.759 revenue stream on its own. It's massive. Started 00:16:11.759 --> 00:16:13.899 with Pink Friday in 2012, and she's launched, 00:16:13.980 --> 00:16:16.720 what, nine more since then? Menagisty Queen. 00:16:17.039 --> 00:16:19.679 That's consistent consumer product income, totally 00:16:19.679 --> 00:16:22.360 separate from the ups and downs of album cycles 00:16:22.360 --> 00:16:25.159 or touring. It's where the brand power converts 00:16:25.159 --> 00:16:28.399 directly to shelf space and sales. And she keeps 00:16:28.399 --> 00:16:30.860 launching new ventures. The heavy on it record 00:16:30.860 --> 00:16:33.940 label imprint in 2023, partnering with Republic. 00:16:34.220 --> 00:16:37.179 The Pink Friday nails line, vegan, cruelty free. 00:16:37.299 --> 00:16:39.960 The low size sneaker collection. And importantly, 00:16:40.100 --> 00:16:42.120 with things like Loshi, she's not just endorsing, 00:16:42.120 --> 00:16:43.840 she's an investor and co -owner. That's another 00:16:43.840 --> 00:16:45.860 level of business involvement. She's also tapped 00:16:45.860 --> 00:16:48.039 into tech and gaming really effectively. The 00:16:48.039 --> 00:16:51.360 mobile game back in 2016. Nicki Minaj. The Empire, 00:16:51.600 --> 00:16:54.399 yeah. Yeah. And then more recently and significantly 00:16:54.399 --> 00:16:57.100 becoming the first woman operator character in 00:16:57.100 --> 00:17:00.259 Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 in 2023 as her 00:17:00.259 --> 00:17:03.759 Red Ruby persona. That's huge reach into a massive 00:17:03.759 --> 00:17:06.140 gaming audience. Absolutely. And then launching 00:17:06.140 --> 00:17:09.539 the Gag City virtual world on Roblox tied directly 00:17:09.539 --> 00:17:12.859 to the Pink Friday 2 aesthetic. She's just everywhere 00:17:12.859 --> 00:17:14.839 leveraging her brand across all these different 00:17:14.839 --> 00:17:17.140 platforms. It's a master class in multi -platform 00:17:17.140 --> 00:17:19.700 brand building. So the last few years since around 00:17:19.700 --> 00:17:22.930 2018. It feels like just one record broken after 00:17:22.930 --> 00:17:25.250 another. Let's start with the sheer volume of 00:17:25.250 --> 00:17:28.509 her chart presence. In 2018, she hit a major 00:17:28.509 --> 00:17:31.549 milestone. Yeah, she became the first woman ever 00:17:31.549 --> 00:17:34.609 to score 100 entries on the Billboard Hot 100 00:17:34.609 --> 00:17:37.329 chart. 100 songs. 100 songs. Just think about 00:17:37.329 --> 00:17:39.710 that volume. It speaks to her own output, plus 00:17:39.710 --> 00:17:41.950 the constant demand for her as a feature artist. 00:17:42.190 --> 00:17:44.829 She was just dominating the charts quantitatively 00:17:44.829 --> 00:17:46.849 more than icons like Aretha Franklin at that 00:17:46.849 --> 00:17:48.789 point. And the chart peaks kept coming. 2020 00:17:48.789 --> 00:17:50.609 was big. She finally got her first Billboard 00:17:50.609 --> 00:17:53.200 Hot 100 number ones. Yeah. Both collaborations, 00:17:53.339 --> 00:17:56.339 right? Correct. First was Say So with Oja Cat. 00:17:56.619 --> 00:17:58.559 Notably, that was the first time a collaboration 00:17:58.559 --> 00:18:00.920 between two female rappers had ever topped the 00:18:00.920 --> 00:18:03.680 Hot 100. A landmark moment. Definitely. And then 00:18:03.680 --> 00:18:06.619 right after that, Trolls with 6x9 also debuted 00:18:06.619 --> 00:18:08.700 at number one. That made her the first female 00:18:08.700 --> 00:18:11.400 rapper since Lauryn Hill way back in 98 to have 00:18:11.400 --> 00:18:14.279 a song debut at the top spot. Just shows the 00:18:14.279 --> 00:18:16.900 immense anticipation and buying power she commands. 00:18:17.099 --> 00:18:20.500 Then fast forward to 2022, and she achieved something 00:18:20.500 --> 00:18:23.670 she hadn't quite managed. before. A solo number 00:18:23.670 --> 00:18:26.910 one single in the U .S. Super Freaky Girl, sampling 00:18:26.910 --> 00:18:29.910 Rick James, of course. And that song also made 00:18:29.910 --> 00:18:32.650 history first solo track by a female rapper to 00:18:32.650 --> 00:18:34.650 debut at number one in the U .S. this century. 00:18:34.829 --> 00:18:38.289 Huge commercial win. But it immediately sparked 00:18:38.289 --> 00:18:40.750 a pretty major controversy involving the Grammy 00:18:40.750 --> 00:18:43.170 Awards. Right. She was very vocal, very public 00:18:43.170 --> 00:18:45.490 about her frustration when the Grammys moved 00:18:45.490 --> 00:18:48.069 Super Freaky Girl out of the rap categories and 00:18:48.069 --> 00:18:50.289 into pop for consideration. What was her argument 00:18:50.289 --> 00:18:52.750 against that move? because it obviously felt 00:18:52.750 --> 00:18:55.190 like a snub to her well her point was basically 00:18:55.190 --> 00:18:59.089 about consistency and well fairness she argued 00:18:59.089 --> 00:19:01.730 the song built on a classic funk sample delivered 00:19:01.730 --> 00:19:04.430 entirely through rap verses should be considered 00:19:04.430 --> 00:19:07.410 rap her claim publicly was that this was part 00:19:07.410 --> 00:19:10.029 of a bigger corporate agenda essentially manipulating 00:19:10.029 --> 00:19:12.789 categories to maybe favor newer artists over 00:19:12.789 --> 00:19:15.950 established veterans like herself And how did 00:19:15.950 --> 00:19:18.490 she argue it was unfair specifically? She pointed 00:19:18.490 --> 00:19:21.009 to other songs like Lotto's Big Energy, which 00:19:21.009 --> 00:19:23.269 had a similar pop -leaning vibe, same producer 00:19:23.269 --> 00:19:25.549 even, but that song stayed in the rap category. 00:19:25.849 --> 00:19:29.410 Her argument was... If Super Freaky Girl is pop 00:19:29.410 --> 00:19:31.930 because it's huge and has crossover appeal, then 00:19:31.930 --> 00:19:34.170 shouldn't all similar songs be treated the same 00:19:34.170 --> 00:19:36.849 way? She was calling for consistency in how genres 00:19:36.849 --> 00:19:39.250 are defined and policed, especially in this streaming 00:19:39.250 --> 00:19:41.349 era where genre lines are blurrier than ever. 00:19:41.430 --> 00:19:43.650 It highlighted that ongoing issue of datekeeping 00:19:43.650 --> 00:19:46.690 in the industry. Gotcha. Okay, so moving to late 00:19:46.690 --> 00:19:49.450 2023, the momentum just keeps building with Pink 00:19:49.450 --> 00:19:52.049 Friday 2, another number one album debut. And 00:19:52.049 --> 00:19:54.750 that album locked down another massive record. 00:19:55.109 --> 00:19:58.269 It made her the female rapper with the most U 00:19:58.269 --> 00:20:00.849 .S. number one albums in history. Three number 00:20:00.849 --> 00:20:03.309 ones. That's undisputed. Wow. Plus, it broke 00:20:03.309 --> 00:20:05.789 records for first week vinyl sales for a female 00:20:05.789 --> 00:20:08.250 rap album and had the biggest single day global 00:20:08.250 --> 00:20:10.369 streams for a female hip hop album on Spotify. 00:20:10.730 --> 00:20:14.269 The demand clearly is still Absolutely enormous. 00:20:14.589 --> 00:20:16.250 And if you connect that success right back to 00:20:16.250 --> 00:20:18.150 her early business decisions controlling those 00:20:18.150 --> 00:20:21.670 360 rights, the Pink Friday 2 World Tour in 2024 00:20:21.670 --> 00:20:24.430 seems like the ultimate payoff. It really is 00:20:24.430 --> 00:20:26.910 the financial peak so far. Just shows the incredible 00:20:26.910 --> 00:20:29.930 ROI from controlling her own touring. That tour 00:20:29.930 --> 00:20:32.150 became the highest grossing tour by a female 00:20:32.150 --> 00:20:35.670 rapper ever. Pulled in over $108 million from 00:20:35.670 --> 00:20:38.450 just the first 70 shows. That's staggering. It 00:20:38.450 --> 00:20:40.829 puts her up there as the fourth highest grossing 00:20:40.829 --> 00:20:43.400 tour by any rapper or hip hop. artists period 00:20:43.400 --> 00:20:45.920 competing with the absolute biggest names in 00:20:45.920 --> 00:20:48.920 the genre financially just monumental Beyond 00:20:48.920 --> 00:20:50.539 the sales and tours, though, we have to talk 00:20:50.539 --> 00:20:52.200 about her impact on the industry's plumbing, 00:20:52.319 --> 00:20:54.880 basically. She was really vocal early on about 00:20:54.880 --> 00:20:57.400 getting streaming counted towards sales and certifications. 00:20:57.759 --> 00:21:00.660 Yes. This might be one of her most lasting behind 00:21:00.660 --> 00:21:04.720 -the -scenes legacies. Before 2016, streams often 00:21:04.720 --> 00:21:07.200 didn't fully count towards gold and platinum 00:21:07.200 --> 00:21:10.180 status. She argued forcefully that in the digital 00:21:10.180 --> 00:21:12.500 age, streams are consumption, they are success, 00:21:12.799 --> 00:21:14.660 and they need to be reflected in the official 00:21:14.660 --> 00:21:18.420 numbers. And that push actually worked. the RIA, 00:21:18.619 --> 00:21:21.640 changing its rules in 2016 to fully integrate 00:21:21.640 --> 00:21:24.059 audio and video streams into certifications. 00:21:24.440 --> 00:21:26.980 So essentially, every artist who's benefited 00:21:26.980 --> 00:21:29.299 from streaming numbers helping them go gold or 00:21:29.299 --> 00:21:32.619 platinum since then owes her, in part, for advocating 00:21:32.619 --> 00:21:34.980 for that change. That's a fundamental shift, 00:21:35.119 --> 00:21:37.039 and her influence is just undeniable when you 00:21:37.039 --> 00:21:38.680 look at the artists who came after her. Oh, the 00:21:38.680 --> 00:21:41.259 list is huge. Doja Cat, Megan Thee Stallion, 00:21:41.400 --> 00:21:44.480 Ice Spice, Lil Nas X, Lotto. So many artists 00:21:44.480 --> 00:21:46.920 across genres point to her as an inspiration. 00:21:47.210 --> 00:21:48.990 or influence, she really did provide a kind of 00:21:48.990 --> 00:21:51.269 pink print for a generation of female artists 00:21:51.269 --> 00:21:53.769 navigating the industry. Which is why Billboard 00:21:53.769 --> 00:21:56.250 and Vibe, officially naming her the greatest 00:21:56.250 --> 00:21:59.829 female rapper of all time in 2023, felt significant. 00:22:00.210 --> 00:22:03.230 The numbers back it up to over 100 million records 00:22:03.230 --> 00:22:06.970 sold, most number ones on the R &B hip -hop chart 00:22:06.970 --> 00:22:09.970 for a female artist. Her dominance is just a 00:22:09.970 --> 00:22:12.480 historical fact at this point. Now, with that 00:22:12.480 --> 00:22:15.599 level of fame comes intense scrutiny. Nicki Minaj 00:22:15.599 --> 00:22:18.440 has one of the most passionate, engaged fan bases, 00:22:18.559 --> 00:22:21.279 but also one of the most scrutinized public profiles. 00:22:21.799 --> 00:22:24.460 Her social media presence is enormous. Yeah. 00:22:24.579 --> 00:22:26.500 Most followed Roper on Instagram first to hit 00:22:26.500 --> 00:22:29.339 200 million, now over 227 million followers. 00:22:29.759 --> 00:22:32.900 That direct line to her fans, the Barbz, is incredibly 00:22:32.900 --> 00:22:35.019 powerful. But it's a double edged sword, as you 00:22:35.019 --> 00:22:37.180 said. That loyalty can sometimes manifest in 00:22:37.180 --> 00:22:39.220 negative ways. Exactly. The sources do mention 00:22:39.220 --> 00:22:41.119 that some segments of her fan base have been. 00:22:41.230 --> 00:22:43.089 known to be extremely aggressive towards critics' 00:22:43.210 --> 00:22:45.569 reports of doxing, cyberbullying, even threats. 00:22:46.210 --> 00:22:48.250 Managing that intense fan energy is definitely 00:22:48.250 --> 00:22:50.470 part of her modern reality. And her public life 00:22:50.470 --> 00:22:52.369 has certainly had its share of high -profile 00:22:52.369 --> 00:22:54.990 conflicts. That incident with Cardi B at New 00:22:54.990 --> 00:22:57.430 York Fashion Week in 2018. Oh yeah, the shoe 00:22:57.430 --> 00:22:59.569 -throwing incident. That was everywhere. A real 00:22:59.569 --> 00:23:02.269 media frenzy. And it's interesting how she responds 00:23:02.269 --> 00:23:05.819 even in conflict. After that, she specifically 00:23:05.819 --> 00:23:09.140 went online to deny rumors she liked negative 00:23:09.140 --> 00:23:12.259 comments about Cardi's child, saying she'd never 00:23:12.259 --> 00:23:15.819 speak ill of anyone's child, drawing lines even 00:23:15.819 --> 00:23:18.299 amidst the drama. Right, which makes it important 00:23:18.299 --> 00:23:20.559 to also talk about the side of her career that 00:23:20.559 --> 00:23:23.440 gets much less attention, her philanthropy. Absolutely. 00:23:23.930 --> 00:23:25.430 Because there's quite a bit there, isn't there? 00:23:25.509 --> 00:23:27.849 There is. Sources detail her funding projects 00:23:27.849 --> 00:23:30.250 in a village in India for years, water wells, 00:23:30.549 --> 00:23:32.890 a computer center, things like that. She donated 00:23:32.890 --> 00:23:36.069 $25 ,000 to the Red Cross after Hurricane Harvey. 00:23:36.289 --> 00:23:38.269 And didn't she offer to pay tuition for some 00:23:38.269 --> 00:23:41.210 fans on Twitter once? Yeah, back in 2017, offered 00:23:41.210 --> 00:23:43.250 to cover college tuition or student loans for 00:23:43.250 --> 00:23:45.789 about 30 fans who showed proof. A really direct 00:23:45.789 --> 00:23:47.849 way of giving back. That's incredible. And it 00:23:47.849 --> 00:23:50.509 connects back to her own story, too. In 2020, 00:23:50.710 --> 00:23:54.069 she gave $25 ,000 to St. Jude's Home for Girls 00:23:54.069 --> 00:23:56.569 back in Trinidad. And in her speech there, she 00:23:56.569 --> 00:23:58.130 talked about her own experience with domestic 00:23:58.130 --> 00:24:01.190 violence, trying to encourage the girls. It shows 00:24:01.190 --> 00:24:03.549 that connection between her past and her wanting 00:24:03.549 --> 00:24:05.670 to help now. She's also taken stands on bigger 00:24:05.670 --> 00:24:07.930 issues, pulling out of that Saudi Arabia concert 00:24:07.930 --> 00:24:10.670 in 2019. Right. After activists raised concerns, 00:24:10.910 --> 00:24:13.349 she released a statement supporting women's rights, 00:24:13.549 --> 00:24:17.109 LGBTQ rights, freedom of expression. using her 00:24:17.109 --> 00:24:19.109 platform in that way. Okay, and finally, just 00:24:19.109 --> 00:24:21.589 for a complete picture, we need to touch on some 00:24:21.589 --> 00:24:23.650 of the personal and legal contacts around her 00:24:23.650 --> 00:24:26.029 life recently. There was the tragic death of 00:24:26.029 --> 00:24:28.589 her father. Yeah, Robert Mirage died in a hit 00:24:28.589 --> 00:24:31.890 -and -run accident back in 2021. Just awful. 00:24:32.150 --> 00:24:35.349 And her marriage to Kenneth Petty in 2019. They 00:24:35.349 --> 00:24:38.710 have a son, Papa Bear, born in 2020. But Petty's 00:24:38.710 --> 00:24:41.150 past legal issues have brought a lot of scrutiny. 00:24:42.299 --> 00:24:45.059 Specifically, his 1995 conviction for attempted 00:24:45.059 --> 00:24:47.500 rape when he was a teenager. That history led 00:24:47.500 --> 00:24:49.519 to legal trouble when he didn't register as a 00:24:49.519 --> 00:24:51.559 sex offender correctly after moving to California. 00:24:51.980 --> 00:24:54.980 And that resulted in a civil lawsuit from the 00:24:54.980 --> 00:24:57.900 original accuser, Jennifer Hugh, against both 00:24:57.900 --> 00:25:01.240 him and Nikki. Yes, alleging harassment and intimidation 00:25:01.240 --> 00:25:03.579 related to the old case. It's important to be 00:25:03.579 --> 00:25:05.759 clear here. The lawsuit against Nikki herself 00:25:05.759 --> 00:25:08.619 was later voluntarily dropped by Hugh. And Nikki 00:25:08.619 --> 00:25:10.880 has always strongly denied any harassment or 00:25:10.880 --> 00:25:14.420 offering money. Right. And then just very recently, 00:25:14.539 --> 00:25:18.160 that incident in Amsterdam, being detained briefly 00:25:18.160 --> 00:25:20.440 for marijuana found in her luggage before a show. 00:25:20.559 --> 00:25:22.440 Yeah, resulted in a fine. She was released the 00:25:22.440 --> 00:25:24.799 same day. But it just underscores, again, the 00:25:24.799 --> 00:25:27.500 constant intense spotlight she lives under. Every 00:25:27.500 --> 00:25:30.140 move is magnified. It really is an incredible 00:25:30.140 --> 00:25:32.950 arc, though. When you map it all out, overcoming 00:25:32.950 --> 00:25:35.250 that incredibly rough childhood, strategically 00:25:35.250 --> 00:25:37.849 building this empire of creative and business 00:25:37.849 --> 00:25:40.849 control, starting with that 360 deal. And ending 00:25:40.849 --> 00:25:43.630 up with this multi -platform global brand, number 00:25:43.630 --> 00:25:45.970 one albums, record -breaking tours, hundreds 00:25:45.970 --> 00:25:48.349 of millions in earnings. Her journey just perfectly 00:25:48.349 --> 00:25:50.849 illustrates that blend of raw performance talent 00:25:50.849 --> 00:25:54.490 and sharp strategic power. Most number one albums 00:25:54.490 --> 00:25:57.190 for a female rapper, diamond songs, highest grossing 00:25:57.190 --> 00:25:59.690 tour, the artistry, the ambition, the business 00:25:59.690 --> 00:26:02.369 side, it all defines modern superstardom. Yeah. 00:26:02.450 --> 00:26:04.690 And sustaining that level of impact for, what, 00:26:04.730 --> 00:26:07.789 15 plus years now in this industry, that's what 00:26:07.789 --> 00:26:10.650 really cements the legacy, I think. So when we 00:26:10.650 --> 00:26:13.009 boil down this deep dive, look at the pink print. 00:26:13.870 --> 00:26:16.630 What's at the core of her genius? You know, her 00:26:16.630 --> 00:26:19.910 success seems so tied to her ability to reinvent 00:26:19.910 --> 00:26:22.730 herself, to use these different personas, Harjuku 00:26:22.730 --> 00:26:25.549 Barbie, Queen Sleaze, Roman. So it leaves you 00:26:25.549 --> 00:26:28.950 wondering, right? Is that use of alter egos primarily 00:26:28.950 --> 00:26:31.230 an artistic necessity for her, something that 00:26:31.230 --> 00:26:33.589 lets her push creative limits? Nor. Or was it, 00:26:33.609 --> 00:26:35.930 maybe from the very start, a really smart strategic 00:26:35.930 --> 00:26:38.890 business move, a way to navigate, control her 00:26:38.890 --> 00:26:41.349 image, her narrative, in an industry that wasn't, 00:26:41.349 --> 00:26:43.609 and often still isn't, built for women, especially 00:26:43.609 --> 00:26:45.940 black women, to hold that kind of power? It's 00:26:45.940 --> 00:26:48.240 a great question. And the fascinating thing about 00:26:48.240 --> 00:26:50.619 her career is the answer might just be yes to 00:26:50.619 --> 00:26:53.700 both. The art fuels the business. The business 00:26:53.700 --> 00:26:56.039 protects the art. Her legacy is kind of wrapped 00:26:56.039 --> 00:26:58.140 up in that ongoing question. Where does one end 00:26:58.140 --> 00:27:00.299 and the other begin? Definitely something for 00:27:00.299 --> 00:27:02.119 you to think about next time you hear a Nicki 00:27:02.119 --> 00:27:02.799 Minaj track.