Nicki Minaj, original name Onika Tanya Maraj, (born December 8, 1982, St. James, Trinidad and Tobago), Trinidadian-born singer, songwriter, television personality, and actress who was known for her flowing quick-spoken rap style and for her provocative lyrics. She complemented her music with a bold persona that included colourful wigs and risqué clothing.
Maraj was about five years old when her family moved to Queens, New York, from Trinidad and Tobago. Her childhood was dominated by a violent drug-addicted father, and she spent time creating fantasies for herself that would allow her an escape from her tumultuous life. She adopted a new name, Nicki Minaj, from that practice. Other creative outlets included writing her first rap song when she was 12 years old and pursuing acting at New York City’s Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts.
USA 2006 – 78th Annual Academy Awards. Closeup of giant Oscar statue at the entrance of the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles, California. Hompepage blog 2009, arts and entertainment, film movie hollywood
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Minaj entered the music business as a backup singer for local aspiring rap singers in New York City. She included videos of her work on her Myspace page, which was seen by a local record label. Minaj eventually came to the attention of rapper Lil Wayne, and the two worked on some mixtapes (recordings), the first of which, Playtime Is Over, appeared in 2007. As other mixtapes were released, Minaj’s exposure grew, and the next year she was named Female Artist of the Year at the Underground Music Awards. In 2009 she signed with Young Money Entertainment, the label founded by Wayne. Her first album for Young Money, Pink Friday (2010), made it to the top of the Billboard 200 chart. It featured lyrics—which were common in her recordings—and Minaj embraced the shock value of her work. The title also reflected her preference for the colour pink, a predilection that she used in branding her albums and such later consumer items as her Pink Friday perfume and Pink Pill speakers.
