Nicki Minaj grazes the Royalty Issue for I-D magazine and is interviewed by the self-proclaimed Princess of Rap, JT. This interview is another complete moment for the Queen of Rap. Her legendary status doesn’t require any boosting, but somehow this intimate conversation between Nicki Minaj and her descendent is a golden moment.
JT’s exchange with Nicki centers on the current climate of Hip-Hop, business ventures, and her upcoming Fifth studio album. One of my favorite parts of the interview is when JT asked,
Now I’m an artist I understand much more why you went pop. Being Black and trying to put out rap, and taking it to new heights, is so hard. When you do a pop song you get a different type of respect, and that’s when a band gets bigger. Now there are more female rappers and that’s literally what we do.
JT interviewing Nicki Minaj on i-D magazine
This is an important topic to dwell on, but funny enough it’s not spoken about that much. Like her or not, Nicki is a barbie machine that transitioned to pop-rap during her first few years in mainstream hip-hop. She took the risk; it paid off, and she broke millions of records–made millions and millions of money doing pop.
But the backlash she received was so brutal, and she never gained the flowers she so well deserved. They ridiculed her for pushing the boundary and opening another dimension for female rappers to make more money as femcees. It’s aggravating how female rappers in 2022 get praise for what Nicki started 10 years ago and still doing consistently.
On another note, a positive one. Nicki hints at her fifth studio album coming soon, alongside her new business venture–a nail design company. She says,
And I am working on a nail design company, where people will be able to buy my press-on nail with dope designs. I was already working on that before someone auctioned my press-on nail for $50,000 or whatever they spent on it
Nicki Minaj for i-D magazine
Go read the full article on the i-d magazine website or get yourself a physical copy of the issue