Nicki Minaj is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and actress with a net worth estimated at $150 million. She has become one of the most influential female artists in hip-hop.
Minaj has amassed immense success and wealth through her chart-topping music, business ventures, and other lucrative deals. She moved to New York when she was a child. However, she endured a difficult upbringing but pursued music from a young age.
Nicki Minaj Net Worth
Nicki Minaj has amassed immense wealth and success during her career. She is considered one of the richest female rappers in history. However, Nicki Minaj has an estimated net worth of $150 million.
A massive source of Minaj’s wealth comes from her music sales and touring revenue. She has sold over 100 million singles worldwide and earned multiple platinum certifications. Minaj reportedly earned around $29 million from her debut album, Pink Friday.
Her highest-grossing concert tour was 2014’s The Pinkprint Tour, which grossed over $22 million from 80 shows. Other major tours include the Pink Friday Tour (2012), The Nicki WRLD Tour (2015), and the NickiHndrxx Tour with Future (2019).
Early Life and Education
Onika Tanya Maraj, known professionally as Nicki Minaj, was born on December 8, 1982, in Saint James, Trinidad and Tobago. Her father Robert Maraz worked as a financial executive, and her mother Carol Maraz is a singer. When Minaj was five, the family relocated to Queens, New York.
Minaj endured a turbulent childhood in Queens. Her father struggled with addictions to alcohol and drugs and unexpectedly died in 2021 in a car accident. Minaj attended Elizabeth Blackwell Middle School, where she played the clarinet. However, she struggled with her academics.
Minaj attended the LaGuardia High School of Music & Art, sharpening her performing skills. She also worked as a waitress at a Queens restaurant, where she was fired for discourtesy toward customers.
Career Beginnings and Rise to Stardom
Minaj spent years striving to get her career off the ground. She took on backup singing roles and appeared on songs by artists like Gucci Mane and Young Jeezy. After reshaping her image and adopting her signature alter egos, Minaj landed a record deal with Lil Wayne’s Young Money Entertainment in 2009.
She made her breakthrough later that year with her first single, “Massive Attack.” However, her 2010 single “Your Love” drove Minaj’s rise to stardom. She followed up with “Check It Out,” “Right Thru Me,” and the hugely popular “Super Bass” in 2011.
Minaj’s debut album, Pink Friday (2010), was instantly successful, debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. Hits like “Moment 4 Life” and “Fly” featuring Rihanna cemented Minaj as hip hop’s newest force. She became the first female solo artist to simultaneously have seven songs on the Billboard Hot 100.
Sources of Income
Nicki Minaj has amassed her massive fortune through various sources of income throughout her award-winning career. She has sold over 100 million singles and 5 million albums worldwide. Music sales comprise tour merchandise, streaming royalties, and commercial endorsements of her songs.
Minaj’s live shows and arena tours have been significant revenue drivers. Her highest-grossing tour was 2014’s The Pinkprint Tour at over $22 million total gross. She has earned significantly from endorsement deals with major brands like MAC Cosmetics, Pepsi, Adidas, and others. These deals include promotion, sponsorship fees, and royalties.
However, Minaj has monetized her fame through on-screen roles in films like The Other Woman and Barbershop 3. She also earned a reported $12 million salary as an American Idol judge in 2012.
Music Ventures
Minaj is also a savvy businesswoman who has monetized her fame through lucrative endorsement deals, partnerships, and other ventures. She has worked with brands like MAC Cosmetics, Pepsi, and Adidas.
In 2011, Minaj launched a fragrance line with Give Back Brands, generating over $1 billion in sales. She expanded her product line to include accessories, housewares, and wines.
Minaj has also made on-screen appearances. She was a judge on American Idol in 2012 and later appeared in films like The Other Woman (2014) and Barbershop: The Next Cut (2016). She launched her Beats 1 radio show, Queen Radio, in 2018.
Achievements and Awards
Nicki Minaj’s album sales and chart dominance highlight her massive commercial success. She has sold over 100 million singles worldwide, including the diamond-certified “Super Bass.” Minaj became the first female artist to chart over 100 entries on the Billboard Hot 100. Her album Pink Friday went triple platinum.
Minaj was the first woman to appear on MTV’s Annual Hottest MC List in 2011. That same year, she earned her first 10 Grammy Award nominations, including Best New Artist.
The rapper also has a staggeringly successful award show record. She has won 5 American Music Awards, 12 BET Awards, and 4 MTV VMAs. Minaj won Best Female Hip Hop Artist for seven consecutive years at the BET Awards.
Personal Life
Minaj is married to Kenneth “Zoo” Petty, a childhood friend she reconnected within 2018. They began dating in late 2018 and married in October 2019. In 2020, Minaj gave birth to their first child, a son named Papa Bear.
Before marrying Petty, Minaj was in a high-profile relationship with rapper Meek Mill from 2015 to 2017. The two collaborated musically and made many public appearances together. Their messy breakup played out on social media.
Minaj identifies as heterosexual but has said she’s attracted to women. She has stated she is not “coming out” and does not label her sexuality.
The rapper grew up in a troubled household in Queens, NY, with a father addicted to drugs and alcohol. She has said she uses her childhood as motivation but has conflicting feelings toward her father.
Challenges and Criticism
Nicki Minaj’s meteoric rise to fame and success has not been without challenges and critics. She has faced backlash for various aspects of her career over the years.
Minaj has been criticized for overtly sexual lyrics and costumes early in her career. Some felt she reinforced negative female stereotypes and objectification. However, Minaj has defended her expression of sexuality as empowering.
As a black woman breaking into the male-dominated hip-hop genre, Minaj faced questions about her authenticity and talent early on. She was accused of appropriating Caribbean culture.
Minaj has engaged in high-profile feuds with artists like Mariah Carey, Lil Kim, and Remy Ma. The heated back-and-forths often played out publicly on social media and in interviews.
She has also been chastised for provocative languages, like using a racial slur in collaboration with Drake. Minaj claimed the context was their shared dynamic as artists.
Philanthropy
Nicki Minaj actively uses her platform and resources to give back to society. She has supported various causes through financial donations and amplifying essential issues.
Minaj has been involved in charity work for underprivileged children for years. In 2017, she helped fund the construction of a village in India with school facilities and clean water. She also supports the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation.
FAQs on Nicki Minaj Net Worth
What is Nicki Minaj’s real name?
Nicki Minaj’s real name is Onika Tanya Maraj. She was born in Saint James, Trinidad and Tobago, in 1982 before moving to Queens, New York as a child. “Nicki Minaj” is her stage name.
How did Nicki Minaj get discovered?
Nicki Minaj started releasing mixtapes and building buzz online in the late 2000s. After posting tracks on MySpace, she caught the attention of Lil Wayne and his Young Money label.
What was Nicki Minaj’s breakthrough single?
While she had some initial successes, Nicki Minaj’s true breakthrough as a superstar was her 2010 single “Super Bass.” The infectious pop-rap track shot to #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became one of the biggest songs in 2011.
Final Thoughts
Nicki Minaj is one of the most influential rappers of all time. She has an estimated net worth of $150 million. Her unique rhyming style, chameleon-like vocals, and illustrious persona have made her a pop culture force over the past decade.
However, Minaj has shown her business savvy matches her bars. She has become one of music’s wealthiest female artists through music sales, touring, endorsements, and other ventures.
