The undisputed Rap Queen was recently honored with the Video Vanguard Award, and the Barbz cannot stop celebrating. Through her musical career and other ventures, Nicki Minaj net worth plummeted significantly. Here is a look into the rapper’s achievements and why she deserves the honored accolade.
Early Life
Born on 8th December 1982 in Trinidad and Tobago, Nicki Minaj’s actual name is Onika Tanya Maraj. She has four siblings, two brothers and two sisters, and is the middle child. Her father is Robert Maraj (a financial executive and gospel singer), and her mother is Carol Maraj (also a gospel singer). Nicki’s father was an alcoholic and drug addict with severe temper control issues who burnt down their house in 1987.
She lived with her grandmother in Saint James, Trinidad, and Tobago, during her childhood.
Later her mother moved her and her siblings to Queens in New York. Nicki secured admission to Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts for her education. The school focuses on visual and performing arts, allowing Nicki to further her artistic side. After graduating high school, Nicki tried her hand at an acting career. In 2001, she joined the Off-Broadway play “In Case You Forget.”
To support herself during her acting career, Minaj worked jobs waiting tables at various restaurants, including Red Lobster. Reminiscing back to her time doing odd jobs, Minaj recalls being fired from over 15 jobs due to her “rude” behavior.
Nicki Minaj net worth: Early Career
During her early days, Minaj signed with the Brooklyn group Full Force. With them, she recorded a few songs. However, she soon left the group and went solo. She would register and upload her songs on Myspace and even send them to numerous personalities within the music industry. After working with Dirty Money Entertainment’s CEO, the rapper adopted the name “Nicki Minaj.”
In 2007, Minaj dropped her first mixtape, Playtime Is Over, followed by Sucka Free in 2008. The following year, in 2008, Minaj won her first Female Artist of the Year award at the Underground Music Awards. In 2009, she released her third album, Beam Me Up Scotty, and was also featured in XXL magazine.
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Achieving Mainstream Recognition
Even with numerous mixtapes to her name and a decent career start, Minaj could not achieve mainstream attention. Nevertheless, that changed when Lil Wayne discovered Nicki and soon signed her with his label, Young Money Entertainment. In 2010, Minaj released her very first debut album, which became a huge success and sold over 4 million copies worldwide. In 2012, the Anaconda singer’s album Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded received platinum status.
Moreover, Minaj became one of the judges on American Idol in 2013. In 2014, the Super Bass rapper released her third album, The Pinkprint. This album sold over 650,000 copies in the past eight years. In 2018, after a significant break, Minaj released her 4th album, which also became her 2nd platinum album. The album named “Queen” became immensely popular, selling over a million copies and reaching number 2 on the Billboard top 200.
Throughout her career, Minaj won an overwhelming number of accolades. She has over 100 notable awards, which include 3 MTV Video Music Awards, 10 BET Awards, 4 Billboard Music Awards, 6 American Music Awards, and 2 People’s Choice Awards. Even though the Motorsport singer received 10 Grammy Award nominations, she is yet to win even a single one.
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Receiving the Video Vanguard Award at the VMAs
At the 2022 VMAs, the leading female rap artist was honored with the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award. While some argue that she may not be the right fit for the accolade, her show-stopping performance proved otherwise.
Minaj served as the cohost for the 2022 MTV VMAs. However, she strayed away from her host duties to perform for a lifetime. The Bang Bang rapper stole the show with her memorable performance of a medley of her top hit songs. She dawned a bright Barbie-inspired look with long pink locks. Furthermore, numerous backup dancers were featured in the background, making the performance even more exhilarating. Her melody contained her hits from “Monster” to “Moment 4 Life” and wrapped up with “Super Freaky Girl,” her latest single. Even in her prime moment, Nicki did not forget to thank her fans. The backscreen featured heartwarming messages from her Barbz.
In her acceptance speech, she thanked all her fans and supporters in the industry. She thanked Beyonce, Kanye West, Mariah Carey, Madonna, Britney Spears, Rihanna, and Eminem. Wait, we know what you all are thinking: Where is Drake on this list? Nicki could not finish the most important speech of her life without mentioning her biggest cheerleader. She thanked him “for always saying the things I need to hear to get me back in the game.”
Nicki Minaj’s Net Worth
The Super Bass singer made quite a fortune for herself throughout her career. With two platinum albums and multiple songs on the Billboard 100, Nickie Minaj’s net worth shot up quite a bit. As of right now, Nicki Minaj’s net worth stands at a whopping $100 million. Although her music career is the prime contributor to her fortune, Minaj also has multiple other sources of income.
Minaj’s iconic music led her to gain immense fame in a short time. In the early 2010s, Minaj seemed to show the female rap scene. Her album Pink Friday became the most successful album by a female rap artist. Nicki Minaj knew her worth and was not afraid to ask for the money she deserved. Hence, early in her career, the Good Form rapper started earning a six-figure salary. Recently, Nicki charged about a quarter of a million dollars for verses. She made millions through various streaming platforms as well. She earned an impressive $13 million through Apple music, $12 million through Spotify and $6 million through Amazon.
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Through her album tours, the artist earns a hefty sum of money. Her Pinkprint time racked in a massive 22 million USD, whereas the Pink Friday: Reloaded Tour earned $10 million.
Minaj also gathered quite the payday through her appearances on Dish Nation, RuPaul’s Drag Race, Ptomac’s Real Housewives, and Extra And Lived Saturday night. Through being the celebrity judge on American Idol in 2013, the Bang Bang rapper earned about 8-12 million USD.
Nicki Minaj made clear that she wants to achieve tycoon status, so she takes on whatever opportunity. Through the years, Minaj has collaborated with countless brands in various departments. Whether it be food, makeup, fashion, or gambling, the Anaconda singer did not let go of any opportunity. Her partnership with MaximBet (a betting platform focused on entertainment, celebrities, and sports) proved fruitful for her over the years. Nicki’s 2019 collaboration with Fendi went viral, proving quite profitable for both the rapper and the designer. Her brand collaborations also include Adidas, MAC, Luxe, and H&M.
Minaj’s social media platforms are also a significant source of income for the artist. With 201 million Instagram followers, the rap artist is the 17th most followed person in the world. Minaj ensures to profit off this number. As estimated by Hopper, Minaj probably makes about $1 million per sponsored post on Instagram.
Nicki Minaj net worth resides in her various properties as well. The Alarm singer Pound has a luxurious $10 million mansion in Los Angeles. The grand mansion features six bedrooms, eight bathrooms, a gorgeous pool with a city view, and a monumental entrance. She also leases a Beverly Hills home for about $40,000 a month.
