17 Cool Nicki Minaj Facts: Her First Job, Fears, and More

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Nicki Minaj is one of the best female rappers of all time, with a career spanning nearly two decades. Although many are familiar with her music, few know more about her than her musical talent.

Sit down and get ready as we dive into 17 Nicki Minaj facts, revealing more about the singer than ever before.

1. Nicki Minaj isn’t Her Real Name

nicki minaj in a red outfit surrounded by fans holding a microphone — Image from Shutterstock.

First up on our list of Nicki Minaj facts is that Nicki Minaj isn’t her real name. She was born as Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty, which doesn’t flow off the tongue like the shorter Nicki Minaj moniker she’s adopted.

2. She Has a Multi-Ethnic Background

nicki minaj in a gold v neck dress — Image from Shutterstock.

Nicki Minaj has a multi-ethnic background, born on December 8th, 1982, in the Saint James district of Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. She was born to Carol Miraj, her Afro-Trinidadian mother, and Robert Miraj, her Indo-Trinidadian father, creating a complex background for the singer.

3. She’s Shorter Than You Think

nicki minaj on stage surrounded by dancers — Image from Shutterstock

Although Nicki Minaj seems larger than life in her music videos and up on stage at her concerts, she is only five feet and two inches tall. That number places her far shorter than most other singers and audience members.

4. She’s Acrophobic

image of someone standing near the edge of a tall building in an urban area — Image by Tim Trad on Unsplash

Celebrities seem like they wouldn’t be afraid of anything – but that isn’t the case with Nicki Minaj. She’s acrophobic, which means she’s scared of heights. You won’t find Nicki Minaj on top of tall buildings or skydiving from planes for fun.

5. She Loves Chocolate

small chocolates lined up on a white background — Image by Jessica Loaiza on Unsplash

Next on our list of Nicki Minaj facts is her sweet tooth. The singer is a fan of chocolate, especially candy bars. Her favorite versions of the sweet include Kit-Kat and Twix.

6. She Adores Hi-Chews

nicki minaj on stage in a sparkly dress singing — Image from Shutterstock.

On top of chocolate bars, Nicki Minaj is known to enjoy the fruity and tangy Hi-Chew candy. Her favorite flavor is mango, reporting they’re one of her favorite sweet foods on the market.

7. She Has Her Own Dictionary

a dictionary page up close with most of the words blurred out — Image by Roman Vignes on Unsplash

Minaj has many unique words and phrases she says, so she created her own online dictionary for fans to peruse whenever they were curious about her lingo. The Nictionary was launched in 2013 and offers a way for “pedestrians” to walk through and understand her vocabulary.

8. She Was Fired As a Waitress

nicki minage with two tone hair holding an envelope — Image from Shutterstock.

Most artists work a second job before they become famous, and Nicki Minaj spent a few months working at a Red Lobster. However, she was eventually fired from the position for being rude to the customers.

9. She Was an Actress

an action device on a movie set — Image by Jakob Owens on Unsplash

Nicki Minaj might be best known for her singing career, but she’s also tried her hand at acting several times throughout her career. She was in an off-broadway production of In Case You Forget in 2001, as well as appearing in the movies The Other Woman and TV shows like Saturday Night Live.

10. She’s the Queen of Feuds

cardi b in a rainbow outfit holding a fan — Image from Shutterstock.

Nicki Minaj is the queen of feuds, chalking up plenty of fights. She’s had spats with Cardi B, Taylor Swift, and Miley Cyrus, to name a few.

11. She Was the First Female Rapper at Yankee Stadium

nicki minaj on stage singing — Image from Shutterstock

Back in 2021, Nicki Minaj became the first female rapper to perform in the center of the field at Yankee Stadium. She performed right next to Jay-Z and Kanye West, making history in her own right.

12. She Loves Chicken Wings

a basket of chicken wings with ranch dressing — Image by Erik Mclean on Unsplash

Nicki Minaj isn’t shy about what she likes eating, and chicken wings are one of her favorite items. She even has a small pink chicken wing necklace she often wears around her neck.

13. She Adores Meryl Streep

meryl streep in a sparkling blue dress on the runway — Image from Shutterstock.

Next on our list of Nicki Minaj facts is that she adores Meryl Streep, naming her as a muse in her early acting career. She even performed an imitation of Streep’s role in Devil Wears Prada.

14. She’s Worked with MAC

a mac palette surrounded by brushes and other makeup supplies — Image by James Lewis on Unsplash

Nicki Minaj has worked with MAC not once but two times throughout her career. One of her most iconic collaborations included a nude lipstick line which did very well with customers.

15. She Partially Owned Tidal

a hand holding a phone depicting tidal streaming services — Image by Kenny Eliason on Unsplash

Back when Tidal was launched, Nicki Minaj and other artists like Rihanna and Alicia Keys purchased a share. Jay-Z sold the majority share to Jack Dorsey in 2021, earning Minaj and the others millions of dollars in a payout.

16. She Had a Tough Upbringing

nicki minaj in a pink leather outfit — Image from Shutterstock

Although you wouldn’t be able to tell now, Minaj had a tough upbringing. Her father infamously set her childhood home on fire in an attempt to kill her mother, shaping Minaj into the strong person she is today.

17. She Was Discovered By Lil Wayne

lil wayne with a microphone and his hair flying in the wind — Chicago, Illinois / United States – Saturday, August 3rd, 2019: Lil Wayne performs at Lollapalooza in Grant Park, Chicago. Image from Shutterstock.

Last on our list of Nicki Minaj facts is that she was discovered in 2009 by Lil Wayne. He became her mentor and led her to a successful rapping career, which she still dominates today.

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