Nicki Minaj
Biography
Onika Tanya Maraj (born December 8, 1982) is a Trinidadian-born American rapper, singer and songwriter, as well as an actress and voice actress. Known professionally as Nicki Minaj, she is hailed as the most famous female rapper in the planet, notably acclaimed for her versatility as an artist, her sharp lyrics and animated flow in her rapping, including alter egos and hyper accents. As a small child, Minaj lived with her grandmother in Saint James, Trinidad and Tobego until moving to New York City to live with her parents when she was five years old. Her father, Robert Maraj, a financial executive and part-time gospel singer, is of Indo-Trinidadian and Afro-Trinidadian descent, while her mother, Carol Maraj, also a gospel singer, is of Afro-Trinidadian ancestry. Minaj graduated from the LaGuardia High School in Manhattan, which focuses on visual and performing arts with the intention to become an actress, and in 2001 was cast in the Off-Broadway play 'In Case You Forget'. Nicki Minaj earned public attention after releasing three mixtapes between 2007 and 2009, signing to Young Money Entertainment and outshining other artists in her infamous features all before the release of her first studio album 'Pink Friday' in 2010, which skyrocketed her into a global and cultural icon, her influence, popularity and acclaim only growing to cement her as an icon of over the course of the decade. She is the most followed rapper of all time on the social media platform, Instagram. Nicki Minaj made her film debut in a voice acting role for the 2012 animated film 'Ice Age: Continental Drift', followed by supporting roles in 'The Other Woman' (2014) and a voice acting role in 'Angry Birds Movie 2' (2019). She has appeared as self-archive footage in multiple films and documentaries, and stated in early 2022 her intention to return her focus to acting with her biggest role to date.
Known For

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

The Graham Norton Show

Saturday Night Live

Late Show with David Letterman

RuPaul's Drag Race

Steven Universe
All Movies (30)
- Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL Music2025 · as Self (archive footage)
- Feels Good Man2020 · as Self (archive footage)
- The Angry Birds Movie 22019 · as Pinky (voice)
- Matangi / Maya / M.I.A.2018 · as Self (archive footage)
- Nicki Minaj - Road to Success2018 · as Self
- Double Dutchess: Seeing Double2017
- Nicki Minaj: The Pinkprint Tour2016 · as Nicki Minaj
- Madonna: Rebel Heart Tour2016 · as Self - Vocals
- Barbershop: The Next Cut2016 · as Draya
- Charli XCX: The F-Word and Me2015 · as Self (archive footage)
- The Pinkprint Movie2015
- Nicki Minaj: My Time Again2015 · as Self
- On the Run Tour: Beyoncé and Jay-Z2014 · as Self - Performer
- Dave Skylark's Very Special VMA Special2014 · as Nicki Minaj
- The Other Woman2014 · as Lydia
- Justin Bieber's Believe2013 · as Self
- Madonna: MDNA World Tour2013 · as Self - Vocals
- Nicki Minaj: Pink Planet2013 · as Self (archive footage)
- The Re-Up2012 · as Self
- Ice Age: Continental Drift2012 · as Steffie (voice)
- Madonna - Super Bowl XLVI halftime show2012
- Britney Spears Live - The Femme Fatale Tour2011 · as Self
- Playtime Is Over2011 · as Self
- Nicki Minaj: My Time Now2010 · as Herself
- Runaway2010 · as Narrator (voice)
- My Mic Sounds Nice: A Truth About Women and Hip Hop2010 · as Self (archive footage)
- The Carter2009
- The Come Up: Volume 15 Gangsta Grillz Edition2008
- The Come Up: The Strip Club Edition2007 · as Herself
- Nicki Minaj: Queen of Rap— · as Self (archive footage)
All TV Shows (29)
- History 1012020 · as Self (archive footage)
- The Late Show with Stephen Colbert2015 · as Self
- The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon2014 · as Self
- Steven Universe2013 · as Sugilite (voice)
- Steven Universe2013 · as Sugilite (voice) (archive sound)
- Radio Disney Music Awards2013 · as Self
- Nicki Minaj: My Truth2012
- RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked2010 · as Self - Guest Judge
- Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen2009 · as Self - Guest
- RuPaul's Drag Race2009 · as Self - Guest Judge
- Keeping Up with the Kardashians2007 · as Self
- The Graham Norton Show2007 · as Self
- The Ellen DeGeneres Show2003 · as Self
- America's Next Top Model2003 · as Self - Guest
- American Idol2002 · as Self - Judge
- American Idol2002 · as Self - Performer
- Victoria's Secret Fashion Show1995 · as Self
- MTV Europe Music Awards1994 · as Self - Performer
- MTV Europe Music Awards1994 · as Self - Host
- Late Show with David Letterman1993 · as Self - Musical Guest
- MTV Movie & TV Awards1992 · as Self / Presenter
- The Tonight Show with Jay Leno1992 · as Herself
- MTV Video Music Awards1984 · as Self - Performer
- MTV Video Music Awards1984 · as Self - Host
- MTV Video Music Awards1984 · as Self
- Entertainment Tonight1981 · as Self
- Saturday Night Live1975 · as Self - Musical Guest
- People's Choice Awards1975 · as Self - Performer
- American Music Awards1974 · as Self - Musical Guest