Nicki Minaj Net Worth

Have you ever wondered what the net worth of Nicki Minaj is? The Queens native is one of the greatest rappers of all time and worth a fortune. 

She is a living legend with countless hits and a massive following. 

As of May 2023, Nicki Minaj has a net worth of $100 million. 

This post will dive into how she achieved such great success.

Early Life

Nicki Minaj, formerly known as Onika Tanya Maraj, was born December 8, 1992, in the Saint James district of Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.

Her mother, Carol Maraj, worked in the payroll and accounting department at the Ministry of Works. Her father, Robert Maraj, was a financial executive and sang in his leisure.

Minaj spent her youth being raised by her grandmother, alongside her 11 cousins. 

Her mother worked numerous jobs to provide for her, and her father was addicted to alcohol and crack cocaine. 

Therefore living with her grandmother was the most suitable and safe environment.

By the age of 24, her mother could get her green card. Her mother moved to the Bronx in New York City and attended college, hoping to bring Minaj with her and start a better life.

Move to Jamaica, Queens

Her mother was able to save up and graduate, and by the time Minaj was five able to buy a house in South Jamaica, Queens. 

Minaj moved to Queens and was motivated by her mother to make something out of her life.

Minaj gravitated to performance and arts. She was admitted to Fiorello H LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts for high school.

Minaj graduated in 2000 and wanted to pursue a career as an actor. She was cast in the play Case You Forget the following year.

However, she struggled to find work and worked at various minimum-wage jobs but was often fired for being discourteous to customers. 

She then shifted her focus to music creation, began working with Brooklyn Group Full Force, and began her career as a rapper.

Career

Source: Billboard

Music Beginnings

In 2004 the group recorded the entrance song for WWE Diva Victoria, Don’t Mess With, and the song became a fan favorite. 

She would leave the group despite the success and begin uploading songs on Myspace.

She caught the attention of Fendi, CEO of Brooklyn label Dirty Money Entertainment and they would sign her. 

Under the label, she released mixtapes, Playtime is Over and Sucka Free. The latter was a hit, causing her to be named Female Underground Artist of the year in 2008.

The following year she would keep the ball rolling and release her third mixtape, Beam Me Up, Scotty. 

The lead single I Get Crazy reached as high as number 20 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Young Money Entertainment

Minaj met Lil Wayne a few months after the release. He signed her to his Young Money Entertainment Label. His cosign helped her notoriety, and the music industry took notice.

Minaj appeared alongside Gucci Mane and Trina on the remix of 5 Star Bitch and Lil Wayne’s single Knockout and Mariah Carey’s single Up Out My Face.

She also appeared on Young Money’s hit single Bed Rock, which became an anthem and peaked at number 2 on the U.S Billboard Hot 100. 

Minaj’s dominance as a featured artist had her fans extremely excited for her debut album.

Leap Into Stardom

In 2010 Minaj began the rollout for her debut album Pink Friday. She delivered Your Love as the lead single, which peaked at number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100. 

She released follow-up singles Check It Out and Right Thru Me, both holding their own on the charts.

However, arguably the best promotion for her album was her feature on Kanye West’s Monster.

Her verse was phenomenal and arguably the best verse amongst Rap icons Jay-Z, Kanye West, and Rick Ross.

The verse transcended the music industry. 

More importantly, it showed many young female rappers that they can dominate a predominantly male-driven genre and don’t have to take a backseat.

Release of Pink Friday

Pink Friday was released on November 19, 2010, and it debuted at number 2 on the Billboard 200 charts and sold over 375,000 copies in the first week. 

Due to its success, Pink Friday was the second-highest sales week of all time and the highest for a female this century.

The album was a sensation and went certified platinum by December and was number one in the country by February. 

Minaj was on top of the world, and her fans referred to as “Barbies,” viewed her as a god and ensured she would stay afloat at the top of the charts.

Nicki Minaj, Queen of Rap, Transitions to Pop

She transitioned into a more pop scene for her second studio album, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded. The album featured lead single Starships, reaching number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Starships would also become one of the best-selling digital singles of all time. Many criticized Minaj for the transition despite the numbers and felt she was better off as a rapper.

Minaj remained unbothered and released Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded on April 2, 2012. It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and was certified platinum in 4 months.

Other Pop Albums

She proved the critics wrong and thrived as a pop star. She released two more albums, The Pinkprint (2014) and Queen (2018).

Minaj has won many awards, including eight American Music Awards, twelve BET Awards, and ten Grammy Award Nominations.

Minaj dominated the rap industry by being unapologetically herself. She has become the Queen of rap and has timeless hits, which have led to enormous amounts of wealth.

Awards & Nominations

Nicki Minaj has been nominated for a number of awards over the years, including the MTV Video Music Awards, the Grammy Awards, and the BET Awards.

She has also won several awards, including the BET Award for Best Female Hip-Hop Artist and the American Music Award for Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Artist.

Nicki Minaj has also been nominated for four Billboard Music Awards over the years and has won several awards, including the award for Top Rap Album.

Legacy

Nicki Minaj has had a significant impact on the music industry, especially for female rappers. She is the most successful solo female rapper of all time, with over 100 million records sold worldwide.

Her success has paved the way for other female rappers, such as Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion, to find mainstream success.

Nicki Minaj has also been praised for her fashion sense and her unique style. She is often credited with starting the “Big Booty” trend in the music industry.

Nicki Minaj is one of the most successful, richest, and most well-known rappers in the world. She has accomplished so much in her career, and there is no doubt that she will continue to be a force in the industry for years to come.

Business Ventures

Nicki Minaj has had several endorsement deals which have contributed to her net worth. Her biggest deal came with MAC Cosmetics, where she collaborated on two limited edition lipstick shades, named Pink Friday and Viva Glam Nicki. 

Nicki Minaj has also ventured into the world of fragrance. In 2013, she released her first fragrance, Pink Friday.

The scent was a huge success, and she later released a second fragrance, Minajesty. Her fragrances are popular among fans and have contributed to her net worth.

Adidas & Puma

In 2015, she signed a deal with Adidas and released her own line of sportswear with the company. The line was very successful and led to a collaboration with Puma.

Myx Fusions

In 2016, Minaj collaborated with Myx Fusions to create her own line of Moscato wine. The wine was a huge success and sold over one million bottles in its first year.

Pink Friday Records

Minaj has also had several ventures in the music industry. She founded her own label, Pink Friday Records, and signed artists Jace, Parker Ighile, and Bryce Wilson.

Tidal

Her most successful venture was with Tidal, where she had exclusive streaming rights to her album Queen. The album did very well on the streaming service and was a huge success for Minaj.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Nicki Minaj Net Worth 2023

As of May 2023, Nicki Minaj has a net worth of $100 million. Most of her wealth is from her illustrious music career in album sales, features, and tour dates. 

However, she has various fragrance lines, and her first fragrance Pink Friday was nominated for the fragrance of the year. 

She has also been affiliated with many advertisements and campaigns, such as a partnership with Fendi and starring in the H&M holiday campaign in 2017. 

Minaj has become one of the wealthiest female artists of all time, and her worth should only increase as time goes on.

Real Estate

Nicki Minaj has several properties around the world, including a mansion in Beverly Hills and an apartment in New York City.

In 2019, she paid $2.2 million for a house in Los Angeles.

Philanthropy

Minaj is very passionate about giving back and has done a lot of philanthropic work throughout her career. She has worked with various charities, including Make-A-Wish Foundation, Covenant House, and Red Cross.

In 2012, she founded the Nicki Minaj Foundation, which is dedicated to helping underprivileged youth. The foundation provides scholarships, financial assistance, and other resources to help young people succeed.

Minaj has also donated money to many causes, including Hurricane Maria relief efforts, Black Lives Matter, and COVID-19 relief efforts.

She has also auctioned off items from her personal collection to raise money for charity.

Personal Life

Nicki Minaj and rapper Meek Mill dated from late 2014 to early 2017. The couple got engaged in April of 2017, but broke off their engagement a few months later.

In 2018, Nicki Minaj got married to Kenneth Petty. The couple has been together since 2019 and has a son nicknamed “Papa Bear.” Minaj has not revealed her son’s real name.

Minaj is a very private person and does not share much about her personal life with the public. However, she is an active user on social media and often posts about her work, family, and friends.

Controversies With Other Artists

Nicki Minaj has had a few controversies with other artists over the years. She has been involved in feuds with Lil’ Kim, Iggy Azalea, Remy Ma, Miley Cyrus, and Cardi B.

In 2011, she was involved in a Twitter beef with Rihanna, which led to Rihanna calling her a “stupid b****” on the social media platform.

In 2012, she was involved in a dispute with Mariah Carey, after Carey claimed that Minaj was behaving “inappropriate” and “unprofessional” on the set of American Idol.

In 2015, she was criticized for her comments about the Ferguson unrest.

Key Takeaways

Now that you know what Nicki Minaj’s net worth is and how she built it, let’s take a look at some of the most important lessons we can learn from her journey.

Find Your “Why”

Minaj had a tough upbringing, and her mother did a lot to put her in a position to be successful. 

This motivated her to make something out of herself, and now she’s worth millions. If you find another reason to be great outside of benefiting yourself, it keeps you going through hard times and could lead to great success.

Don’t Let Others Dictate Your Career Path

Minaj faced a lot of criticism for making a transition into pop music. 

She could’ve let the doubters get to her, but instead, she thrived in the genre, which is a huge reason she is highly successful today. 

On your journey, always remember that it’s your life; don’t let people influence you negatively.