Nicki Minaj escorts Justin Dior Combs to his "Sweet Sixteenth birthday party. They are flanked by his parents Sean "Diddy" Combs and Misa Hylton-Brim.Photo source
Details: Your father set fire to your home when you were a kid in Queens, New York. What happened?Nicki Minaj: He drank a lot and did drugs, and he would get violent when he did. When he set fire to the house, he was attempting to kill my mother. She got out before it burned all the way down. I’ve always had this female-empowerment thing in the back of my mind—because I wanted my mother to be stronger, and she couldn’t be. I thought, “If I’m successful, I can change her life.”
Details: What can women get away with in hip-hop that men can’t?
Nicki Minaj: I have a lot of freedom to be crazy. I can rap in a London accent, make weird faces, wear spandex, wigs, and black lipstick. I can be more creative than the average male rapper. And I can show my boobs. Guys can’t do that.
Details: As an openly bisexual rapper, do you think hip-hop is getting more gay-friendly?
Nicki Minaj: I think the world is getting more gay-friendly, so hip-hop is too. But it’s harder to imagine an openly gay male rapper being embraced. People view gay men as having no street credibility. But I think we’ll see one in my lifetime.
Details: As younger and younger fans come to your shows, do you feel pressure to tone down the racier elements of your persona?
Nicki Minaj: I do. I’m a role model now. I didn’t know I was gonna have 13-year-old fans, so I’ve tried to change a few things here and there. But I also know that the girls don’t want me to be Miley Cyrus, either.
Role model, huh? That's opening up herself to a lot of criticisms. I guess we can give a kudo or two for at least even making some small effort. I must say though, she is definitely growing on me.
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