Today on MTV2, I watched a documentary of Nicki Minaj called Nicki Minaj: My Moment Now. Initially when I first heard her music, I wasn't too fond of her. But despite all her numerous hits as a music artist and a collaborator, there's something greater that I have come to admire. Reading about her in various interviews or even seeing her and how she responds to questions has been very intriguing to me. Of course it's not hard to be intrigued by the persona Nicki Minaj: the crazy wigs, the pink lips, the bodacious body, the crazy rapping, the outrageous rapping style, her multiple personalities...
Onika Tanya Miraj [[aka Nicki Minaj]] grew up in Trinidad but moved to Queens New York to join her parents who were already trying to make a living in America. Enrolling in a drama program at her high school, through hard work Nicki eventually saw fame through her mixtapes which caught the attention of rapper Lil Wayne.
Upon establishing an image as a female rapper in a prominent male dominated game, she was expected to portray sex appeal and only rap about it. But instead, "I made a conscious decision to try to tone down the sexiness, I want people—especially young girls—to know that in life, nothing is going to be based on sex appeal. You’ve got to have something else to go with that.”
Though there's rumors circulating of her bi-sexual nature, Nicki claims she doesn't date women or men. "I just embrace all people of all lifestyles and I don’t tell them they are bad people. And I say girls are beautiful and girls are sexy and they need to be told that, and if they don’t have anyone to tell them that and mean it, I’m gonna tell them that. But I feel like people always wanna define me and I don’t wanna be defined."
Seeing her documentary today really unveiled who she was as a person. It showed her vulnerability as a music artist who can have insecurities about failure. She understands the importance of teamwork, and her hectic lifestyle that most cannot handle are made doable because of her team. Since her newfound fame, she has made it a point to give back to those who have helped her throughout her life, most notably her mother and family back home in Trinidad. To see Nicki Minaj take the beauty of life and thanksgiving and bless it upon others is really heartwarming.
Nicki Minaj is more than a colorful artist, she's an alpha female who is relatable. "The point is, everyone is not black and white. There are so many shades in the middle, and you’ve got to let people feel comfortable with saying what they want to say when they want to say it." Seeing her documentary not only made me realize how deep of a person she is, but how much we should all be thankful for in our lives. We can't get to what we want unless we honestly work towards that goal in life. Through seeing the inspiration we can provide upon others, it makes life more meaningful.
You Just Do You, Imma Do Me
Camille
