Nicki Minaj Verified — Free Access

Minaj developed an interest in music at an early age, citing artists such as Missy Elliott, Lil' Kim, and MC Lyte as her inspirations. She began performing in local talent shows and, later, on the mixtape circuit. Her big break came in 2007 when she released her debut mixtape, " Playtime Is Over ." The tape caught the attention of Lil Wayne, who signed her to Young Money Entertainment in 2009.

Born in 1982 in Saint James, Trinidad and Tobago, she immigrated to South Jamaica, Queens, at age five. Her early years were marked by a chaotic household; her father struggled with drug addiction and alcoholism, once even burning down the family home while her mother was inside. Minaj used creative "fantasies" and alter egos as an escape from this trauma, a practice that later defined her theatrical musical style. Nicki Minaj