Nicki Minaj
36-year-old Rap star Nicki Minaj shocked fans Thursday morning when she announced she was leaving the music business to make family her life priority.
The Trinidadian-born rapper, who grew up in New York and is known for her outlandish outfits, bizarre alter egos and fast flow, made the announcement in a tweet, after changing her username to Mrs Petty.
“I’ve decided to retire & have my family,” she wrote. “I know you guys are happy now. To my fans, keep reppin me, do it til da death of me, ?in the box- cuz ain’t nobody checkin me. ?Love you for LIFE ????.”
I’ve decided to retire & have my family. I know you guys are happy now. To my fans, keep reppin me, do it til da death of me, ? in the box- cuz ain’t nobody checkin me. ? Love you for LIFE ????
— Mrs. Petty (@NICKIMINAJ) September 5, 2019
It’s not clear whether Minaj is done with her career or merely taking a temporary rest.
“I’m still right here. Still madly in love with you guys & you know that. In hindsight, this should’ve been a Queen Radio discussion & it will be. I promise u guys will be happy. No guests, just us talking about everything. The tweet was abrupt & insensitive, I apologize babe ???,” she tweeted in response to one of her fans who asked her to address the issue.
I’m still right here. Still madly in love with you guys & you know that. In hindsight, this should’ve been a Queen Radio discussion & it will be. I promise u guys will be happy. No guests, just us talking about everything. The tweet was abrupt & insensitive, I apologize babe ??? https://t.co/eS0oHipwtg
— Mrs. Petty (@NICKIMINAJ) September 6, 2019
The hints
In a 2015 MTV documentary about her life and career, Nicki Minaj hinted about her desire to have children and be a housewife.
“I feel like four years [from now] is the time to have a child. But I would have to be married first. […] There’s a housewife somewhere inside of here. […]I am little cute housewife walking around, cooking and cleaning. Taking care of my baby and breastfeeding my baby and just loving my baby, and making my husband happy.”
Well NM5 will be her final album for now. This better be HER BIGGEST ERA. pic.twitter.com/ayUXOpxJcN
— Nicki Minaj FOREVER (@goodsisnicki) September 5, 2019
“In terms of music, I would like to have at least five albums done [before having a child]. So on my sixth album, I could come back and speak from a mother’s perspective.”
True to her word, four years later, everything seems to be turning out as she planned.
Nicki Minaj with fiance Kenneth Petty
Her Career
Over the course of her decade-long career, Minaj has been nominated for 10 Grammys, earned a Guinness World Record in 2017 for most Billboard Hot 100 entries by a solo female artist and hauled in five MTV Video Music Awards.
Earlier this year Minaj was certified by the Recording Industry Association of America as the first female rapper to officially sell 100m albums and singles.
After signing a music deal in 2009, Minaj released her first studio album, Pink Friday, a year later, peaking at No 1. Her second album, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded also hit No 1.
Several subsequent albums sold well and she also branched out into appearing in movies, including Ice Age: Continental Drift, and on television, where she was a judge on American Idol.
