Almost two years ago, a photo of Nicki Minaj along with an mp3 hit my inbox and I refused to listen. My first impression was that she was just another female rapper with no talent that would use her sex appeal to get by. Over a year later, Nicki Minaj’s “Beam Me Up Scotty” mixtape landed in my inbox atleast three times before I finally took a listen…And surprisingly, I liked what I heard. I then attended a few of her shows, and I liked what I saw. Her energy was insane!
In the industry today, female emcees almost fail to exist and the ones that have acquired success seem to be rated on sex appeal more than lyrical talent. Nicki Minaj definitely has “required” sex appeal but she also has undeniable talent to back it up. Of course, having ties to one of the most respected lyricist in the game (Lil Wayne) does boost her rating. However, its Nicki’s likeable persona and consistent grind that will keep her at the forefront of the movement to bring female rappers back.
I had the opportunity to chat with the newly signed Young Money artist this past weekend and she opened up to me about the politics of the industry, her sexuality, and the hurdles she had to overcome as a female rapper. We also talked about Maino, Lil Kim, Gucci Mane and Amber Rose. Peep the in-depth interview and introduction to Nicki Minaj below:
