Onika Tanya Maraj (born December 8, 1982), known professionally as Nicki Minaj (/mɪˈnɑːʒ/), is a Trinidadian-born American rapper, singer, songwriter, model, and actress.

Born in Saint James, Trinidad and Tobago and raised in Queens, New York, she gained public recognition after releasing the mixtapes Playtime Is Over (2007), Sucka Free (2008), and Beam Me Up Scotty (2009).

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Since signing with Young Money Entertainment in 2009, Minaj has earned two number-one albums (Pink Friday in 2010 and Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded in 2012) and another top-two release (The Pinkprint in 2014) on the US Billboard 200. As a lead artist, she has also earned five top-ten entries on the Billboard Hot 100: "Super Bass", "Starships", "Bang Bang", "Anaconda", and "MotorSport". In 2010, Minaj became the first female solo artist to have seven singles simultaneously charting on the Billboard Hot 100.

 

Minaj made her film debut in the 2012 animated film Ice Age: Continental Drift, followed by supporting roles in The Other Woman (2014) and Barbershop: The Next Cut (2016). In 2013, she was a judge on the twelfth season of American Idol.

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Early in her career, Minaj was known for her colorful costumes and wigs. Her rapping is distinctive for its fast flow and the use of alter egos and accents, primarily British cockney.

Minaj was the first female artist included on MTV's annual Hottest MC List. In 2016, Minaj was included on the annual Time 100 list of the most influential people in the world.

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Throughout her career, Minaj has received numerous accolades, including six American Music Awards, eleven BET Awards, three MTV Video Music Awards, four Billboard Music Awards, a Billboard Women in Music Rising Star Award, and ten Grammy Award nominations.

She has the most Billboard Hot 100 entries among women of all genres in the chart's history. Additionally, she is the best-selling female rapper of all time, having sold 20 million singles as a lead artist, 60 million singles as a featured artist, and over five million albums worldwide.