nicki-minajFull name: Onika Tanya Maraj
DOB: December 8, 1984
Place of birth: Saint James, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago
Occupation: Singer-songwriter

Nicki Minaj Facts

Nicki’s parents have given her Afro-Trinidadian and Indian genes.

She lost her voice on the day of a singing audition and had to do a drama program instead. Which probably gave her the opportunity to be even more weird.

She released three mixed tapes before setting off a bidding war between major record labels to secure her in 2009.

Her alter ego Roman collaborates with Eminem’s alter ego Slim Shady on her song ‘Roman’s Revenge’.

Why We Love Nicki Minaj

Nicki Minaj is a bit mental. Let us explain: The thing is, Nicki Minaj isn’t actually real. No, Nicki Minaj is the alter-ego of Onika Maraj, not just a stage name, and there are loads of other alter-ego’s too that make up the songs of Onika, better known as Nicki Minaj. Geddit? No? Neither do we really, so we’ll just call her Nicki…Minaj.

Basically, Nicki Minaj…shit! Anyway she was born and raised in Trinidad and Tobago until she was five, but she was living with her grandmother while her parents tried to find a place in New York City, with her mum coming to visit sometimes until one day she picked her up and moved her to Queens. The problem was, her parents had a very violent relationship, so bad that her dad once tried to burn the house down to kill her mum. So, to deal with the heavy shit, Nicki created characters and lived her life through them instead. Now you see where we’re going…

Nicki Minaj is the third alter-ego she created, and then for her debut album she came up with another one called Roman Zolanski – who she calls her twin brother. Then she added another character; Roman’s mother Martha Zolanski, who has a British accent. And not a good one from what we’ve heard. Talking about her debut album Pink Friday she said listeners would be introduced to Nicki, Roman and Onika – with Onika being who she really is, and Nicki just who most people know so far. We think. See? Mental.