Ever since she burst onto the scene with a ferocity that left the world of music in awe, Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty, better known to the world as Nicki Minaj, has never looked back. Owing to her versatility, her distinct style of rap flow, striking stage personas and a string of hits for over a decade and a half, she is often (and quite rightly) referred to as the Queen of Rap. Due to her continued successes in the music industry, as well as the products she endorses, Nicki Minaj has racked up an impressive net worth in 2024.
Although one of the finest hip-hop artists at the moment, Nicki Minaj’s public image is not limited to her music. She is an entrepreneur in her own right, who has branched out in ventures such as fashion, and even television and film. These endeavours have made her one of the wealthiest rappers in the world.
And it’s not as though Minaj is all about achievements of a commercial nature. While her life and successful career in an industry that is still pretty male-dominated is itself an inspiration for millions of girls and women across the world, she has also repeatedly advocated for women’s empowerment.
However, life is complex, and so are people. That complexity of Minaj’s public persona was at full display when reports emerged that she was arrested in Amsterdam for allegedly carrying drugs. Let’s explore Nicki Minaj’s journey and things that have contributed to her successes, financial or otherwise.
According to celebrity wealth tracker, Celebrity Net Worth, Nicki Minaj’s net worth in 2024 is USD 150 million.
In 2019, Forbes ranked Minaj 12th on a list of the highest-paid rappers and estimated her net worth to be USD 29 million.
All about Nicki Minaj’s personal life, career and what contributes to her net worth in 2024
Life and early career: The beginnings of a hip-hop star
Born on 8 December 1982 in St. James, Trinidad and Tobago, Minaj was one of four children born to Robert Maraj and his wife Carol. Minaj was exposed to music early on in life with her parents being gospel singers. Her family moved from Trinidad to Queens, New York, when Minaj was just five.
However, Minaj had a difficult childhood. Her father was an alcoholic and drug addict and was often violent with Minaj’s mother. According to Minaj herself, he once burnt down their house. She recounts her experiences in the song “Autobiography” from her 2008 mixtape, Sucka Free. The lyrics go: “Daddy was a crack fiend, two in the morning / Had us runnin’ down the block like a track team / When you burnt the house down and my mother was in it.”
Her family also had financial troubles when she was growing up. Minaj told Vogue in December 2023 that even as a kid, she was well aware of her family’s poverty. She said, “You figure out the value of money when you come from a different country, and then you don’t have what the other kids have.” She added she would get down on her knees and pray, “God, please make me rich so I can buy my mother another house and take care of my family.”
In a way, music must have served as an outlet for a young Minaj that allowed her brief escapes from the harsh realities of her life. Although she wrote her first rap song when she was only 12, her first real break was when she signed with a rap group called the Hoodstars. She was part of the group when it recorded the entrance song for WWE wrestler Victoria in 2004.
But Minaj’s destiny was always to be a solo performer. After uploading some of her music on the social media site MySpace, she was spotted by a local music label called Dirty Money Entertainment.
The rise and rise of Nicki Minaj
The original stage name she adopted was Nicki Maraj, but that did not sound right to her. She admitted while speaking to Rapindustry.com in 2012 that Big Fendi, the CEO of Dirty Money, got it changed as it had a “nasty flow”.
Minaj’s first solo music releases were mixtapes: Playtime Is Over in 2007, followed by Sucka Free in 2008 and Beam Me Up Scotty in 2009. It was the third one that augured future success. One of the tracks, “I Get Crazy”, was number 92 on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart — not too shabby for a newcomer with little to no online presence. In 2009, Minaj was spotted by legendary rapper Lil Wayne who promptly signed her with his record label Young Money Entertainment.
Her star kept rising. In 2010, Billboard magazine included Minaj in the top 10 musical artists to watch. The same year, she released her first album, Pink Friday, in association with Young Money. Featuring songs like “Your Love” and “Super Bass”, it was a runaway hit. “Super Bass” particularly was an out-and-out cultural phenomenon and made Minaj a star overnight. The song peaked at number 3 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and is even now considered one of her best songs.
Her second album, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded, came soon after in 2012. Featuring hits like “Starships” and “Pound the Alarm”, it further solidified Minaj as one of the industry’s finest talents. It also illustrated Minaj’s versatility as it was an eclectic mix of genres. For instance, “Starships” highlights the pop and EDM influences of Minaj, featuring catchy hooks and dance-friendly beats. On the other hand, “Beez in the Trap” showcased her humongous rap talent, with hard-hitting lyrics, wordplay, delivery and vocals.
An expanded version of the album, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded – The Re-Up, was released later that year, boasting behind-the-scenes footage and new songs, including “Va Va Voom” and “High School” (which featured Lil Wayne). Despite the dubious performance of recent reissues, it proved to be a hit for Minaj, peaking at 27 on the US Billboard 200.
Minaj’s third album, The Pinkprint, came in 2014. It was a marked departure from the previous two, being more personal, emotional and introspective. It had singles like “Anaconda” and “Only” and explored themes of love and heartbreak.
In 2018, Minaj released her fourth studio album, Queen. With this album, as well, Minaj continued her evolution as an artist. It featured a diverse range of tracks like “Chun-Li” and “Barbie Dreams”.
Minaj’s latest album is Pink Friday 2, released in 2023. As the title suggests, it is a sequel to her debut album Pink Friday and was her first album after a hiatus of five years. It marked a return to form for her. Collaborating with artists such as Lil Wayne and Drake, she created an album that crackled with energy.
Movie, television and gaming career
Even as her star continued to ascend in music, she began venturing into movies with a voice role in Ice Age: Continental Drift (2012). Her visibility increased even more when she served as a judge in the 12th season of American Idol in 2013. True to her real-life persona, her tenure was masked by candid critiques.
She also appeared in movies such as The Other Woman (2014), her first live-action theatrical film, Barbershop: The Next Cut (2016) and another voice role in The Angry Birds Movie 2 (2019). Furthermore, she collaborated with American rapper Ice Spice on a single, titled “Barbie World”, for the blockbuster movie Barbie (2023).
Minaj also played a role in an entry in the popular Call of Duty first-person shooter game series, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II. She gave her voice and likeness to her character in the game and was included as a DLC (downloadable content).
Personal life
Nicki Minaj’s first known serious relationship was with rapper Safaree Samuels, with whom she broke up in 2013. She had been with him for more than a decade since 2003. After that, she got together with rapper Meek Mill in 2015. This relationship did not last long and Minaj announced in 2017 that they were parting ways.
The following year, Minaj reconnected with a childhood friend, Kenneth Petty. They married in 2019. A year later, Minaj and Petty welcomed their son. While Minaj is quite protective of her privacy, she has spoken candidly about being a mother. In her 2023 Vogue profile cited above, she said, “I kind of wish that someone had told me – although I’m sure I wouldn’t have been able to understand it – that there’s a level of anxiety, and you think it’s going to go away, but in fact, it gets scarier. So often you think: I don’t know how to do this!”
How Nicki Minaj accumulated her wealth
Nicki Minaj’s primary source of income has been music. I say ‘primary’ because she had multiple income streams, including movie roles, TV appearances and brand endorsements. Let’s get into each of them.
Music sales and touring
Since her debut, Nicki Minaj has released platinum-selling mixtapes, albums and chart-topping singles. The music videos of her songs and her collaborations with other artists have scored billions of views on YouTube, translating into significant earnings. Her hit song “Anaconda”, from her album The Pinkprint, became the first solo female rap song to clock 1 billion views on the video-sharing site.
Her Pinkprint Tour in 2014 grossed an eye-popping USD 13 million just in the US, according to MTV. However, that is nothing compared to what she earned this year from her Pink Friday 2 World Tour, which grossed USD 67 million, according to Billboard.
Of course, she does not get to pocket these sums entirely, as tour expenses, production costs and payments to her team are also to be made. But it is safe to say that since she is the reason those hordes of fans actually gather at her shows, she must get a majority of the revenue.
Besides her public tours, she also occasionally does private appearances. She earned USD 50,000 for just showing up at retired wrestler Floyd Mayweather’s teenage daughter’s birthday, according to TMZ.
TV, film and gaming roles
According to Forbes, she was paid USD 12 million for her stint as a judge on American Idol in 2013. Her movies have also been global blockbusters. Her Hollywood debut as an actor (more precisely, as a voice actor) in Ice Age: Continental Drift must have been extremely profitable for her, even if her salary remains unclear. The movie grossed USD 877 million worldwide on a budget of USD 95 million, according to Box Office Mojo.
The Other Woman, Barbershop: The Next Cut and The Angry Birds Movie 2 were hits with USD 197 million, USD 55 million and USD 153 million, respectively, in worldwide grosses.
Her role in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II also paid her multiple millions. Although we do not have the exact figure, it is pretty clear that Minaj was paid millions for the role as it was first offered to Cardi B. The latter regretted turning it down and revealed on X (earlier known as Twitter) that she was being offered millions. The post is still up, by the way.
Brand endorsements
Minaj has also proven herself to be a very able businesswoman. She has been a part of many endorsements of profitable brands and has her own line of products.
In 2010, she joined hands with MAC Cosmetics and launched her lipstick line Pink 4 Friday. According to a report in Racked, the lipstick broke sales records for the brand.
Her association with Barbie goes long before the 2023 movie of the same name as the doll. She collaborated with toymaker Mattel to craft a Barbie doll in her likeness. In a 2015 Instagram post, Minaj wrote, “Congrats on your doll, Zendaya! Did u know Barbie made me one a cpl years back? 😁😍 It was such an honor & a HUGE surprise. Anyway, I love your doll’s hair! I love what it means for other little girls who will identify with it & be empowered. Continue to be proud of yourself girls!!!!! 😘 #Barbie”
In 2012, she scored another high-profile endorsement, this time for Pepsi. According to a Forbes report, she earned millions as a result. In the same year, she collaborated with athletics brand Adidas.
How Nicki Minaj spends her wealth
Homes and real estate
Before 2022, Nicki Minaj reportedly stayed in rented mansions in places such as Malibu and Beverly Hills. But in 2022, Nicki Minaj bought a swanky USD 19.5 million home in the Hidden Hills neighbourhood of Los Angeles, clearly looking to settle down with her husband and son. It’s a sprawling 1,100-square-meter farmhouse-style edifice. It boasts stunning views of the surrounding hills and expansive living spaces. The architecture is Mediterranean-inspired. While details are hard to come by, it appears the home reportedly has eight bedrooms, according to Christie’s International Real Estate.
Car collection
When it comes to her rides, Minaj has let herself loose. Her garage reflects her lavish lifestyle. One of her prized possessions is the powerful SUV Range Rover SV Autobiography, equipped with a 5-litre V8 Supercharged engine. It starts at USD 141,000.
She also has a Lamborghini Gallardo, which has a stylish design. It boasts a 5.2-litre V10 engine and goes from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.4 seconds. Its price starts from USD 100,000. This vehicle is also owned by Canadian singer Justin Bieber. Then there is Bentley Bentayga (USD 205,925), another luxury SUV powered by a 6-litre W12 engine.
Also in her garage are Bentley Continental GT (USD 230,000), Mercedes-Maybach 62S (USD 427,700), Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG (USD 119,995), Ferrari 488 GTB (USD 244,838), Rolls Royce Wraith (USD 343,350) and Rolls Royce Cullinan (USD 399,999), all of which are a perfect mix of luxury, comfort, performance and sophistication. The data about her cars is from VIPFortunes.
