The New York Times featured Nicki Minaj in a story called “The Passion of Nicki Minaj”done by Vanessa Grigoriadis. The piece centers around Minaj’s rise to stardom, continuously working on her image and brand without compromising in a male dominated industry. At one point during their conversation, the rapper/actress was asked about Lil’ Wayne and Birdman’s current issues and the much publicized beef between her boyfriend Meek Mill and labelmate Drake. The interview took a quick turn and ended abruptly after Nicki was asked by Grigoriadis if she thrives off the recent drama.
Some choice quotes:
On Miley Cyrus
“The fact that you feel upset about me speaking on something that affects black women makes me feel like you have some big balls. You’re in videos with black men, and you’re bringing out black women on your stages, but you don’t want to know how black women feel about something that’s so important? Come on, you can’t want the good without the bad. If you want to enjoy our culture and our lifestyle, bond with us, dance with us, have fun with us, twerk with us, rap with us, then you should also want to know what affects us, what is bothering us, what we feel is unfair to us. You shouldn’t not want to know that.”
On the Black woman’s body
“Back in the day, in hip-hop, the thick girl was glorified. Now the rappers are dating skinny white women. So it’s almost like, ‘Wait a minute, who’s going to tell the thick black girls that they’re sexy and fly, too?'”
On Meek Mill & Drake
“They’re men, grown-ass men,” she said. “It’s between them.” How does it make you feel, I ask? “I hate it,” she said. “It doesn’t make me feel good. You don’t ever want to choose sides between people you love. It’s ridiculous. I just want it to be over.”
Nicki was then asked a relatively stupid question, and responded in kind:
(Vanessa) “Is there a part of you that thrives on drama, or is it no, just pain and unpleasantness-”
(Nicki) “That’s disrespectful,” Minaj said, drawing herself up in the chair. “Why would a grown-ass woman thrive off drama?” She pointed my way, her extended arm all I could see other than the diamonds glinting in her ears. This wasn’t over yet. “That’s the typical thing that women do. What did you putting me down right there do for you?” she asked. “Women blame women for things that have nothing to do with them. I really want to know why — as a matter of fact, I don’t. Can we move on, do you have anything else to ask?” she continued. “To put down a woman for something that men do, as if they’re children and I’m responsible, has nothing to do with you asking stupid questions, because you know that’s not just a stupid question. That’s a premeditated thing you just did.” She called me “rude” and “a troublemaker,” said “Do not speak to me like I’m stupid or beneath you in any way” and, at last, declared, “I don’t care to speak to you anymore.”
Read the entire article here.
