Interview: MixtapesOnline.com & BlakMarket.net chop it up with Nicki Minaj.


Blakmarket.net: What’s good girl?

Nicki Minaj:  I’m fine. I’m getting ready to put out Beam Me Up Scotty: mixtape/street album because it will have original beats on there and you’ll get to take a closer look at Nicki Minaj and what a Nicki Minaj album would probably sound like. I’m also taking a little break from the I Am Music Tour and now in The “A” working on my CD.

Blakmarket.net: Anyway, I definitely appreciate you girl for sitting down with us. So who is Nicki Minaj?

Nicki Minaj:  Nicki Minaj is the baddest Bitch you ever met. I’m wonder woman: I dot it all. I’m Minaj because I want my cake and eat it to (PAUSE) (Holla!!) [Laughs]

Blakmarket.net: So did you watch the inauguration? How do you feel about Obama being president?

Nicki Minaj:  Yes I did. It’s very moving, it’s inspiring, and I never taught I would see this happen. I was one of the people cheering for him, not because he’s black; I mean that plays a big part obviously. But because of his charm, something about him is so charming that he just draws you to him.  I feel like he can do the same with other nations around the world that we’ve been fighting with and I feel like if anyone can bring peace; he can do it.

MixtapesOnline.com: how has the buzz from the DVDs and mixtapes helped your career?

Nicki Minaj:  Well it made my career lol! I wouldn’t say it helped me- it has been the main thing that made Nicki Minaj pop. I got to shout out Fendi and the come up DVD and to the whole underground market. I mean I’m still an underground artist, so I’m still very much into the underground circuit and I’m well aware of what it can do for an artist and I think people don’t understand how big… like people think or they hear DVDs and they hear mixtapes and they kind of look down on you… like you’re not mainstream. Some of the biggest artist of today came from having a strong underground following… artist like Gucci Mane, Jay-Z, T.I.  You know these people had a strong underground following before they put out videos on BET. I’m very proud to be underground. I’m proud to be an artist that came from DVDs and mixtapes… shout out to all the Africans…[laughs]

MixtapesOnline.com: Why do you feel like it’s so hard for artist like you who have that street buzz to break into the industry

Nicki Minaj:  I don’t think it’s hard… I never tried to break in the industry yet. I actually have chosen not to sign a major record deal. I wanted to wait until… I had my feet set. Because a year ago Nicki Minaj would have gotten shelved… Now record companies are calling the office everyday, they are going hard to try to sign Nicki Minaj because I get more views and more plays then artist on their label.. You feel me… now it makes sense… why would you want to sign and be a one hit wonder… You want to put out a record just to say “I am main stream”…NO... I’m good; I’m building a fan base. In business that’s what you do, you build, build and when you finish building then you are ready to put out a product and sometimes in the industry we do it backwards. Some artist wan to be on BET, then they are on BET for two months and that’s it. Nicki Minaj is building a following of girls who are mini Minajes.

MixtapesOnline.com: Are you into hip-hop for the love, money or the fame? If all three, then what’s your number 1 reason?

Nicki Minaj:  Let me say this cause I don’t think people know this about me… I’m not… I don’t do anything for fame, I don’t like cameras, I don’t like spot lights , I don’t like clubs, large crowds. I know a lot of people wouldn’t believe me but I’m telling you Blake that’s the truth. If I could put music and people never saw me… I would do that. Because with fame comes so much of the drama. But I do it for the love of music… I do it for the culture but I’m a lover of music. When I was 5 years, I was singing Diana Ross with my mother in front of the mirror… feel me. All the other stuff like the money is great because it gives you a way to take care of your family and who doesn’t want that, but the fame... NAH!!! I don’t need it!

Blakmarket.net: how do you feel about the Hip Hop is Dead “movement”?

Nicki Minaj:  What movement is that? I must have missed something- I don’t know because I’m on tour with the biggest dude in the world and Hip Hop can’t be dead with the way he’s doing shows… I must have missed something because whoever said hip hop is dead. I guess must be low on the totem pole. But hip hop is clearly not dead, shout out to Lil’ Wayne, Young Money, Gucci Mane and artist like that… There’s no way hip hop can be dead- it’s very much alive!

Blakmarket.net: How would you describe your sound?

Nicki Minaj:  I would describe my sound as hip hop, pop & R&B rolled into one with some swag, some humor, and a little thug. I sing and I write all my material, so eventually they are going to have to make a new box for Nicki Minaj. So 5 or ten years from now female rappers coming up will be put in a Nicki Minaj box. Hmmmm ,I don’t see anything wrong with opening your mind and branching out to other things. I’m a big fan of pop and rock and all types of music. Just listen to that record I just did with Ron Browz and Red Café. I see that song being played in a gay club and gay dudes moving to it… it’s so pretty because I’m singing on it.  [Laughs] Also no disrespect to the other ladies but I’m doing so many different shit.

MixtapesOnline.com: Outside of hip hop, what are you future plans (modeling, acting etc.)

Nicki Minaj::  I’m a dope actress... I went to acting school for 4 years. So, expect to see me in some movies. Hmmm, modeling I’m not too sure right now. I can’t see myself on the runway. I mean I do have offers to be a spokesperson for clothing companies, but right now- I don’t know.

Blakmarket.net: What’s your best personal hip-hop memory?

Nicki Minaj:  Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm… [LAUGHS] Good one! A while back I did a song with Gravy called firm biz, which Jadakiss jumped on. Fendi was telling me how Jadakiss loved my verse and that he wanted to drop a verse on the track… I was in shocked… Also, he didn’t just like the verse he actually memorized the verse. How does it go again? [LAUGHS] It was just crazy to have him like something I did… I was like Jadakiss is going to do a song with me and he’s going to be on my mixtape… [LAUGHS]

Blakmarket.net: What happened to Fendi?

Nicki Minaj: We are still cool. He did a lot for me. And we are still cordial

MixtapesOnline.com: How do you choose your tracks & what’s the best way for an unknown producer to get there tracks to you?

Nicki Minaj:  You can send tracks to nicki.minaj@gmail.com. I will admit I don’t get the chance to listen to everything but when I do listen to the beats- if I get an idea in the first 10 minutes, I know that’s a beat that I’m going to use and write to. It has to excite and entice me- there’s no real science behind it… Check me out on myspace.com/nickiminaj

MixtapesOnline.com: What suggestion would you give an unsigned MC who is trying to make it in the music industry?

Nicki Minaj: Hmmmm, put God first [Silence] [laughs] That sounds like the Christian edit of Nicki Minaj [LAUGHS] Nah, but I mean with him all things are possible, no matter what you want- it’s possible through him.  You just need to have hope and drive. You can’t sit there and hope for something and not do anything about it. You got to have both. Hope and drive. And the third is to be you. You’d be surprise how many people in the world think like you and feel like you and they just want to hear it. And you never know when you’ll be the next person to speak on behalf of millions of people… feel me… so just be you!!!

Blakmarket.net: Who contributes more to your success other than yourself?

Nicki Minaj: My manager, my management company for seeing me on who I am as appose to just my image. They really push me to be myself. I’m not a stripper. I’m very selective and it’s about pussy power and they say you don’t have power in your pussy if you’re giving it away. I mean, that’s just like anything if you giving it away- you don’t have it. But also the people who support me contribute to my success…

 

Blakmarket.net: Who do you think you inspire?

Nicki Minaj:  I inspire every little girl that acts, talks & looks like Nicki Minaj. I inspire every little girl that comes from an abusive house hold. Every little girl that grew up a little too fat, or is on the verge of forgetting their dream, I was very close to forgetting my dream and I had an outpouring of love from female fans. I get emails from girls from 11 years old and older who feel like they can be confident and be a bad bitch, who is goal oriented and likes to take care of themselves and don’t need anyone to do that. I appeal to the girls who have the pink streaks in their hair because I did that once and it makes me feel like a big sister. I feel like we know each other. I speak to my fans and always want to get their opinion, which is why I started my Nicki Minaj TV on Youtube. I feel like I owe it to everyone who is supporting me. I’m not saying I don’t appeal to the guys, I know the guys love Nicki Minaj cause I got the fattest box on the planet [LAUGHS]  I’m Nicki Lewensky. But the girls are my unconditional supporters because they’ll show me love on songs like Autobiography where I poured my soul out on that sucker free mixtape. And I spoke about the trials and tribulations that we go through. They connect with me with!

Blakmarket.net: Any last words?

Nicki Minaj:  Shout out to Lil’ Wayne, Young Money, Gucci Mane, My management company Mizay Entertainment, everyone and anyone that supports & doesn’t support Nicki Minaj, Mixtapesonline.com and of course you Blake, Blakmarket.net