Acting · Port of Spain, Trinidad, Trinidad and Tobago · Born December 8, 1982
Onika Tanya Maraj (born December 8, 1982) is a Trinidadian-born American rapper, singer and songwriter, as well as an actress and voice actress. Known professionally as Nicki Minaj, she is hailed as the most famous female rapper in the planet, notably acclaimed for her versatility as an artist, her sharp lyrics and animated flow in her rapping, including alter egos and hyper accents. As a small child, Minaj lived with her grandmother in Saint James, Trinidad and Tobego until moving to New York City to live with her parents when she was five years old. Her father, Robert Maraj, a financial executive and part-time gospel singer, is of Indo-Trinidadian and Afro-Trinidadian descent, while her mother, Carol Maraj, also a gospel singer, is of Afro-Trinidadian ancestry. Minaj graduated from the LaGuardia High School in Manhattan, which focuses on visual and performing arts with the intention to become an actress, and in 2001 was cast in the Off-Broadway play 'In Case You Forget'. Nicki Minaj earned public attention after releasing three mixtapes between 2007 and 2009, signing to Young Money Entertainment and outshining other artists in her infamous features all before the release of her first studio album 'Pink Friday' in 2010, which skyrocketed her into a global and cultural icon, her influence, popularity and acclaim only growing to cement her as an icon of over the course of the decade. She is the most followed rapper of all time on the social media platform, Instagram. Nicki Minaj made her film debut in a voice acting role for the 2012 animated film 'Ice Age: Continental Drift', followed by supporting roles in 'The Other Woman' (2014) and a voice acting role in 'Angry Birds Movie 2' (2019). She has appeared as self-archive footage in multiple films and documentaries, and stated in early 2022 her intention to return her focus to acting with her biggest role to date.
MovieLadies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL Music
2025
as Self (archive footage)
MovieFeels Good Man
2020
as Self (archive footage)
TVHistory 101
2020
as Self (archive footage)
MovieThe Angry Birds Movie 2
2019
as Pinky (voice)
MovieMatangi / Maya / M.I.A.
2018
as Self (archive footage)
MovieNicki Minaj - Road to Success
2018
as Self
MovieDouble Dutchess: Seeing Double
2017
MovieNicki Minaj: The Pinkprint Tour
2016
as Nicki Minaj
MovieMadonna: Rebel Heart Tour
2016
as Self - Vocals
MovieBarbershop: The Next Cut
2016
as Draya
MovieCharli XCX: The F-Word and Me
2015
as Self (archive footage)
TVThe Late Show with Stephen Colbert
2015
as Self - Guest
The Pinkprint Movie
2015
MovieNicki Minaj: My Time Again
2015
as Self
MovieOn the Run Tour: Beyoncé and Jay-Z
2014
as Self - Performer
MovieDave Skylark's Very Special VMA Special
2014
as Nicki Minaj
MovieThe Other Woman
2014
as Lydia
TVThe Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
2014
as Self - Musical Guest
MovieJustin Bieber's Believe
2013
as Self
TVSteven Universe
2013
as Sugilite (voice)
TVRadio Disney Music Awards
2013
as Self
MovieNicki Minaj: Pink Planet
2013
as Self (archive footage)
MovieThe Re-Up
2012
as Self
TVNicki Minaj: My Truth
2012
MovieIce Age: Continental Drift
2012
as Steffie (voice)
Madonna - Super Bowl XLVI halftime show
2012
MovieBritney Spears Live - The Femme Fatale Tour
2011
as Self
MoviePlaytime Is Over
2011
as Self
MovieNicki Minaj: My Time Now
2010
as Herself
MovieRunaway
2010
as Narrator (voice)
MovieMy Mic Sounds Nice: A Truth About Women and Hip Hop
2010
as Self (archive footage)
TVRuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked
2010
as Self - Guest Judge
TVWatch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
2009
as Self - Guest
TVRuPaul's Drag Race
2009
as Self - Guest Judge
MovieThe Carter
2009
MovieThe Come Up: Volume 15 Gangsta Grillz Edition
2008
TVKeeping Up with the Kardashians
2007
as Self
MovieThe Come Up: The Strip Club Edition
2007
as Herself
TVThe Graham Norton Show
2007
as Self
TVThe Ellen DeGeneres Show
2003
as Self
TVAmerica's Next Top Model
2003
as Self - Guest
TVJimmy Kimmel Live!
2003
as Self (archive footage)
TVAmerican Idol
2002
as Self - Judge
TVVictoria's Secret Fashion Show
1995
as Self
TVMTV Europe Music Awards
1994
as Self - Host
TVLate Show with David Letterman
1993
as Self - Musical Guest
TVMTV Movie & TV Awards
1992
as Self / Presenter
TVThe Tonight Show with Jay Leno
1992
as Self - Music Video (archive footage)
TVMTV Video Music Awards
1984
as Self - Performer
TVEntertainment Tonight
1981
as Self
TVSaturday Night Live
1975
as Self - Musical Guest
TVPeople's Choice Awards
1975
as Self - Performer
TVAmerican Music Awards
1974
as Self - Musical Guest
MovieNicki Minaj: Queen of Rap
as Self (archive footage)
