Both the Barbz and the Beyhive are still buzzing since Nicki Minaj and Beyoncé broke the internet with their “Flawless” remix that was released at the wee hours of Sunday night.
We honestly have yet to recover ourselves, but today, Nicki’s added a little fuel to the hot fire she spit on the track on the cover of The Fader magazine. Queen B isn’t here on this one, but the Queen of Rap is certainly still slaying.
After re-reinventing herself by shedding her crazy costumes and candy-cotton-colored hair, it’s clear that Miss Minaj is sitting pretty, like really, really pretty, at the top of the throne of rap, but her journey hasn’t been an easy one. In her interview, Nicki opens up about the sacrifices she’s made to get where she is today and how being “just a little bit crazy” early on in her career may have done more bad than good for her.
Keep on reading to see more of Nicki’s flawless photos and excerpts from her interview below.
On the evolution of Nicki Minaj:
“I think early on in my career, I was… I was… just a little bit crazy. I took everything personally. That’s just not good, and it’s not healthy. I think one of my best attributes now, as a businesswoman and an artist and a professional person, is being able to think before I speak,” she adds. “I’ve learned that everything I think doesn’t necessarily need to be stated.”
Regarding her “no shade” BET Awards speech:
“My point of saying what I said was that women need to have a perspective. If we’re out here saying that we’re so confident, and we’re so this and so that, but we don’t even trust ourselves to write down our own thoughts and spit it on a beat? It just doesn’t add up. I knew those were Lauryn’s words, and it made me fall in love with her mind.”
On “the king” Lil Wayne:
“Now we can have conversations and enjoy each other,” she says. “But I don’t think I’ll ever feel like he’s my peer because of how much he’s done for me. I’ll always think of him like…Like the king. I give Wayne credit because he saw me and pretty much picked me out of a lineup, and he knew enough to run with Drake as well. From early on, he was so generous with helping younger artists, and it paid off well for him.”
Being a boss-ass businesswoman:
“I’ve done things where people are like, ‘Uhhhh,’ but every time I do a business venture or something that isn’t the norm for a female rapper, I pat myself on the back. It’s important that corporate America can see a young black woman being able to sell things outside of music.” Then she mentions that she’s planning a deal with the Home Shopping Network, and her eyes grow huge: “A female rapper! With HSN!”
Head on over to The Fader for more, and pick up the fall fashion issue when it hits stands August 26.
PHOTO CREDIT & SOURCE: The Fader
