Nicki Minaj explains why she almost quit music
Nicki Minaj has explained why she’s almost quit music many times throughout her career. The 42-year-old Queens rapper has been making music for over 20 years and has faced harsh criticism. Some of those comments profoundly impacted her and nearly led to her leaving hip-hop behind.
During a recent interview with Vogue Italia, Minaj opened up about her past struggles and revealed how proud she is of never backing down.
“I’ve heard every possible criticism about me. I’ve thought about quitting so many times,” she admitted. “I’m glad I didn’t. I hope my story can be an inspiration, and push kids, adults, anyone, not to give up.”
Minaj went on to discuss delaying motherhood to focus on her career. “As a woman, I put off becoming a mother,” she said. “A lot of women in the industry, especially older than me, never had children. Some don’t regret it, but others do. I put it off.”
She added, “Things are different now, because I can give my son things I never had, but there are things I want to make sure he has, and I still need to figure out how to give them to him. When we go out, for example, I have to worry that someone will take his picture.”
Minaj previously claimed she was retiring in 2019 to start a family. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), she wrote, “I’ve decided to retire and have my family. I know you guys are happy now. To my fans, keep reppin me, do it til da death of me, in the box- cuz ain’t nobody checkin me. Love you for LIFE.”
However, Minaj reversed her comments and returned with her fifth studio album, Pink Friday 2, in 2023. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart with 228,000 units in its first week, and it included features from Drake, Lil Wayne, J Cole, 50 Cent, Future, Lil Uzi Vert, and others.