Nicki Minaj's Net Worth Almost Doubled This Past Year

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Fewer genres of music celebrate glamour, wealth and access to exclusive accessories quite like rap. There’s an expectation for famous rappers to transform their earnings into a lifestyle that many can only envy, and no one does that quite like Nicki Minaj. Only in her early 40s, Minaj is already the richest female rapper in the game, and her road-to-riches story is quite an interesting one that has earned her a whopping $150 million net worth in the process. Nicki Minaj’s Rough Start Nicki minaj young

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Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty, better known as Nicki Minaj to her fans, was born on Dec. 8, 1982, in her native Saint James, Trinidad and Tobago. After an admittedly rough upbringing, she was able to secure a green card at age 24 and moved to New York City.

Minaj’s rap career began to blossom in 2004 after she recorded the entrance theme, “Don’t Mess With” for WWE Diva Victoria.

Lil Wayne Backs Her Career

Nicki Minaj, Lil' Wayne

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Minaj was signed by the Dirty Money Entertainment label in 2007 under a 180-day contract. It was during this time that she released three mixtapes — the third of which, “Beam Me Up Scotty,” got her recognition from fellow rapper Lil Wayne.

She signed a recording contract with Lil Wayne’s Young Money Entertainment label, and her true breakout came with the success of her 2010 debut album “Pink Friday.” The album featured early hits like “Super Bass,” “Your Love,” “Moment 4 Life” and “Check It Out.”

Nicki Minaj’s Controversies

Nicki Minaj controversy

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Unfortunately, Minaj’s career and fame weren’t the only things keeping her in the headlines. The female MC has had notable run-ins with other female artists, from fellow rapper Lil’ Kim to pop star Miley Cyrus.

Additionally, Minaj repeatedly complained about being blackballed for refusing to compromise. There is also the matter of men close to Minaj getting accused of sexual assault and Minaj’s defense of them.

Earnings Per Verse

Nicki Minaj with yellow wig on

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Despite these controversies, they haven’t held back Minaj from releasing music or profiting from her fame and success — her features are now reportedly priced at $500,000 per verse.

And her cunning hip hop lyrics and use of alter egos and accents make her very popular with fans and is likely the reason this singer-songwriter is the most followed rapper on Instagram, with 186 million followers and counting.

Her Most Notable Investments

Nicki Minaj performance

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Minaj’s wealth is owed to various streams of income. She enjoys Spotify revenue and sizeable music royalties. Perhaps her greatest source of wealth comes by way of her investments, estimated to be worth $75 million.

One of her biggest investments is in the Jay-Z-founded streaming company Tidal where she currently owns a 3 percent stake.

Singing for Charity

Nicki Minaj, Katy Perry at salute the troops

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While Minaj certainly has a lot of personal wealth, she’s also put her money where her mouth is when it comes to being involved in a variety of philanthropic endeavors.

Let’s start with her performing a cover of “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” with Katy Perry for service members in 2010. In 2017, she agreed to pay college tuition fees and student loans for 30 of her fans. She’s also been donating money to a village in India for years through her church. The list goes on.

Nicki Minaj’s $10 Million Mansion

Nicki Minaj with family

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Minaj married her childhood sweetheart, Kenneth Petty, in 2020 after reconnecting with him in late 2019. The two also welcomed their son in 2020. The three live together in a Beverly Hills, California, mansion reportedly worth about $10 million.

You will occasionally catch the rapper flexing on Instagram, allowing fans a peek at areas of her home.

What’s Next for Nicki Minaj?

Nicki Minaj wearing pigtails

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Given that Minaj’s wealth jumped from an estimated $80 million net worth to $150 million in recent years, we can only speculate that she will continue to make the necessary power moves to grow her brand, which extends to fragrances and cosmetics, among other things.

Minaj also released a new single in 2022 called “We Go Up.” And let’s not forget that the queen of rap just dropped her fifth studio album in December 2023, which will only add to her riches.