Onika Tanya Maraj (born December 8, 1982), known professionally as Nicki Minaj (English: ), is a Trinidadian-born American rapper, singer, songwriter and model. Born in Saint James, Trinidad and Tobago (a district of Trinidad's capital Port of Spain) and raised in South Jamaica, Queens, New York, Minaj earned public attention after releasing three mixtapes between 2007 and 2009. She has been signed to Young Money Entertainment since 2009.
