The Discovery of Nicki Minaj: Exploring the Rapper’s Connection to Dirty Money Entertainment

Nicki Minaj is now a globally recognized rapper. However, over 20 years ago, upon graduating from college, her initial goal was to pursue a career in acting. Rap was not Minaj’s first passion; she discovered it while navigating the challenges of her acting career.

While working as a waitress at Red Lobster, Minaj began writing rap lyrics. In 2007, her talent caught the attention of Big Fendi, a prominent music executive and the founder of Dirty Money Entertainment.

It was at Dirty Money Entertainment that Nicki Minaj first adopted her iconic stage name, having previously been known by her birth name, Onika Tanya Maraj.

Contract Signing with Dirty Money Entertainment

In 2007, Nicki Minaj entered into a 180-day contract with Big Fendi’s label, which she enthusiastically accepted. As part of Dirty Money, Minaj released her debut mixtape, Playtime is Over, on July 5, 2007.

The following year, she dropped her second mixtape, Sucka Free, which featured collaborations with several well-known rappers of that era, including Gravy, Lil Kim, Gucci Mane, Diddy, Murda Mook, and others.

Lil Wayne collaborated with Nicki on both mixtapes, allowing him to witness her talent firsthand. Notably, Minaj did not extend her contract with Fendi’s label after releasing her first two mixtapes.

By 2009, Nicki Minaj signed with Young Money Entertainment, the label owned by Lil Wayne. Her third mixtape, Beam Me Up Scotty, was released by Young Money in April 2009.

Nicki Minaj’s Return to Big Fendi’s Podcast

Over a decade later, Big Fendi launched his own podcast, the Big Fendi Podcast, in 2020, and invited Nicki Minaj as his first guest. During their conversation, Fendi revealed that he hadn’t seen her since 2008.

Expressing his desire to mend their relationship, Fendi remarked:

“You know what, I gotta sit down with this girl and we gotta come to some type of balance because moving on in life and trying to prosper, you can’t hold no grudges.”

When Nicki, known for her track “Hey Mama,”accused Fendi of disrespecting her in the past, he confessed his own hurt feelings, stating:

“I felt like I started something and didn’t reap the benefits from it… at the end of the day, I feel like you did not give me my credit.”

In response, Nicki Minaj maintained that she had always acknowledged him and emphasized the connection they shared, stating:

“We gelled also just as human beings outside of rap. We had good banter in front of the camera. We was playing, dissing each other, laugh and stuff like that. So, it just worked.”

The acclaimed rapper added:

“But, I just want to make it clear that we weren’t cool for a while and I was out there busting my ass for a while by myself in Atlanta. So it wasn’t like as soon as I made it I dropped you. I would never do that.”

During the podcast discussion, it was revealed that the pair initially met online through MySpace in 2006, where Nicki gained significant attention. The reasons behind their fallout in the 2000s were also addressed during their chat.

Nicki expressed dissatisfaction with how she was being marketed while at Dirty Money. Fortunately, the two reconciled their differences and appeared open to the possibility of collaborating again in the future.

Following her exit from Dirty Money, Nicki Minaj released her third mixtape, which paved the way for her debut studio album in 2010. Since then, the Anaconda rapper has released four additional albums and is currently on tour promoting her fifth album, Pink Friday 2.

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