What did Nicki Minaj do before reaching fame?

An early arrival amongst the wealth of stellar female artists currently dominating the industry, Nicki Minaj has been a mainstay on the scene for more than a decade now. She predates heavy-hitters like Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion by years — and more than 15 years following the drop of her first mixtape — remains a vital part of the U.S. music scene.

She’s been an established member of America’s cherished celebrities for long enough that she’s an instantly recognizable star to almost anyone. These days, she frequently crops up on collabs with other talented women, pairing up with the likes of Doja Cat and Meghan Trainor, and even joining Elton John on The Lockdown Sessions.

Her solo releases have slowed down since Minaj’s hot period during the early 2010s, but her star hasn’t faded in the eyes of her fans. Motherhood has seen her step back from the spotlight somewhat, but Minaj is clearly here to stay.

Long before she was releasing albums and dominating headlines, Minaj was just another up-and-comer trying to make ends meet in New York. She struggled for years before finally attaining celebrity status, but Minaj has always had the star power it takes to make it to the top.

What did Nicki Minaj do before she was famous?

Minaj always had dreams of stardom, and started on her path to widespread success at a young age. Born Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty, Minaj shifted to her stage name after signing with Brooklyn’s Dirty Money Entertainment. In the years before she made the transition to musician, however, Minaj was struggling to make ends meet with her given name, waiting tables, and taking on a range of minimum-wage positions while she awaited her big break.

Back in the early 2000s, Minaj was just getting started in entertainment. While working a variety of odd jobs, she attempted to find work as an actress, all the while gaining and losing low-level positions at restaurants, bars, and retail locations. She told Billboard in a 2010 interview that she was fired from a minimum of “15 jobs,” because she had a “horrible attitude.” She had no patience for the infuriating nature of customer service, but thankfully soon found her purpose in music.

By 2007, Minaj was releasing her first mixtape to the world. 2008 saw her second hit shelves, and a third joined them the following year. Her released music saw Minaj slowly grow in prominence, before blasting into renown with the release of her debut album in 2010. Once Pink Friday hit shelves, Minaj was a major player on the rap scene, signing deals and collaborating with a number of major artists.

Her fame only grew from there. She was soon one of the biggest names in rap, and helped to herald the arrival of a new generation of female rap artists. She’s enjoyed several stints on the Billboard Hot 100, and went on to dip her toes into acting once again. She’s appeared in four films in total, and has released four studio albums over the course of her career.

Minaj is still going strong, nearly 20 years after she first set her sights on her musical dream. Fans can look forward to her fifth studio album, which is expected to drop sometime this year, and recently Minaj became the creative director of Maxim. There seems to be no slowing this powerhouse of a woman down.