Nicki Minaj Covers ‘The Fader’: A Young Black Woman Can Sell Things Outside of Music

Nicki Minaj is covering the August/September issue of The Fader. Releasing new music (Anaconda — Bang, Bang, Bang, etc.) and prepping for her third album (The Pink Print), the 31-year-old is in full promo mode. Check out a few excerpts.

On what she was referring to, during her BET Awards acceptance speech, when she revealed she had a scary health scare: 

I was making a point to say that the business kills so many people and we don’t even realize it. I can only imagine how many people in this business have died because they may not have wanted to… to be embarrassed publicly. We care so much about what the world thinks that we don’t live, really.

On always looking up to Lil Wayne, although she’s successful: 

But I don’t think I’ll ever feel like he’s my peer because of how much he’s done for me. I’ll always think of him like…Like the king…..I give Wayne credit because he saw me and pretty much picked me out of a lineup, and he knew enough to run with Drake as well. From early on, he was so generous with helping younger artists, and it paid off well for him.

On doing business outside of the music arena:

But every time I do a business venture or something that isn’t the norm for a female rapper, I pat myself on the back. It’s important that corporate America can see a young black woman being able to sell things outside of music….A female rapper! With HSN!

Click here for the full interview.

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