Last Updated on January 9, 2025 by Ayoko Ahite

Born Onika Tanya Maraj, Nicki Minaj has dominated the female rap game for over a decade. She is considered one of the best and most successful rappers, with three mixtapes and five studio albums. She became a blueprint for female rap not just because of her incredible talent as a lyricist and a rapper but also because of her unique delivery, extravagant and pink fashion sense, and animated personality. In other words, she is “The One.”

1- Unique Delivery Style

Nicki Minaj has a unique way of rapping. Before her, rap lacked the sensuality, the sexiness, and the spice she brought to it. In Nicki’s songs, no matter the theme, we can hear the tenderness behind the gangster tone, the vulnerability behind the confidence, and the playfulness behind the seriousness. She made many women start listening to rap because of the feminine touch that she added.

2- Lyricism

First and foremost, Nicki Minaj’s wordplay is unmatched. She uses references and combinations of words that amaze her listeners. These give her songs substance and depth. Throughout the years, she has talked about the importance of writing her texts, and she made it known multiple times that no one writes verses for her. She doesn’t just sing to sing or rap to rap. She tells stories, gives advice, expresses her deepest feelings, and more. This makes her listeners connect with her songs in a very personal way.

3- Animated Personality and Fashion Sense

Nicki Minaj has a very animated personality, which adds even more uniqueness to her songs and her image as an artist. Throughout her career, Nicki has created different Alter Egos. From Roman, the angry boy who says “bad things” and curses everyone, to Barbie, the playful and whimsical girl, Nicki Minaj’s alter egos have helped her convey her messages more clearly by setting the tones and moods of her songs and creating excitement in her fans. Her fanbase even adopted “Barbz” from her Barbie persona.

Nicki Minaj usually dresses in music videos and on stage based on the alter ego she represents. However, her signature color is pink, stemming from her primary persona, Barbie. She wears darker and more mysterious outfits for her persona, Roman, red for her persona, Red Ruby Da Sleaze, and so on… She has also entertained the public with her colorful and extravagant wigs, even though most people agree that she is the most beautiful when she rocks her natural black hair.

All of the above combined have made Nicki Minaj exceptional as an artist who, to this day, is the highest-selling female rapper ever, one of the most successful musical artists ever, and whose style has inspired and influenced many female rappers in the industry and women around the world.