Nicki Minaj wears: coat, belt, Christian Siriano; ring, Lynn Ban; earrings, her own. Photographed by Emma Summerton
It’s no surprise now that Nicki Minaj is our September 2018 cover star – her Vogue cover debut has made international headlines. Editor-in-chief, Manuel Arnaut, interviewed the platinum-selling artist back in May, just days ahead of the Met Gala. Meeting the star in New York’s Spring Studios as part of a crew of around 25 people, mostly women, they talked about her quitting social media, healing heartbreak, and bouncing back stronger than ever to reclaim her crown as the queen of rap. She had so much to say that not everything could fit into the September issue – here are some of the highlights that didn’t make it into print:
Nicki Minaj wears: dress, Blumarine; bodysuit, Wolford; earrings, Jennifer Fisher; cuffs, David Yurman. Photographed by Emma Summerton
On her fans
“My fans feel more like family, so if I go on social media and they haven’t gotten an album in a while, they’re going to cuss me out and make me feel like, I gotta hurry up. But at the same time my fans know that I’m a perfectionist and I could not put out my fourth album, Queen, until it was perfection. I just refuse to do that.”
On being vulnerable
“Being powerful or strong doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t be vulnerable and it doesn’t mean you don’t cry, it just means that you’re comfortable enough with yourself to be whoever you are.”
On industry prejudice
“It’s sad that women don’t get the recognition they should. That doesn’t just happen in music, it’s in Hollywood, too. I read all the time about women in Hollywood feeling like they’re not paid as much as men, etcetera… We need to speak up for ourselves and for other women. We need to put our foot down.”
Nicki Minaj wears: coat, Oscar de la Renta; bodysuit, Kenzo; shoes, Alexander Wang; hat, Marc Jacobs. Photographed by Emma Summerton
On pre-fame
“I love that my fans know that I had a regular job and, you know, had to work for everything I got. I didn’t get married into money, I wasn’t born into money. I love that because I know it gives them hope. It gives everybody, every child, every person in a community that’s not necessarily a wealthy community, hope that there is a way out without having to do something illegal. I love inspiring… letting people know that you don’t have to settle, you should chase your dreams.”
On her favorite hobby
“Laying in bed and watching TV, that’s my favorite thing to do sometimes because on the road, I used to get really tired, I used to just think, I wish I could be in my bed right now.”
Read the full exclusive interview with Nicki Minaj in the September issue of Vogue Arabia.
Now read: The Extreme Evolution of Nicki Minaj’s Hair
