In a beautiful cover story by essayist Roxane Gay, Nicki Minaj is interviewed for T Magazine’s Greats issue. Last year the cover stars for the issue included Michelle Obama, Lady Gaga, and others. In the interview with Gay, Minaj talks about her highly-anticipated upcoming album, the follow up to her 2014 The Pinkprint. “Sonically, I know what the album’s about to sound like. I know what this album is gonna mean to my fans,” Minaj said. “This album is everything in my life coming full circle and me being truly, genuinely happy.”
Toward the end of the interview Minaj talks about having to work over and over again to prove her worth, and the gender dynamics in rap music. “I had so much going against me in the beginning: being black, being a woman, being a female rapper,” Minaj said. “No matter how many times I get on a track with everyone’s favorite M.C. and hold my own, the culture never seems to want to give me my props as an M.C., as a lyricist, as a writer. I got to prove myself a hundred times.”
For her lyricism, her style, and her influence on rappers today, Minaj rightfully deserves to be named one of the greats. Read the rest of the interview with Roxane Gay here, and revisit The FADER's 2013 Nicki Minaj cover story.
