BY: Denver Sean
Published 10 years ago
We’ve seen Nicki Minaj’s sexy Rolling Stone cover shot by famed photographer Terry Richardson, and now we’re getting the cover story.
In the mag, she opens up more about her teen pregnancy and abortion as referenced in her new song “All Things Go.”
She also talks about the “Anaconda” video, writing her rhymes, police brutality, and why hip-hop artists are afraid to speak out on such political issues.
Check out a few highlights.
On her “Anaconda” video: With a video like ‘Anaconda,’ I’m a grown-ass fucking woman! I stand for girls wanting to be sexy and dance, but also having a strong sense of themselves. If you got a big ol’ butt? Shake it! Who cares? That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be graduating from college.”
On having an abortion at an early age: “I thought I was going to die. I was a teenager. It was the hardest thing I’d ever gone through. It’d be contradictory if I said I wasn’t pro-choice. I wasn’t ready. I didn’t have anything to offer a child.”
On getting a little more personal: “One of my goals was to give people a glimpse into my personal life, because it’s something I’ve kept very private. I had to learn to do something as simple as sleep alone. I struggled with ‘Do I express these feelings?’ And I decided there’s no reason for me to hide. I’m a vulnerable woman, and I’m proud of that.”
On becoming a better rapper: “I hate when artists brag about not writing rhymes, or doing things really quickly, and then it’s not great. It’s ill when Jay Z or Wayne say it, because the results are great. When they’re not? Sit your ass down and figure out something new to say!”
On the deaths of Mike Brown & Eric Garner: “It’s sickening, and I’ve been reading so many people saying, ‘Why are we surprised?’ That’s what’s really sad: that we should somehow be used to being treated like animals. It’s gotten to the point where people feel like there’s no accountability: If you are law enforcement and you do something to a black person, you can get away with it.”
On why Black celebrities may be afraid to speak out: “I feel like when Public Enemy were doing ‘fight the power,’ we, as a culture, had more power. Now it feels hopeless. People say, “Why aren’t Black celebrities speaking out more?” But look what happened to Kanye when he spoke out. People told him to apologize to Bush!”
On Kanye West: “He was the unofficial spokesman for hip-hop, and he got torn apart. And now you haven’t heard him speaking about these last couple things, and it’s sad. Because how many times can you be made to feel horrible for caring about your people before you say, ‘Fuck it, it’s not worth it, let me live my life because I’m rich, and why should I give a fuck?’”
You can read more when the issue hits newsstands on Friday, January 2nd.