It’s an interesting time to be Nicki Minaj, who, in the last month alone, has experienced some major ups and downs.
Here’s another thing to add to the “ups” column, though: Minaj covers the latest issue of Complex in a sexy, futuristic get-up. In the accompanying interview, she touches on everything from taking risqué pictures to her relationship with Drake. In short, it’s a must-read.
In the extensive interview, which you can read in full at Complex, Minaj touches on a myriad of topics. Of The Pinkprint, she says it will address “My family, loss, death, guilt… I’ve struggled with a lot of guilt.” Guilt about what?
When you’re working and you’re busy and you’re successful, no matter what, something suffers, whether it’s your relationship with your mother, your relationship with your whole family, not being able to go to your brother’s graduation…. Certain things suffer and take the back burner, not because they’re on the back burner in your heart but because the world just moves so quickly. A lot of people, when they’re chasing their dreams, they have to leave people they love. A lot of artists feel that guilt but they don’t express it.
Could she be referring to the deterioration of her relationship with Safaree Samuels?
She also talks about “Anaconda,” which famously came with some eye-popping artwork and an insane, much-discussed video. “I wanted to create a song that embraced curvy women,” she says. “I wanted to be sexual but be playful with it… That whole song, I was just being dumb. It was a joke.” Of the single’s artwork, she says:
The reason why I stopped taking pictures like that was because I needed to prove myself. I needed for people to take me seriously. I needed for people to respect my craft. I’ve proven that I’m an MC. I’m a writer; I’m the real deal, so if I want to take sexy pictures, I can. I’m at the level in my career and in my life now where I can do whatever the hell I want to.
When asked about the controversy surrounding the hyper-sexualized video, she says she “laughed at it” but that she also “didn’t even know that that was happening.”
A lot of the interview is dedicated to her frequent collaborator, Drake, whom she praises. “He’s such a good sport. I love that he makes fun of himself and doesn’t take himself too seriously. That’s why my friendship with him works so well. That’s why I love him to death.” High praise from Miss Minaj!
Lastly, Minaj reveals she’s thinking of starting a family. She is contractually obligated to put out six albums, but she says she’ll “probably” have a baby after she releases album five. “I always said, ‘When I have my baby, it’s going to be all about my baby.’ I don’t want the child feeling like they don’t have all of my attention, so I always said, ‘I’m going to take a little break.’ But we’ll see.”
We’ll see, indeed.
[Complex]
