Not Music, Nicki Minaj Could Have Easily Conquered Another Billion Dollar Industry Had She Pursued One Other Passion From her High School Days
World-renowned singer and hip-hop icon Nicki Minaj is known for her unique voice, provocative lyrics, outspoken nature, and colorful appearance. Onika Tanya Maraj, aka Nicki Minaj, was born in Saint James, Trinidad and Tobago, but her family emigrated to New York while she was still young. She was a very determined young lady who was struggling to get away from her unstable home and pursue her dreams.
Minaj’s performing arts experience started at a young age when she got into Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts in Manhattan through an audition. Being one of the leading institutions for visual and performing arts, it boosted Minaj’s creativity. Minaj was trained at LaGuardia High School for Performing Arts where she developed her acting skills and went through intense training.
Nicki Minaj Had a Brief Acting Career Before Music
Nicki Minaj wanted to become an actress and tried to find a job in theater. She made her first appearance on stage in the Off-Broadway play In Case You Forget in 2001. This opportunity enabled Minaj to act in professional production and gave her the experience of theater that she always wanted. The play was directed by Casmir Nosal and Minaj’s role required her to show emotional aspects and agility on the stage.
Despite the fact that she was naturally a performer, the other side of the acting industry became an obstacle for her. Minaj’s acting had great potential for growth, but lack of employment opportunities and the need to fight for each role played their part in her leaving that field. While talking to CNN, Minaj said,
I was thinking in my head I was going to be a famous actress. When I got out of high school, I didn’t really want to take time and go and audition, I just wanted to get a job and work and get my own place.
In an interview with Harpers Bazaar, Minaj expressed her desire to have a career like Meryl Streep,
I want to do something very serious. Meryl Streep is one of my favorite artists of all time. She blows me away in just about everything she does…My dream would be to have that type of acting career, where I can do both things believably.
During the period of confusion, Minaj started exploring other fields of art, which led her to music. Her urge for self-expression made her break free from the day-to-day routine of survival. She acquired the stage name ‘Nicki Minaj’ and released her mixtapes. Eventually, she got recognized by Lil Wayne, and the rest is history.
Nicki Minaj Has Appeared in Multiple Movies
Although Minaj left acting to pursue music, she still has her fair share of appearances in movies. Having a very unique and expressive voice, she has appeared in animated movies multiple times, along with live-action movies.
Minaj gave her voice to the character Steffie in Ice Age: Continental Drift. Steffie was one of the teenage mammoths, and Minaj’s energetic vocals made the character a very spirited mammoth. This role was Minaj’s first in animated films and allowed fans to see this side of her talent. She also gave her voice in The Angry Birds Movie 2 to the character Pinky, who was a new addition to the franchise.
The Other Woman was Minaj’s entry into the world of live-action cinema. She acted as Lydia, the stylist for Cameron Diaz’s character. Minaj’s great sense of humor and screen presence helped her expand her work portfolio, not only as a voice actress but as a live actor.
In 2016, Minaj appeared in Barbershop: The Next Cut as Draya, who was the stylist in the barbershop. Her character was that of a woman with a sharp tongue. Minaj received praise for her comedy scenes. This role showed her versatile personality and her ability to adapt to different film genres.
Even after declining the career of acting, Minaj stays true to the craft that she once dreamed of pursuing. Being a great performer herself, acting is something that is quite natural to her, and her fans will definitely want to see more of that side of her.
