As I was surfing the web in desperate need of a decent story that I felt at least halfway enthralled to share, I came across a TMZ article regarding Nicki Minaj. If you’re wondering, it was that one about her being snubbed out of a Netflix trailer regarding Hip Hop’s 50th anniversary. Granted, this was just a preview and it would be next to near impossible to gloss over Nicki Minaj’s impact in the rap industry whether you love her or not.
Now, obviously, I wasn’t going to dedicate an entire article pertaining to the snub itself. Especially considering the fact that the great folks at TMZ beat me to it. Regardless, it sparked a question.
Is Nicki Minaj underrated despite being such a successful musician?
Right now, you might be thinking “of course not” and if so, it’s easy to see why. She’s a multi-platinum-selling recording artist. She’s won countless awards and she has leagues upon legions of fans.
On the contrary, despite all the accolades she’s accumulated, Minaj currently holds a whopping total of 0 Grammy wins. For every die-hard, day-one Nicki Minaj fan; there will always be 1 or 2 detractors who brush off her accomplishments by stating that Nicki’s longevity is mainly due to the fact that she had little to no competition during the early 2010s when she was on the rise.
That statement could’ve made for a great point several years ago, but that all changed with the rise of artists such as Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion, Doja Cat, Latto, Ice Spice, Coi Leray, and GloRilla.
During this golden age of female rappers, Minaj has managed to keep herself relevant by either dropping solo hits or collaborating with a handful of the artists that were previously just mentioned.
When factoring in that she’s stayed afloat since 2009 when it wasn’t a popular time to be a female MC, her 10-plus year reign at the top should be all the more respected.
So then, is Nicki Minaj underrated despite all her accolades?
That’s entirely in the eye of the beholder. No matter what the circumstances, there will always be someone with a claim and another to refute it. Regardless, I hope you got something out of reading this.