Nicki Minaj 2016: Rapper Touches On Equal Pay, Culture & Beyonce in '100 Most Influential' Interview [VIDEO]
Nicki Minaj is known for being one to hold it down for the ladies. So it’s no surprise she candidly spoke on the gender equal pay controversy just after being named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People.
She said most of her influence came from her mother, who Minaj says she always knew she wanted to be “in charge.”
“As a child my mother didn’t have a job where she was the boss," the "Anaconda" rapper says."I always looked at that and wished she was a boss and made her own rules. From very early on I felt like ‘You know what? Whatever I do, one day I wanna be more in charge…”
Minaj also explains that she learned very young that have to be “unapologetic" when it came to asking for the payment she felt she deserved. "At a very early stage of my rap career I was making six figures for shows," she says. "If you know you’re great at what you do, don’t ever be ashamed to ask for the top dollar in your field.”
She also talks on teaming up with Beyonce and said she was proud their "Flawless" record “empowered and inspired” young women.
Minaj goes on to say that one of the marks she wants to “leave behind” is that she writes her own raps and doesn’t need a man to do it for her, as well as talk about Black culture not being recognized before it hits mainstream audiences.
Check out her full clip below.
Others who made this year's list include Leonardo DiCaprio, Facebook heads Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg, and Adele.
