Nicki Minaj‘s last album, "Pink Friday 2", arrived in 2023, and she’s laid low for much of 2025.
Gracing the cover of Vogue Italia on Tuesday, Minaj opened up about the creative process heading into her next record.
While the rapper has a collection of songs she’s proud of, she is in no rush to release her next music until the time is right and aligns with her life.
“I’ve got a bunch of really strong tracks, but I don’t want to rush,” she explained. “I want the record to mean something, both for the fans and for me. I’ll never be one of those people who puts out songs just to put them out. I love music. I respect it.”
When that time does come, though, she plans on hitting the road once again. “To experience it all again, as soon as possible. For me, and for the Barbz,” she added. The Pink Friday 2 World Tour earned Minaj the honor of having the highest-grossing rap tour for a woman.
Elsewhere in the interview, Minaj revealed that she initially hated how she looked in the viral “Did I Lie” video, which was born from a CRWN interview in 2018 surrounding the rollout of "Queen" with Elliott Wilson.
“I hate how I look in that video,” she said. “When people started using it, I thought, ‘I’m blocking you all!’ Then I gave in — it’s actually pretty funny.”
The Queens legend has also admitted there have been times when she has wanted to end her music career despite all her success.
Despite Minaj being one of the world's best-selling music artists and the best-selling female rapper with over 100 million records sold, the inevitable criticism that comes with being in the spotlight has gotten to her over the years.
She said: "I've heard every possible criticism about me. I've thought about quitting so many times. I'm glad I didn't. I hope my story can be an inspiration, and push kids, adults, anyone, not to give up,".
The hitmaker is mother to a four-year-old boy, whose name she has not made public, with her husband, Kenneth 'Zoo' Petty.
Minaj told how she delayed becoming a mother for the sake of her career and providing for her family members.
"As a woman, I put off becoming a mother. A lot of women in the industry, especially older than me, never had children. Some don't regret it, but others do," she said. "I put it off, and I didn't go to every Thanksgiving, every Christmas, or birthday party because I had to work to support my family. I think the price was not having a 'normal' life,".
"Things are different now, because I can give my son things I never had, but there are things I want to make sure he has, and I still need to figure out how to give them to him. When we go out, for example, I have to worry that someone will take his picture," the star added.
Minaj also spoke about the discipline she received at a young age, saying: "I was one of those kids who could tell when an adult was stupid. The lack of discipline around me made me want to be the opposite. And I'm not always like that."
"But I believe in working hard to get what you want. I had to fight for everything. I had nothing, and I wanted it more than anyone else,".
Nicki was ambitious from a young age and would tell people she would one day become a star.
She said: "And when my friends were drinking, or smoking weed, or trying to hit the clubs, sure, I went too, just not as often. Everyone used to say I had a natural high. That's how I was — happy, but focused. I used to tell people, 'I'm going to make it.' Almost like I already knew."
Minaj hasn’t made many public appearances this year, but she did pop out at the 2025 Met Gala earlier in May, as the Young Money rapper stunned in a Thom Browne navy pinstripe mermaid dress. “It reminded me of putting on your Sunday’s best and being iconic in your own world,” she told Entertainment Tonight of her attire.
"Pink Friday 2" arrived in December 2023. The project debuted atop the Billboard 200 with 228,000 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. in the week ending December 14, according to Luminate. That figure is the largest week for a rap album by a woman in the 2020s.
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