Nicki Minaj has been absent from social media since February, but fans have a new interview to hold them over.
After reuniting with her former manager Fendi on Queen Radio last year, the rap queen has returned the favor, guesting on the first episode of his “Big Fendi Podcast.” In their first conversation in over a decade, an admittedly-nervous Fendi confronted Minaj, or “Nicki Maraj” as she was once known, about their fallout and why they never spoke for years.
Fendi said he felt that he didn’t get the credit he deserved for discovering Minaj on “The Come Up” DVD series and felt slighted when Lil Wayne was celebrated for introducing her to the world. “I felt like I started something,” said Fendi. “At the end of the day, I felt like you didn’t give me my credit.”
Minaj explained that her success happened after they parted ways. “It wasn’t like my success came and I said ‘Fuck Fendi.’ I said ‘Fuck Fendi’ first,” she said.
But despite their troubled past, she gave Fendi his props. “Fendi may not think that I gave him credit, but he definitely deserves all the credit,” she said. “This man put in so much work, time, effort, energy, and genuine love and belief in me, and I will never forget that. And that’s why at this place, where I am in now, I want to be of help to him in any way that I can.”
Nicki also reflected on her 15 years in the game (“I still have the same love and passion for music”) and her upcoming fifth album. “On the album that we’re working on now, I feel like I’m finding a great balance,” she said. “It took me a minute to find the balance of being me and giving the people what they’re hearing now, but I feel like now I’m finding a balance.”
They also discussed the role complexion plays in hip-hop. Fendi said that “brown skin chicks got to work extra harder” because of Nicki. “Dark skin and brown skin women have to work extra harder in any field,” she said. “I don’t feel like my complexion is the reason why I made it, but I try not to be blind or play dumb to what’s really happening in the world.”
Plus, Nicki revealed that she is actively scouting talent for her label. “Female rap, male rap, female singers, male singers, everybody,” she said. “I never wanted to do it before because I felt like I didn’t want to do it just to do it or just to get a check.”
Watch the full interview below.