Nicki Minaj Wants Women To ‘Be Unapologetic’ About Getting Equal Pay

Nicki Minaj has never been one to hold back, and now she’s using her current spot on the Time 100 list to encourage other women to do the same.

“One thing I learned along the way in business is the necessity for you to be unapologetic about asking for how much money you deserve,” she said. “At a very early stage in my rap career, I was making six figures for shows … If I heard there was another rapper making that, I thought, ‘You know what? I get out there and demand or command a crowd. I get out there and make my fans happy. I get out there and give a real show. I want that, too.’ And I pushed myself to be better with my showmanship, but I also decided, you know what? I want to be compensated well.”
Nicki wants all women — not just those in the music industry — to ask for the pay they deserve.

“I would tell women starting out in business, 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 says. “If I’m great at what I do, I can’t be denied. Some things may be overlooked but no one can deny my brand, and that’s the words of wisdom I would give to other young women.”