Nicki Minaj Talks Babies and Future Plans in Complex Magazine

Nicki Minaj is featured in Complex Magazine's tenth anniversary April 2012 issue where she's interviewed by Miss Info and talks about future plans, female rappers, her off stage persona and marriage and kids.

Will Nicki be doing music in the next ten years?

Read some of the excerpts from the interview below:

What wows you these days? Everything that comes your way keeps becoming bigger, bigger, bigger.

If I wasn’t doing it, I wouldn’t believe it’s possible. I remember when I was working with Jay-Z. It was like, “Oh my God. Did I really just do a song with Jay?” I worked with Mariah and it wasn’t commercially successful. But I had fun and I made a real friendship with her. It was, obviously, a life-changing moment for me. It does feel like every moment is getting bigger and bigger. Not only did I get a call to do a song with Madonna, but then I got a call to do a video with Madonna, and then—oh, by the way—you’re going to do the Super Bowl with Madonna. This is not really happening.

You’re on track to hit all your marks in 2012. Grammy solo set? Check. New album and tour? Check, check. Five million in sales? Possibly. What else?

I’m working on my fragrance and my apparel line. They took stuff that I’ve worn, focused on what I like, and then they started doing sketches. They’re pretty amazing. I was like “Oh my God, the kids are going to love this.” It’s not gonna get done overnight, but I know that it’s something they’re going to love.

This being Complex’s 10th Anniversary issue, it seems fitting to look forward to the next 10 years... Where do you think you’ll be in 2022?

In 2022, I’ll definitely be married and I’ll definitely have my two children.

Why just two?

OK, I might have three, but I do want at least one boy.

Will you still be working?


I always said There’s no way I could still be doing rap, ‘cause what will I still be talking about? But now that the public has given me this opportunity to do all types of music,  I might have more longevity. As long as I can continue to experiment, then I might be doing music in 10 years. I know that I don’t feel like I need to be doing music in 10 years to feel fulfilled. And I don’t want to be one of those people who doesn’t know when to call it quits.  Let’s just say that.

How do you measure that? By sales, by hits, popularity?


It’s just about you and your heart. When you’re still relevant to the culture. But who am I to know? I’m only on my second album. Maybe you never get that memo in your brain that tells you, Quit it. I would enjoy a career like Jay-Z’s, where he raps because he wants to, not ‘cause he has to. I think that’s the scary part when, after 10 years in the game, people can’t pay their bills and now you’re desperate. And so that’s why I always say, business first.

They’re definitely trying. It's the Nicki Effect. Since the success of Pink Friday you must see that the industry has changed. Corporations see a female rapper who has more visibility and more income streams than her male counterparts. So new female artists are viable, and that creates a more competitive atmosphere.

When I first got in, doing freestyles and mixtapes, I did a song called “Still I Rise.” I was talking about how so many women were pulling me down and ripping me apart. I said, “Every time a door opens for me/That means you just got a better opportunity to do you/Better understand these labels look at numbers and statistics/If I win, you win, it’s just logistics.” 

So in order for my theory to be proven right, I have to open doors for women. The up-and-coming females who wanted to get in—when you guys are coming out and dissing me, and all that negativity....They saw me as a threat instead of seeing me as “she’s going to open the door for us.” I never came into what I’m doing dissing anyone. I gave everyone their props and it’s unfortunate that people felt intimidated and attacked me. Then it became a ripple effect. But now it’s all love. My music is a way for me to have fun. Sometimes I’ll say things and I’ll laugh. But it’s all love. I’m in a great place and I just wish everybody the best.

Read the entire interview over HERE at Complex Magazine!