Nicki Minaj is a rapper, singer, songwriter, model, and actress from the United States.
Onika Tanya Maraj was born on Saint James, Trinidad and Tobago, to Carol (Daniel) and Robert Maraj, a financial professional.
Both of her parents were gospel singers. Her paternal grandpa, Maraj, was of Indian-Trinidadian (from India) ancestry, hence her father was of Dougla ancestry, a Caribbean term denoting a blend of Indian and African ancestry.
The rest of her family looks to be of African-Trinidadian heritage. Her great-grandfather is obviously Japanese, as she has indicated. It is unclear whether this is correct.
Nicki was raised in Saint James at first, but her mother relocated to New York City, United States, and later brought Nicki and her brother here when Nicki was five years old, settling in Queens.
Minaj and her older brother, Jelani, grew up in Saint James, Jamaica, with her grandmother and 11 cousins. Before receiving her green card at the age of 24, Minaj’s mother, Carol Maraj, worked a variety of jobs in Saint James.
