Nicki Minaj Talks Music, Being Single for the First Time Since She was 15 and How Selling Sex Appeal Could be Damaging Young Girls in Elle Mag Interview

“The Queen Returns” is what #NickiMinaj’s latest interview is titled in Elle Magazine. In it, she talks her previous romances, new life experiences and of course her upcoming album #Queen.

On Tuesday, the Queens rapper has been working on her fourth studio album which has been pushed back to being released on Aug. 10. 

While discussing her upcoming project she mentioned how artists should take more risks with their craft. “I feel like true icons shift music, uplift music, switch music, have the balls to take a chance. The things that people do come so easy to me. I could do it in my sleep. But I’m such a perfectionist that when something is too easy to me, I actually feel guilty.”

The “Chun-Li” rapper also mentioned the consistent wave of trap music is enjoyable yet very repetitive. “The truth of the matter is, trap has taken over so much that even our New York rappers are doing nothing but trap songs, because they feel that that’s the way to make it,” said Minaj.

What may be the most interesting takeaway from Minaj’s interview is this being the first time Minaj has been single since she was 15. “Becoming single was one of the things that made me feel strong and powerful,” she explained. “The fact that I am a young woman who doesn’t need a man for money. I don’t need a man for a job. I’ve never had to f—k for beats. I’ve never had to f—k for a record deal. I don’t have those pressures. I get up when I want, shop when I want.”

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She continued, “Whether you’re a stripper, or whether you’re an Instagram girl — these girls are so beautiful and they have so much to offer,” she said. “But I started finding out that you give them a couple thousand dollars, and you can have sex with them. I was like, ‘Yikes.’ It’s just sad that they don’t know their worth. It makes me sad as a woman. And it makes me sad that maybe I’ve contributed to that in some way … I can’t look down on these girls. I may not be having sex with people, but I’m selling sex appeal.”