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Nicki Minaj and the shift on America's minds

by Rafael Seiler

Even though some may call it "The Land of Opportunity", there are many requirements for one to become successful in a country as unequal as the United States. Unfortunately, many of them are related to nationality, gender, and social status. In recent years, however, due to changes in the mindset of Americans, many people who belong to minorities, including famous artists, have been able to achieve success. Nicki Minaj is an example of a singer who belongs to minority groups. Her extraordinary success is the result of a more open-minded and modern America. 

For starters, it is important to consider that Americans became much more tolerant towards immigrants and people of color. Trinidad and Tobago, Nicki's home country, houses a substantial black community, as well as many Indian descendants. She spent her early years there and moved to New York when she was five. As West Indian Americans, she and her family are part of a plural and numerous, yet once very segregated community in the US. Although not fully welcoming, nowadays Americans, especially younger generations, have become more open to immigration in general during the 21st century. According to a series of surveys conducted by the Pew Research Center, for the first time in decades, people who support legal immigration outnumber those who do not. This number increased from only 10% in 2001 to over 30% in 2018. Furthermore, achievements such as the election of Kamala Harris, the first West Indian American vice president of the United States, demonstrate change in the public view of minoritarian communities.

Also, Nicki Minaj's talent was only discovered due to a new thriving tool that allows people to communicate whatever they want: the internet. Nicki uploaded her work to Myspace, a social media platform designed to share music. In 2007, her former manager, Big Fendi, came across her work and saw potential, leading her to sign contracts with record labels and, ultimately, to achieve global success as a rap singer. Despite having always had artistic aspirations, when being interviewed by iHeart Radio, she claimed that she had not considered pursuing a career in music before meeting Big Fendi. For that reason, had she never used the internet to share her music, her talent would likely not have been unveiled.

Moreover, being a woman in a male-dominated genre and industry is not as much of a challenge nowadays as it once was. Underrepresentation of women in music is an acknowledged fact, and, as of 2022, only 3% of music producers are women, according to a research by audio media expert Marie Charlotte Götting. Recently, though, efforts to change this situation have been sprouting up. Performing uninhibitedly and displaying comfort with sexuality are practices that have been growing, and they definitely empower women. Nicki Minaj herself has adopted those, which not only made her an icon, but also led to the many prizes she won for her performances, such as the three VMAs she won in only 10 years.

Nicki, since 2007, has proved to America that in today's world, it is possible to be successful as part of an underrepresented minority and overcome all obstacles that may appear in an unequal country. Although the change in the way Americans think certainly helped her achieve success and prestige, all the hardships she went through may not be forgotten.