1. Her full name is Onika Tanya Maraj.
2. She has two brothers and one sister.
3. She is of African and Afro-Asian descent.
4. As a child, she had a rough upbringing. Her father was said to be abusive and a drug addict. He reportedly tried to kill her mother and even attempted to set the house on fire.
5. She was born on Dec. 8, 1982, in Saint James, Trinidad and Tobago. Her grandmother took care of her there.
6. She was moved to Queens, New York, at the age of 5 with her mother.
7. She says she is a great cook and enjoys it very much.
8. Minaj reached a national audience with her 2012 Super Bowl appearance. She performed alongside pop superstar Madonna in the football game’s popular halftime show.
9. She wrote her first rap song at the age of 12.
10. In middle school, she used to play the clarinet.
