Nicki Minaj returned to Queen Radio on Friday (March 3) and announced she was starting her own label. While she wouldn’t reveal the name of the imprint just yet, Minaj did confirm it would house a variety of artists.
“I have a record label now,” she said. “And because I believe so strongly in loyalty, and because I’ve spent my whole life giving to others that turn around and s### on me, Paddy Duke is the first A&R on my label.
“I’m not going to tell you guys the name of the label yet, right. But I’ll tell you guys that on the next show. We’ll do a next show pretty soon […] Don’t think my label is just rap or Black or anything. We got some other genres of music.”
“Many are called… but few are chosen.” – @nanafofiee 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 pic.twitter.com/oQ6ODFkGPh
— Her Network (@HerNetworkOnlne) March 4, 2023
Minaj then turned her attention to Lil Wayne and credited him for really helping launch her to superstardom. She stressed the importance of having that kind of support early on and vowed to do that for her roster.
“When I came in this game, I didn’t have no paperwork with Lil Wayne,” she said. “But he had us on tour, he had us in a studio, he was getting on my mixtapes. So I understand the importance of having somebody else doing the heavy lifting for you. I understand why people are coming out and they’re so, you know, microwaveable and they’re here today and gone tomorrow, because there’s no structure.
“There’s no real person that believes in them. That’s like, ‘Nah, I’m gonna make it my business to see you shine’. That’s why I never wanted to do a label before because I said to myself…unless I’m ready to really put these artists on I’m not gonna ruin anyone’s life.”
Minaj is now the first female rapper to own her own record label, which reportedly will be under Republic Records. Among the first artists signed to her roster are Ghanaian singer-songwriter Nana Fofie, Baltimore rapper Tate Kobang, Queens rapper Rico Danna and Bronx rapper London Hill.