"You never know how much is too much – too much emotion, too much vulnerability, too much power. Everyone wants me to be something different. Women in the industry are judged more. If you speak up for yourself, you're a bitch. If you party too much, you're a whore. Men don't get called these things."
On Wednesday we took a closer look at the 'Queen Bee' Beyonce, we dove in past the sequin stage costumes, perfect family and PG opinions to see what kind of example she was really setting for our generation. When all was said and done it was pretty clear that although Beyonce liked using the word 'Feminist' she seemed to think that it was just that, simply a word - and not a movement. Something to fight for, live by and promote. The complete opposite to the woman I want to discuss today. Nicki Minaj.
I will be the first to hold my hands up and say that for a little while I was wary of Nicki, all I heard was lyrics strung together with offencive words and the fact that she was fighting from a division of the music industry that basically revolved around women being put down - I tended to not pay her much attention. What female rapper could really have that much to say that would help women? I also will be the first to hold my hands up and say that I was wrong. Very, wrong.
As I stated early on in my Beyonce post that I didn't think she was ALL bad, I want to make it clear here that I'm not delusional. There are aspects of what and how Nicki Minaj works that I don't agree with but over all, I am team Nicki. Anyway, lets start at the very beginning. Nicki Minaj, born 1982 with a less famous name Onika Tanya Maraj. From there she grew up with what she described as a 'discipline free childhood' mainly seemingly to be surrounded by her Grand Mother, abusive father and her Mother who to this day is paid tribute to as one of the reasons Nicki stood up for herself. It wasn't till 2007 that her career really started to kicked off. Although a lot of people will say Beyonce fought hard to get to where she is - I do agree, but the fight to become a female pop start isn't something that can even begin to be compared to a fight to become a respected female hip hop artist. Not only did she earn herself that title, she racked up awards among the way including being the first female solo artists to have SEVEN singles simultaneously charting on the US. Billboard Hot 100 - but for me? One of her greatest achievements is the person she managed to maintain to be all the way through.
"I talk about record executives telling me, 'Oh no no no. Female rappers don't make it anymore. You'll never get away with that, and you'll damn sure never get away with rapping and singing.' People who I loved very much attempted to deter me from experimenting with my craft, but I felt I represented all kinds of girls, not just one girl." -Nicki Minaj
So you're probably wondering what makes Nicki's message special? Why should she be looked upon as a role model? Well I won't go into it all because I'll be here till next Wednesday but one of the main qualities of Nickis' message is that it's coming from a place of Inter-sectional Feminism. When she speaks and fights it's not for just her. It's not just about what she has over come or what she has faced. When she stands and holds her head high as a woman - it's for all women. A trait that the branding of feminism clear in women like Taylor Swift and Beyonce seems to be missing. Nicki isn't fighting a battle on her own for herself, she's fighting with every single one of us.
One of the things that I personally love most about Nicki is how heavily she focuses on everyone doing what THEY are comfortable with and putting no shade or judgement on it. Wear what YOU want, show how much skin YOU want - it's never about what society accepts or what the media expects its about being who you are and what you want to be. I could post screen grabs from concerts and interviews till I was 100 - because trust me its something she is very vocal about. Most people would say she is too vocal and this is where the major comparisons come in between Beyonce and Nicki - people will stand and say Nicki has too much to say when they are big fans of Beyonce who basically has nothing to say. The world is too accepting of this PC 'Im not going to say anything in case it throws shade on my record label loving me' type of attitude.
"I don't mind being called a weirdo. There are a lot of people in hip-hop who are probably never going to get what I do. But, by just being myself, I end up touching a lot more people who might never have paid much attention to a female rapper. -Nicki Minaj
When Nicki recently tweeted about MTV music video awards where she basically called out society and said that 'To be up for nomination you have to be white and skinny', my dashboard on every social media platform went crazy - not applauding or standing up for Nicki but for people like Taylor Swift who was apparently being 'degraded' by the tweet. This is the tunnel vision feminism that I'm sick of seeing, Nicki did not tweet and say 'Taylor swift is white and skinny so clearly she's going to win even though her video is made of shit' - never once did she put any negativity on the people who made the videos or the people in them. Yes I know Taylor apologised after but she was the first person to fight Nicki, trying to call her out on NOT being a feminist because she was bringing other women down when if Taylor had of taken a step back from her reductive feminism for a minute she would of seen that all Nicki was doing - was FIGHTING for every woman. The tweet was about calling out MTV and Society for NOT including all types of women, and not giving them the equal opportunity to be recognised and honoured for their work.
Nicki has a hundred and one terms and adjectives thrown towards her way of speaking up. That she fights 'Dirty' is a 'bitch' etc - yes I will admit sometimes she comes off in a slightly negative light but at the end of the day I simply respect that she is using her position and privilege to stand up for people who can't. I respect her voice because she is using it for good, not just to promote herself and her pain - but to give other women the strength and desire to use their own voice.
Not only does she use her voice at concerts, in interviews on social media etc - she also uses it in her songs. Although like I mentioned earlier Nicki is fighting a battle in a very male dominant industry she is still being brave enough to try and speak her mind in her music. If you listen to Pink Friday and album that debuted at Number 1 across America you will hear the 'alter ego' point of views that she spits from. This is her showing us every single aspect of her and the diversity and range of ideals that a woman can have. There isn't just one singular cookie cutter out look that anyone with a vagina should have, she's letting us know that it's okay to be a hundred and one things even if it means you end up with the label 'Bitch' plastered across your head. One thing you instantly have to over come with Minaj is that her brand of Feminism is NOTHING to do with your comfort zone. If you are offended by what she feels? Oh well. If you don't want to fight a long with her? She will keep fighting anyway.
From her dedication to trying to get her fans to stay in school right up to her un-willingness for anyone else to try and tell her who she is, every other day I find a quote or a new image of Nicki that makes me regret how long I over shadowed her opinion. I feel that SO many people will not see past the provocative elements to her branding (how dare a woman feel comfortable in her body) and sometimes negative seeming voice (because god forbid a woman stands up for herself) and truly see how much of an inspiring woman Nicki is. Nicki can't easily be fitted into the roles assigned to a woman in her industry or a woman in society. Nothing about her is 'clean', 'PG' or polished. Her reputation isn't more important than her opinion and she's clearly paving her own path in the feminist fight instead of running along behind people like Bey and Tay who are fighting the one woman fight.
"People don't know how heavily involved I am in my own career. I'm on 15 to 25 conference calls every few days strategizing with my team. I think a lot of artists sit back and have it done for them. Sometimes as women in the industry — if you're sexy or like doing sexy things — some people subconsciously negate your brain. They think you're stupid."
-Nicki Minaj
Beyonce and Minaj are clearly fighting two very different battles :
Beyonce - mother, wife, beautiful, elegant, very well spoken, well raised, born with an air of privilege - working in an industry where her biggest battle is between which heels to wear on stage. Her songs are about having sex with her loving husband (who is a misogynist), being sexy for her husband, loving her daughter, women bowing down to her as a queen and once in a blue moon she will release a song with a female friendly lyric - and be crowned feminist queen for even considering empowering women.
Nicki - sometimes girlfriend (something that she NEVER lets matter over her individual power unlike 'Mrs.Carter), boundary pusher, 'Nasty Bitch', self made artist. Nicki has managed to turn her role in a male dominated industry to subvert being 'one of the boys'. Nicki sings about women being sexy for themselves, fucking men and giving women the sexual power that most hip hip music is notorious for eradicating.
When Beyonce released her self titled album the world lit up like Disney Land during their infamous fireworks. Praise Bey for finally having very subtle under tones of sexuality and the female empowerment that came with it. How incredibly moving is it that Beyonce wrote songs that basically said 'Its fine to have sex and be sexual once its for, about or including your husband'. I was honestly confused, I was reading columns and watching youtube videos of women saying how proud of her they were when in reality - this is nothing new and nothing that should make me feel empowered over. Beyonce sings about sex and she gets awards, Nicki does it and she's labelled a demanding, basically whorish woman. Nicki has never shied away from breaking the boundaries of 'acceptable' clothing, graphically discussing sex and declaring herself as a dominant. Not only does she openly stand up and own her sexuality but she also tells women to demand more. While most women are running around trying to please their husbands, Nicki is on the cover of Cosmo telling the world that she demands an orgasm every time she has sex, and why the fuck shouldn't she? 
Beyonce makes being a woman seem easy, yes she may of had one spoken verse piece about struggling that one time but as a whole she paints a very pretty picture. Where as Nicki has been known to describe being a woman as having to be 'everything' - being good at what you do, being sexy, being loyal, being nice, being this being that - and in reality I agree with her when she says it's impossible for any human being to be 'everything'. So be what you are comfortable with being. She holds her hands up and says that she is simply a human and all she's asking for is the credit for what she does. Which in reality isn't too much to ask for is it? She respects other peoples achievements so why doesn't she get the same?
Nicki has struggled and fights for those who are struggling - she's not scared to talk about things that the world will shy away from. Nothing is too much for Nicki to sink her teeth into even though it might be what no one wants to hear. She is the best friend that you ask if your ass looks big in a dress, and if it does - she will tell you. It's not what we want to hear, but it's what we sometimes need to hear. When she tells you dreams are possible it's not a fairytale story, she is the first to open up about how hard it was to get to where she is. How working your ass off is the only way to even imagine succeeding in anything you want. But at the end of the day - only fight for it, if it's what YOU want. That YOU are capable and women don't get enough credit for being that alone - capable.
"People view sexy as weak. If you're overtly sexy, people don't expect you to be smart. Sometimes women are dressing sexy for themselves — not necessarily because they want to have sex with some man. Sometimes that's what makes them feel good and empowered."
-Nicki Minaj
To Summarise - In my journey of understanding Nicki's ways - I would personally say these are her teachings :
-Nicki wants you to know that you are not on your own, we are all fighting the same fight, even women like her who have earned a level of power and privilege are still struggling to be equal.
-Nicki wants you to do you.
-Nicki wants you to own everything you are and not be afraid to show the world.
-Nicki wants you to work hard and achieve your dreams, but stay in school first!
-Nicki wants you to know that being a woman isn't about being everything its about doing you at your best.
-Nicki wants you to own what society and men try and claim as their own.
-Nicki wants you to stand up and re-claim your voice. Not just as a woman but as a human.
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Does that sound like someone who is a bad role model? Or does it sound like the woman who really deserves the credit for fighting the true feminist battle in this millennial generation?
"With a video like 'Anaconda,' I'm a grown-ass fucking woman! I stand for girls wanting to be sexy and dance, but also having a strong sense of themselves. If you got a big ol' butt? Shake it! Who cares? That doesn't mean you shouldn't be graduating from college."
-Nicki Minaj
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