Flash Entertainment

"The last job I had was as an office manager in a little, tiny room where I literally wanted to strangle this guy because he was so loud and obnoxious," Minaj recalls. "I would go home with stress pains in my neck and my back. That's when I went to my mother and said, 'Look, I'm not going back to work.' I'd been fired like 15 times because I had a horrible attitude. I worked at Red Lobster before that and I chased a customer out of the restaurant once so I could stick my middle finger up at her and demand that she give me my pen back. I swear to God I was bad." (Billboard)

The battle among labels to sign Minaj heightened this summer and finalized with Minaj signing an exceptional and very unique deal with Young Money/Universal, where she retains and owns all of her 360 rights, including merchandising, sponsorships, endorsements, touring and publishing. Lil Wayne asserts, 'I am honored to have Nicki Minaj as Young Money's First Lady. She is a star.' Minaj's debut album is anticipated to be released in early 2010 and will be distributed through Universal Motown. (Press Release)

"There's so many people that kind of shut you down as a female before you even get your foot in the door," Nicki said in an interview. "So when you get moments like this it's like 'yes, finally'...A lot of things that could've been on Beam Me Up Scotty weren't because they were quote-unquote too good to put on a mixtape...So I have an arsenal and very soon we'll start releasing stuff." (XXL Mag)

"I heard the majority of the album. Nicki's talented so I made sure she still put something on there for the urban audience, so it's not all pop," added Maine. "Nicki can sing, rap, she just giving you what she feel like giving you. It's diverse, she's versatile--she's been there. Everyone's loving the 'Right Through Me' record...There's no reason to be nervous. Basically, right now, there's no competition. I think confidence kills nervousness. She is the one. All eyes [are] on Nicki so all she really has to do is do her. It's not an act. When you doing you, it's nothing you can mess up at because you're being yourself. She's found herself, she's found her lane, so there's not really too much to be nervous about." (VIBE)