Nicki Minaj: Queen of Rap

An innovator in switching from Perky Pop Princess to Gritty Gangsta Rapper with ease, Nicki Minaj has risen to stardom. In a genre where men dominate the uppermost echelons and only one woman typically thrives at a time, being at the top is lonely. Nicki Minaj has indelibly changed the landscape for artists in hip hop for the past decade, showing a complex visage: the ferocious emcee who's just as comfortable being the girl next door, glammed up Barbie doll, or rambunctious alter ego Roman Zolanski. Throughout her many incarnations, the tenacity and hunger that fuelled her ascendance to the top have not changed. Even at the top of hip hop, her passion for being the best remains the same. Her lyrical prowess and razor-sharp flow is undeniable. She vacillates seamlessly between rap and singing. With her witty and dramatic style, the verses she writes turn into verses that you play on repeat to catch the subtle double and triple entendre. Her verses are fierce, hilarious, bombastic and deadly serious, often all bundled together in one. She wanted the throne; now that she has it, she isn't giving it up easily. She is the Queen of Rap. She is Nicki Minaj.