Happy Birthday, Nicki Minaj! Check Out 20 of Her Most Talked About Looks

There are few female rappers who can take responsibility for changing the face of hip hop for women. Nicki Minaj is one of them. The Queens-native graced us with chart topping music since 1999 and she hasn’t looked back since.  Nicki has used her career as a vehicle of self expression. Through her lyrics, social media accounts, and choices in fashion, we were always able to tell exactly what was on Nicki’s mind.  When she first hopped on the scene, Nicki’s style was more gimmicky than fashionable. She went for the shock factor and wore things that was considered over the top. As her career progressed and she started to dabble in movie roles and create fashion collections, she decided to tone down her wardrobe so that she could be taken seriously. 

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Now, at the age of 39, Nicki has achieved so much. She has 8 American Music Awards, 12 BET Awards, 5 MTV Video Music Awards, 4 Billboard Music Awards, and many more. She has sold 100 million records worldwide and she’s easily known as one of the world’s best-selling music artists. Not only is her career thriving, she tied the knot with her childhood friend Kenneth Petty in 2019 and they welcomed their first child together not long after. We’re getting a whole new Nicki Minaj now. She’s married, a mother, she’s accomplished, and she’s evolved in more ways than one. Today, for her 39th birthday, we’re taking a look at 21 of Nicki Minaj’s most talked about, provocative looks. 

1. NICKI MINAJ PERFORMING ON SNL, 2011

Nicki Minaj hit the stage for a Saturday Night Live performance with a Bride of Frankenstein-inspired wig, and an over-sized tulle skirt.

2. NICKI MINAJ AT THE AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS, 2010

Nicki Minaj wore a very questionable, embellished dress to the American Music Awards in 2010.

3. NICKI MINAJ AT THE MTV VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS, 2011

Nicki Minaj arrived to the MTV Video Music Awards clad in a strange, irridescent ensemble with socks, on her feet and teddy bears as her accessories.

4. NICKI MINAJ AT THE 53RD ANNUAL GRAMMY AWARDS, 2011

Nicki Minaj attended the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards in a full-on animal print outfit.

5. NICKI MINAJ AT THE CAROLINA HERRERA FASHION SHOW, 2011

Nicki Minaj went to the Carolina Herrera Spring 2012 fashion show in bright, neon gum ball top and a pleated skirt.

6. NICKI MINAJ AT THE 54TH ANNUAL GRAMMY AWARDS, 2012

Nicki Minaj arrived to the 54th Annual GRAMMY Awards in a hyper-religious, red Versace gown.

7. NICKI MINAJ AT THE MET GALA, 2013

2013 was a fashionably pivotable moment for Nicki Minaj. She slowly transitioned from gimmick to stylish. Here she is at the MET gala clad in a blue Tommy Hilfiger gown.

8. NICKI MINAJ AT THE BILLBOARD MUSIC AWARDS, 2013

Nicki Minaj looked stunning at the 2013 Billboard Music Awards in a red, flowy Roberto Cavalli dress.

9. NICKI MINAJ AT THE BILLBOARD MUSIC AWARDS, 2014

Give them looks, Nicki! At the 2014 Billboard Music Awards the Head Barb in Charge wore an Alexander McQueen cut-out dress.

10. NICKI MINAJ AT THE MTV VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS, 2014

Nicki Minaj really transformed her red carpet style. At the 31st MTV Video Music Awards she wore an ultra-chic animal print mini dress.

11. NICKI MINAJ AT THE AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS, 2015

Nicki Minaj looked flawless onstage during the 2015 American Music Awards in a Michael Costello dress.

12. NICKI MINAJ AT THE MTV VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS, 2015

Nicki Minaj looked like a golden goddess at the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards. She wore a sheer, gold Versace gown.

13. NICKI MINAJ AT THE 57TH ANNUAL GRAMMY AWARDS, 2015

Nicki Minaj attended The 57th Annual GRAMMY Awards in a gorgeous, sequins Tom Ford gown.

14. NICKI MINAJ AT THE MTV VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS, 2016

Nicki Minaj was the talk the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards when she showed up in this blue, sheer, cut-out gown.

15. NICKI MINAJ AT THE MET GALA, 2017

Nicki Minaj made an appearance at the “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garcons: Art Of The In-Between” MET Gala in a custom H&M gown.

16. NICKI MINAJ AT THE AMFAR GALA, 2017

Nicki Minaj attended the amfAR Gala Cannes 2017 clad in a black, lace, high-low gown.

17. NICKI MINAJ AT THE HARPER'S BAZAAR ICONS BY CARINE ROITFELD EVENT, 2017

Nicki Minaj shut it down at the Harper’s BAZAAR Celebration of ‘ICONS By Carine Roitfeld’ event in a floral Oscar De La Renta gown.

18. NICKI MINAJ AT THE MET GALA, 2018

Again in Oscar De La Renta, Nicki Minaj posed on the carpet of the Heavenly Bodies: Fashion & The Catholic Imagination Costume Institute Gala at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

19. NICKI MINAJ AT THE HARPER'S BAZAAR ICONS EVENT, 2018

Nicki Minaj stunned in an animal print Alexandre Vauthier gown at the Harper’s BAZAAR ICONS in 2018.

20. NICKI MINAJ AT THE MET GALA, 2019

Nicki Minaj kept it pretty in pink at the 2019 Met Gala clad in a Prabal Gurung dress.

21. NICKI MINAJ AND HER HUSBAND AT THE MARC JACOBS SHOW, 2020

Nicki Minaj and husband Kenneth Petty posed outside of the Marc Jacobs show in Manhattan on February 12, 2020 in New York City.