Nicki Minaj Discusses ‘Pink Print,’ BET Awards Speech & More in FADER’s Fall Fashion Issue

Nicki Minaj Covers FADER August/September 2014

A fresh-faced Nicki Minaj covers FADER’s 2014 Fall Fashion Issue, where she speaks about her upcoming third studio album, The Pink Print , evolving over the years, her BET Awards speech, being a role model and more.

Take a look at a few excerpts from her interview below, along with photos from her shoot with João Canziani , and grab the magazine when it hits newsstands on August 26th.

On her upcoming album, The Pink Print :

“It’s the blueprint for female rappers to come.”

On evolving:

“I think early on in my career, I was… just a little bit crazy. I took everything personally. That’s just not good, and it’s not healthy. I think one of my best attributes now, as a businesswoman and an artist and a professional person, is being able to think before I speak. I’ve learned that everything I think doesn’t necessarily need to be stated.”

On her infamous BET Awards speech:

“My point of saying what I said was that women need to have a perspective. If we’re out here saying that we’re so confident, and we’re so this and so that, but we don’t even trust ourselves to write down our own thoughts and spit it on a beat?”

On seeing herself as a role model:

“But every time I do a business venture or something that isn’t the norm for a female rapper, I pat myself on the back. It’s important that corporate America can see a young black woman being able to sell things outside of music.”

On doing pop music and hip hop:

“I felt like my pop music made me have to retell my story. My credibility as an MC—I never thought I would have to explain that. I thought it was so evident that I belonged here [in hip-hop].”

Nicki Minaj for FADER August/September 2014 photographed by João Canziani

Nicki Minaj for FADER August/September 2014 photographed by João Canziani

Nicki Minaj for FADER August/September 2014 photographed by João Canziani

Nicki Minaj for FADER August/September 2014 photographed by João Canziani

Nicki Minaj for FADER August/September 2014 photographed by João Canziani

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