Queens native and rapper, singer, songwriter, designer and actress Nicki Minaj has added another descriptive to her name; she is now officially a model, having inked a deal with Wilhelmina under its celebrity division.
Minaj’s love of fashion is well known and she’s appeared on the cover of multiple fashion magazines and has been lensed by some of the best in the business, including Inez Van Lamsweerde, Mario Testino and Vindooh Matadin. Last month during Paris Fashion Week, she hit multiple shows with her new stylist, Maher Jridi, who said Minaj’s goal was to create a more elevated look.
We wrote last month about the disparity between fashion campaigns featuring male versus female rappers, and noted that Minaj list of campaigns in particular was sparse given her massive social media following as well as music-related accolades and awards.
Perhaps after her dust up with Giusseppe Zanotti who refused to compensate her for a line of sneakers he named after her, Minaj concluded enough was enough and decided to take the bulls by the horns. Whatever her reason, it’s awesome to see a black woman and a rapper recognized for her beauty and value.
