Nicki Minaj and Kenneth Petty’s love which began decades ago have proven to be timeless. Despite the numerous obstacle the world has thrown at them over the years, the pair are more determined than ever to fight for their relationship.
One breakup, two arrests, a complete body transformation, a career turnaround, and over two decades later, Nicki Minaj and Kenneth Petty eventually found their way back to each other.
The rapper shocked the world in 2018 with the announcement of her relationship with Petty, a registered sex offender.
Despite fans’ subtle protest across various platforms, the star went on to legalize her union with her old flame, marking the onset of their lives together. Before long, they became parents to an amazing son, completing their perfect family of three.
But it’s not always been perfect for the lovebirds, whose love story has defied all expectations. Notably, since their union, the pair have braved fans’ disapproval, a tangle with the law, and a heated legal feud. Yet, they are still holding strong, proving their love story a sustainable one.
Minaj And Petty’s Relationship Dates Back To Their Teens
Nicki Minaj and her husband became acquainted right from their teens while growing up in Queens, New York. In her 2019 song, “Zanies And Fools,” the rapper revealed she met her husband when she was seventeen.
During an episode of her talk show “Queen Radio,” the Queen of rap revealed her husband has known her since she was fourteen. However, they officially met during her last year in high school when they ran into each other at a bus stop, as she revealed in another episode of her show.
That meeting geared off their relationship. Thereafter, their lives took different turns. Nicki Minaj went on to attain superstardom while Petty did time in jail for manslaughter. But there was no denying the otherworldly level of passion between them.
Rekindling Old Flames
After decades apart and several failed relationships, Nicki Minaj and Kenneth Petty ran into each other again in November 2018. Their meeting happened after the singer returned to her hometown in Queens to distribute turkey for Thanksgiving.
Sparks flew immediately, and thereafter, the duo decided to give love another chance. The icon went public with the relationship in December that year, sharing two photos of them together during a trip to Turks and Caicos for her 36th birthday.
She accompanied the pics with a comment implying she and her beau were running out of time. Minaj also added a subtle jab at the media and opinionated netizens, saying “let’s give them something to talk about.”
Sure enough, the world took the bait, utilizing various platforms to criticize her newly-rekindled romance, especially after discovering Petty was a registered sex offender with a prison record.
But Minaj was quick to defend her beau, saying he was a fifteen-year-old dating the alleged rape victim who was sixteen at the time. She also clarified he already served jail time for his crimes.
Snagging Their Marriage License
Despite what the world had to say about Nicki Minaj and Kenneth Petty’s Romance, the duo took their relationship to new levels. In June 2019, the rap queen picked up a marriage license.
However, due to her busy schedule and traveling arrangement, they never made it down the aisle before the license expired. In August that same year, they renewed the license, making a point of marrying before the three-month grace period elapsed again.
They tied the knot eventually, in a secret ceremony, with the “Barber Shop: The Last Cut” actress going public with their marriage in October 2019. Around that time, Minaj announced her retirement from music to start a family.
Nicki Minaj Welcomed Her First Child With Petty
Nicki Minaj has made no secret of her desire to become a mother someday and have her own family. She first opened up about this dream of hers in 2014, during an interview with Complex. She shared:
“If I’m done with my fifth album and I don’t have a child by then, no matter how much money I have, I would be disappointed, as a woman. Because I feel like I was put here to be a mother.”
However, the star clarified she had no intention of becoming a mother before “the wife thing,” as it was against her upbringing. In the same interview, the icon gave herself a target, saying she hoped to walk down the aisle, have at least one baby, and have a $500 million net worth before debuting her fifth album. So far, she’s been right on track.
The star, who has a net worth of $80 million as of January 2021 went public with her pregnancy in July 2020, sharing a photo of her baby bump on Instagram. On September 30, 2020, the couple welcomed their first son. While they were yet to reveal his real name as of February 2022, the young lad famously goes by the nickname, Papa Bear.
Petty is Deep In Legal Feud
On March 4, 2020, Petty was arrested for failing to register as a level two sex offender following his move to California in July 2019. Before that, he was arrested and released following a traffic stop in November 2019, but the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office leveled charges against him.
Minaj’s husband pleaded not guilty to the charges. After failing to register as a sex offender for months, federal prosecutors indicted him on February 25, 2020.
In September 2021, he pleaded guilty to failing to register as a sex offender during a Zoom hearing with the Los Angeles Federal Court. The charges stemmed from his previous conviction for attempted rape in 1995 for which he served four and half years in prison.
For failing to register in California after moving per his conviction clause, the 43-year-old could face up to 10 years imprisonment or a lifetime of supervised release with a $250,000 fine.
More legal issues befell the couple when Petty’s alleged victim Jennifer Hough filed a lawsuit against them. The suit, filed in August 2021 accused the pair of witness intimidation, harassment, and emotional distress. Hough also claimed Nicki Minaj and her team offered her $500,000 to change her story.
Despite being dragged into her husband’s legal issues, the mother of one remains determined to stand by Petty and fight for their unwavering love.