Nicki Minaj dated several top figures in Hollywood before reuniting with her high school sweetheart Kenneth Petty. While they lasted, her high-profile romance made for entertaining topics.
Singer Nicki Minaj has come a long way since her first venture into the spotlights in 2004. Aside from rising in the ranks in the music industry, the star has kept her personal life afloat.
She has sustained relationships with several high-profile figures and given the world subtle teasers about supposed flings without directly confirming them. Sadly, she has also been involved in some messy breakups, heated scandals, and celebrity beef.
Notwithstanding, she managed to scale through the ups and downs. Today, Nicki Minaj is happily married with a son and has an impressive relationship history comprising some of the most eligible figures in the game.
1. Safaree Samuels
Nicki Minaj dated rapper and businessman Safaree Samuels for over a decade. She began dating the Jamaican-American at the onset of her music career but managed to keep their romance private for well over a decade.
Their relationship ended in a messy breakup in 2011, followed by an entertaining drama as the duo battled it out on Twitter. It began after the “Anaconda” crooner accused Samuels of using her for fame. She also claimed the rapper kept blackmailing her following their breakup.
In response, Samuels fired back at the songstress, calling her out for airing their private issues on social media. Amid their messy back and forth drama, Minaj’s ex dropped the bombshell that he was in fact the brain behind the rap queen’s raps.
He followed up the allegation with two diss tracks attacking the songstress in 2015. Nicki Minaj took to Twitter later that year to call him out for trying to sue her and consistently hitting on her since their relationship ended.
2. Drake
Minaj And Drake have sustained a beautiful friendship for most of her career, so much that fans have been rooting for them for years to become a couple.
On his part, Drake has been open about his crush on Minaj and how much he wanted them to be more than friends. His admissions birthed speculations that he and the songstress were an item for years.
Featuring in her hit song, “Anaconda” in 2014 fueled those speculations, especially after she gave him a lap dance in the video. However, the duo has denied ever becoming romantically entangled despite the prevailing rumors.
3. Meek Mill
Nicki ushered in 2015 with another high-profile romance, letting the world know she was dating Meek Mill. Their relationship played out in public eyes as they spent months hitting the red carpets, enjoying date nights, and giving the paparazzi enough moments to feed on.
The two even sparked engagement rumors when Minaj shared a picture of herself wearing a massive heart-shaped diamond band. However, the duo never made it to the altar.
Their relationship ended in January 2017, with Nicki Minaj confirming their breakup on social media.
4. Nas
Months after her split from Mill, reports of Nicki Minaj’s relationship with rapper, Nas, flooded the media. After failing to address those speculations for months, the rap Queen finally gave fans a subtle teaser in May 2017, sharing an Instagram photo of them cuddling on a date night.
In a later interview with Ellen DeGeneres, Nicki Minaj released more details about their relationship. She admitted to the show host that she usually had sleepovers at Nas’ place.
After months of partying together, attending award shows as a couple, and making headlines as potential relationship goals, news of their break up surfaced. Sources revealed long-distance contributed to their 2018 split.
5. Eminem
Following the end of her romance with Nas, Nicki Minaj became linked with “I Need A Doctor” rapper Eminem. Their episode began in May 2018 after the Trinidad-born singer rapped about Eminem in a song. She later told a fan on Instagram they were an item.
However, the shallow admission was dismissed as mere trolling. Weeks later, Eminem gave Minaj a shout-out on stage during a concert, admitting he wanted to date Nicki. He also pleaded with the songstress to text him later so they could discuss it.
He made another public proposal to the “Barber Shop: The Next Cut” star a month later, reassuring her they were a good match. In response, Minaj took to social media to agree with his assertion, saying they “go together” if he thought so.
To the public’s disappointment though, their back and forth was just another of Minaj’s playful teasers. They never took the romantic path.
6. Kenneth “Zoo” Petty
In November 2018, Nicki Minaj returned to her home base in New York for Thanksgiving. There she reconnected with her old flame Kenneth Petty. The duo reportedly dated in high school but broke up long before the rapper attained stardom.
In fact, they took separate paths afterward. While Nicki pursued her music career and became successful, Petty spent his life in and out of prison. His criminal history includes attempted rape and a case of manslaughter.
His questionable past left fans concerned about whether or not he was good enough for the rap Queen. But she seemed to think so, even tying the knot with him in October 2019. The duo welcomed a son in July 2020.
Over the years, Minaj has firmly defended her husband in the face of public backlash. Notably, the star has even become entangled in some of his legal feuds. Yet, she remains unflinching.
Nicki Minaj’s devotion to her husband of two years and father of her only child proves that this time, it’s for real. Looks like the Queen finally found her true King after an adventurous romantic sojourn.