Nicki Minaj's relationship history: her ex-boyfriends and husband Kenneth Petty
Nicki Minaj's relationships have included hip-hop heavyweights Meek Mill and Nas and a long-term relationship with Safaree Samuels, but none of them gave her stability. When it came to marrying her current husband, Kenneth Petty, the certified Queen of rap told Vogue in 2023,
Because I've known my husband for so long, there's an ease we have with each other. We make each other laugh—If it was a guy that I met as Nicki Minaj, I think I'd feel like they liked me because I'm Nicki Minaj, and what if I don't look like Nicki Minaj every day?
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- The Super Bass hitmaker married her childhood sweetheart, Kenneth Petty, and has defended him from critics who have scrutinized the union because of his criminal record.
- Nicki Minaj did not have amicable breakups with her ex-boyfriends, Meek Mill and Safaree Samuels.
- The rapper is a proud and hands-on mother to her son, Papa Bear, who she welcomed in September 2020.
Nicki Minaj's relationship history
Nicki, known for her bold persona, often advocates for independent women who know their worth and would only be with someone who loves them unconditionally. In a 2018 X (Twitter) post, the Moment 4 Life hitmaker wrote:
You were a Queen before him. You'll be a Queen after him. He can't make or break you. Being equally yoked is what you should strive for. Spirituality is key. Once your spirit can soar on its own, then you are ready to "allow" him the privilege of ur time.
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The rapper's love life has been anything but ordinary. From her tumultuous decade-long relationship with Safaree Samuels to her high-profile romance with Meek Mill and the Eminem romance that her fans wished was real, here is a detailed look at Nicki Minaj's dating history:
Kenneth 'Zoo' Petty (2018 to date)
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The Anaconda rapper and Kenneth Petty met as teenagers in Queens, New York, and briefly dated while attending LaGuardia High School. They reconnected in December 2018, and the rapper made their relationship Instagram official during her 36th birthday celebrations.
Nicki Minaj married Petty in a private ceremony in October 2019. The couple's son, Papa Bear, was born in September 2020. Their marriage has faced scrutiny due to Kenneth's chequered past.
Petty was convicted of attempted assault of a girl in New York in 1995. The Super Bass hitmaker has defended him multiple times, including in December 2018 when she agreed with her fan's Instagram comment, writing:
He was 15, she was 16, in a relationship—Y'all can't run my life.
Lewis Hamilton (2018)
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Nicki Minaj and Lewis Hamilton were rumoured to be a couple in September 2018 after attending a New York Fashion Week event. They also vacationed in Dubai, where they were seen riding an ATV bike. The rapper shared a photo of the vacation with the caption,
Caribbean tingz what I on. Me & Lewis gettin paper like what ink dry on.
The pair's public outings died down soon after. Neither the Nicki nor the Formula 1 racer talked about the relationship.
Eminem (2018)
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Nicki Minaj was speculated to be Eminem's girlfriend in 2018 following the release of YG's song, Big Bank, featuring Minaj. She raps,
Told them I met Slim Shady, bag the Em—Once he go black, he'll be back again.
The Eminem and Nicki Minaj dating rumour seemed to excite the hip-hop stars, who playfully went along with it. During his concert in Boston, the No Love rapper asked the audience,
I wanna take this time out right now to give a shoutout to my babe Nicki Minaj—How many of you want me to date Nicki Minaj?
Nicki did not hold back her response. She went on X (Twitter) to write:
The fact that he's silly and a goof, just like me. Love him so much. Em we need you on the Queen album. That's where our 1st date will be, at the studio.
Nas (2017)
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Nas and Nicki Minaj had a brief relationship in 2017. The rappers' first collaboration was in 2012 when Nas featured on Nicki's song Champion from her second album, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded.
The rappers had undeniable chemistry when Nas appeared in Nicki's music video for 'Right by My Side' (2012) as her love interest. They fuelled dating rumours in May 2017 when Minaj posted a cosy photo of them at NYC's Sweet Chick restaurant with the caption, 'Only Kings recognize Queens.'
They ended their romance in late December 2017 after Nas called Minaj 'The Queen of Hip-Hop' on her birthday. It was reportedly hard to maintain the relationship because they were never in the same place; Nas was staying in Los Angeles, and Nicki was in Miami. Their breakup was amicable.
Future (2017)
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Nicki Minaj and Future's dating rumours started after they collaborated on Future's 2017 song You Da Baddest. The rappers were spotted together several times and later co-headlined the 2018 tour NickiHndrxx. Neither of the artists confirmed the alleged romance.
Meek Mill (2015-2016)
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Meek Mill started showing interest in Nicki Minaj in 2010 with social media posts. They later worked together on several projects but shut down romance rumours, saying they were friends.
In early 2015, the rappers started showing PDAs and posting each other on social media. Their relationship began to fall apart towards the end of 2016 when Meek Mill started posting cryptic posts.
Minaj confirmed the breakup in a January 2017 post on X (Twitter). The rappers continued to beef afterwards on social media and released diss tracks aimed at each other. In a January 2020 video obtained by TMZ, the rappers were seen having an altercation that involved Nicki Minaj's husband, Kenneth Petty, at a West Hollywood retail store.
Safaree Samuels (2004-2014)
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Nicki Minaj and Safaree Samuels met in the early 2000s as part of the New York rap group Hood$tars. They kept their relationship low-key, which Nicki told GQ in 2015 was a business decision.
The pair celebrated their 10th dating anniversary in March 2014 before reports of their breakup emerged months later in October 2014. Nicki's track Bed of Lies was speculated to be about the pair's split.
The ex-couple had a few public feuds. Safaree sued Nicki in 2015, claiming co-writing credit for some of her songs, but later backtracked. Their beef extended to 2018 when they had a heated exchange on X (Twitter).
Drake (Rumoured)
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Drake and Nicki Minaj have never officially dated despite their close and flirtatious relationship over the years. They first met in 2009 when they were both signed to Lil Wayne's label, Young Money.
The Canadian rapper fuelled dating rumours when he revealed his crush on Nicki in his 2010 mixtape, Thank Me Later. Drake later called Minaj the ideal woman during his 2011 interview with the Daily Beast.
The rappers briefly broke contact in 2015 when Drake started feuding with Nicki's then-boyfriend, Meek Mill, before reconnecting in 2017. The Hotline Bling rapper later featured on Minaj's 2023 track, Needle.
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Nicki Minaj's relationships have never affected her career and enduring legacy in hip-hop. Now a mother, the rapper's union with Kenneth Petty has brought her a sense of stability.
READ ALSO: Who is Megan Thee Stallion dating now? Her love life and relationship history
Briefly.co.za published details about Megan Thee Stallion's love life. The Texas-born rapper dated Pardison Fontaine for about three years and has been linked to famous faces like Romelu Lukaku, G-Eazy, Trey Songz, and Moneybagg Yo.
Megan was also linked to Tory Lanez in 2020. Their relationship turned sour after a shooting incident led to a court battle and Tory's incarceration.
Source: Briefly News
