When did Nicki Minaj debut? Career timeline explored as Cardi B slams rapper for comparison with her and not peers like, Taylor Swift, and Drake

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Cardi B slams Nicki Minaj for comparing music careers (image via Getty)

Nicki Minaj debuted in 2007 with her first mixtape, titled Playtime is Over. Minaj released her debut studio album, Pink Friday, in 2010.

Cardi B recently launched a series of scathing tweets at Nicki Minaj after the latter mocked Cardi B's Am I the Drama album sales, following the album's No. 1 position on the Billboard 200, as well as a Double Platinum Certification, 10 days post-release.

In the now viral post on X (formerly Twitter), Cardi slammed Minaj for comparing her music and career and alleged that Minaj should be comparing herself with peers like Taylor Swift and Drake.

The tweet reads:

"Why you keep bringing up my album?? It's not the gag that you think it is...You been in the game like 16 years...you need to compare yourself to YOUR peers that started around YOUR time. Rihanna, Taylor Swift, Drake...those are the numbers you need to be competing wit and you can't cuz you doing lower than all of them."

She also added,

"I was in high school when you came out wtf is you comparing yourself to me for."

Nicki Minaj's career timeline explored

Born in the Saint James district of Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, Nicki Minaj began her music career in 2004, after signing with a Brooklyn hip-hop producer group called Full Force for their new subgroup called Hoodstars. Minaj served as a vocalist for the subgroup. Minaj left Hoodstars shortly after to pursue a solo career and uploaded some of her songs onto Myspace, while also sending them to different record labels.

In 2006, she signed with Dirty Money Entertainment under a 180-day contract, which was later extended after the release of her first mixtape. In July 2007, Minaj released her first mixtape titled Play Time is Over.

Her second mixtape, titled Sucka Free, came out in April 2008, and her third mixtape, Beam Me Up Scotty, in April 2009.

After her third mixtape, Minaj signed with Young Money Entertainment and released her debut studio album Pink Friday in 2010.

Minaj went on her first headlining tour from May to August 2012, performing 44 shows across multiple continents, subsequently followed by the Pink Friday Reloaded Tour from October to December 2012.

Minaj joined the cast of judges for the 12th Season of American Idol in September 2012. In 2014, Minaj released her third album, The Pinkprint, with hits like Anaconda and Only.

Between 2015-2017, Minaj made appearances in films like The Other Woman, Barbershop: The Next Cut, and also collaborated with Ariana Grande, Jason Derulo, and more.

In 2018, Minaj dropped her fourth studio album Queen. Minaj released her fifth album, Pink Friday 2, in December 2023 and is set to release her sixth album, which is a follow-up to Pink Friday 2, on March 27, 2026.

Edited by IRMA