Nicki Minaj Announces Record Label With Roster Of New Artists

Nicki Minaj announced on the latest episode of Queen Radio that she is launching her own record label.

On Friday (March 3), Minaj, 40, revealed that while the name of her label would be unveiled later, her artists are in good hands. The Queens rapper disclosed that her current roster includes Nana Fofie, Tate Kobang, Rico Danna, and London Hill.

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“I have a record label now,” Minaj said, omitting her new business’ name. “When I get behind an artist, y’all know how I do sh*t for people that’s not even signed to me. Imagine what I’m a do for the ones that’s signed.”

As Nicki continued, she revealed that longtime affiliate Patty Lauren, also known as Patty Duke, will be her label’s A&R. The emcee also noted that she was communicating with Republic Records co-president Wendy Goldstein, who was instrumental in getting Nicki to make her announcement live on air.

“I said, ‘Wendy, we got to do this big. I’m a female; you a female, mamma. You got to do this right. We gotta do it right. I don’t want no little itty-bitty ting. I want to do it right,'” she recalled. “Don’t think my label is just rap, or Black, or anything,” she said. “We got some other genres of music.”

The Chun-Li rapper concluded her announcement with an ode to Lil Wayne, who signed her to his Young Money label and gave her her first real shot.

“When I came in this game I didn’t have no paperwork with Lil Wayne. But he had us on tour, he had us in a studio, he was getting on my mixtapes. So I understand the importance of having somebody else doing the heavy lifting for you. I understand why people are coming out and they’re so, you know, microwaveable, and they’re here today and gone tomorrow, because there’s no structure,” the businesswoman articulated.

“There’s no real person that believes in them. That’s like, ‘Nah, I’m gonna make it my business to see you shine.’ That’s why I never wanted to do a label before because I said to myself, unless I’m ready to really put these artists on, I’m not gonna ruin anyone’s life.”

Minaj’s announcement arrives on the heels of her brand new single, “Red Ruby Da Sleeze,” which she dropped on Friday (March 3). She teased the track on her Instagram ahead of the cut’s release and disclosed that Kobang helped write the chorus for her new single.

“Tate is one of the very best hook writers of the new generation,” she said of Kobang. “I almost didn’t want to tell people that, you know, I was affiliated with him because I don’t want that to affect his business. But he’s an artist, and that’s him on that hook. He wrote that hook.”

Listen to the latest episode of Queen Radio here.

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