Nicki Minaj Says 'Constantly Being Scrutinized' Causes Her Anxiety: 'It's Not Natural'

Nicki Minaj joined James Corden as his latest guest on Carpool Karaoke, and the rapper wasn't afraid to get vulnerable.

In the segment, which aired on Wednesday night, Minaj, 39, opened up about life as a mother and her experiences with anxiety (all while rapping some of her most popular songs, natch).

The musician revealed to Corden, 43, that she was "more confident" when she was younger and first entered the music industry, revealing that now she struggles with anxiety.

"I think when you are a woman and you're in the public eye all the time, if you're not careful you can become less confident because you're being constantly scrutinized," she said, during a candid moment captured during their ride. "I just don't think it's natural. It's not natural for a human being to just always feel like everyone's critiquing them."

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"When I first came into the industry, I had this amazing sense of freedom because nobody gave a s— about what I was doing," Minaj continued. "And then it goes from that to the complete, complete opposite. Where it's like, if I blink my eye wrong, they'll have a story made up about why I blinked my eye that way."

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To manage anxiety, Minaj said she checks out of social media, explaining, "Whenever I am off of social media, and I take that s— off my phone, I have this enormous sense of peace. And then you realize what really matters."

She also said motherhood has contributed to that "sense of peace." Minaj welcomed her first child, whom she nicknamed Papa Bear, with husband Kenneth Petty in September 2020.

"I don't care what could be going on... when I look at my son, I'm just magically in love," she said of her 18-month-old. "He just makes me laugh, makes me smile, makes me happy. He's just so cute and cuddly."

Minaj went on to say that she uses her musical talents with her son, telling Corden, "I rap and sing to him all the time. I just make up melodies all day."

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Before sharing her personal life with Corden, Minaj also chatted with the late-night host about one of his prior Carpool Karaoke guests, Adele. While appearing in her own segment in 2016, Adele, 33, performed her version of Minaj's "Monster" verse.

The rapper said she saw Adele's take and was impressed: "I just loved it," she said. "She made me so, so happy. She embodied Nicki Minaj."

"She just naturally has that thing … but it's different because she's singing these sad songs, so you don't expect it from her," she added.

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Minaj's Carpool Karaoke appearance comes after the popular segment took a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19. Next up, Corden will drive alongside Camila Cabello, his April 18 Carpool Karaoke guest.

The Late Late Show with James Corden airs weekdays at 12:30 a.m. ET on CBS.