Nicki Minaj

Solo Artist · Queen of Rap

Photo: Nicole Alexander · CC BY 3.0
Active 2007-present
Origin New York City, New York
Albums 5
Tracks 89
Most frequent collaborator Łukasz Gottwald · 8 tracks
Genres Hip HopRapPop RapR&BDancehall
Complete Artist
100%
Authorship

Holds writing credit on 89 of 89 tracks

Did Nicki Minaj write her own songs?

Yes. Nicki Minaj writes her own rap verses and holds a writing credit on effectively 100% of her tracks; she has said she has written her own raps since age 11 and refused ghostwriters. That said, her pop-leaning hits are always co-written: songs like 'Starships,' 'Super Freaky Girl,' and 'Anaconda' pair her lyrics with outside producers and songwriters, so none of her tracks here are written entirely alone.

By the Numbers

5
Studio Albums
89
Tracks Credited
100%
Self-Written
100M+
Records Sold
19
Years Active
362
Collaborators

Authorship Breakdown 89 / 89 self-written

Who wrote the songs?

Across all 89 tracks: how many Nicki Minaj wrote alone, how many they co-wrote, and how many were written by others. The bracket marks every track they hold any writing credit on.

Nicki Minaj has a writing credit100%
100%
Sole author0tracks0%
Co-written89tracks100%
Outside writers0tracks0%

Role Fingerprint how they contribute

Lyricist Performer Composer Producer
Nicki Minaj's roles across the catalogue

Share of all 89 tracks where they are personally credited, by role.

Lyricist (words)100%
Composer (music)100%
Producer4%
Performer100%

Authorship Over Time writing credit per album

Nicki Minaj's writing credit per album, in release order. Hover any bar for the album.

avg 100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
2010Pink Friday
2012Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded
2014The Pinkprint
2018Queen
2023Pink Friday 2
Early · 100% written
Late · 100% written

Authorship by Decade track-weighted

100%
2010s
Pink Friday, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded +2 more
100%
2020s
Pink Friday 2

Authorship Spectrum pure performer to complete author

Where Nicki Minaj sits on the scale from a pure performer (0%, sings songs written by others) to a complete author (100%, writes everything). The bright marker is their catalogue authorship score, plotted against other artists on the site.

Nicki Minaj
Other artists on the site

Reference artists spread across the scale, closest by genre and era.

EXO8%
Salt-N-Pepa35%
Rihanna44%
TLC59%
Destiny's Child69%
Ariana Grande80%
T-Pain91%
100%Nicki Minaj
Pure Performer0%
Songwriter~50%
Complete Author100%

Who Really Wrote the Hits signature songs

Your Love
Pink Friday
Written by Onika Maraj, Andrew Wansel, David Freeman, Joseph Hughes, Warren Felder
Co-wrote
Check It Out
Pink Friday
Written by Onika Maraj, William Adams, Geoffrey Downes, Trevor Horn, Bruce Woolley, James Brown
Co-wrote
Right Thru Me
Pink Friday
Written by Onika Maraj, Andrew Thielk, Stephen Hacker, Joe Satriani
Co-wrote
Moment 4 Life
Pink Friday
Written by Onika Maraj, Aubrey Graham, Tyler Williams, Nikhil Seetharam
Co-wrote
Fly
Pink Friday
Written by Onika Maraj, Jonathan Rotem, Kevin Hissink, William Jordan, C. Rishad
Co-wrote
Starships
Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded
Written by Onika Maraj, Nadir Khayat, Carl Falk, Rami Yacoub, Wayne Hector
Co-wrote
Beez in the Trap
Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded
Written by Onika Maraj, M. Jordan, Tauheed Epps
Co-wrote
Right by My Side
Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded
Written by Onika Maraj, Warren Felder, Andrew Wansel, Ester Dean, J. Roberts, J. Thomas, Ronald Colson
Co-wrote
Anaconda
The Pinkprint
Written by Onika Maraj, Jamal Jones, Jonathan Solone-Myvett, Ernest Clark, Marcos Palacios, Anthony Ray, Ralph Thane
Co-wrote
Only
The Pinkprint
Written by Onika Maraj, Aubrey Graham, Dwayne Carter Jr., Łukasz Gottwald, Henry Walter, Jeremy Coleman, Theron Thomas, Timothy Thomas
Co-wrote
The Night Is Still Young
The Pinkprint
Written by Onika Maraj, Ester Dean, Łukasz Gottwald, Theron Thomas, Henry Walter
Co-wrote
Chun-Li
Queen
Written by Onika Maraj, Jeremy Reid
Co-wrote
Barbie Dreams
Queen
Written by Onika Maraj, Rashad Smith, Melvin Hough II, Rivelino Raoul Wouter, Christopher Wallace, James Brown, Fred Wesley
Co-wrote
Bed
Queen
Written by Onika Maraj, Benjamin Diehl, Gamal Lewis, Brett Bailey, Mescon David Asher, Dwayne Chin-Quee
Co-wrote
Good Form
Queen
Written by Onika Maraj, Michael Williams II, Asheton Hogan
Co-wrote
Super Freaky Girl
Pink Friday 2
Written by Onika Maraj, Łukasz Gottwald, Lauren Miller, Vaughn Oliver, Aaron Joseph, Gamal Lewis, James Johnson Jr., Alonzo Miller
Co-wrote

Discography 5 albums

Collaborator Network who they worked with most

Nicki Minaj89 tracks
ŁG8Łukasz Gottwald, 8 tracks 8Dr. Luke, 8 tracks 7Ester Dean, 7 tracks 7Henry Walter, 7 tracks 7Cirkut, 7 tracks KB6Kane Beatz, 6 tracks BH6Brittany Hazzard, 6 tracks JG6Joshua Goods, 6 tracks SS5Safaree Samuels, 5 tracks AW5Andrew Wansel, 5 tracks WF5Warren Felder, 5 tracks AG5Aubrey Graham, 5 tracks on Drake's page LW5Lil Wayne, 5 tracks JR5Jeremy Reid, 5 tracks D4Drake, 4 tracks NK4Nadir Khayat, 4 tracks R4RedOne, 4 tracks MS4Matthew Samuels, 4 tracks B4Boi-1da, 4 tracks JC4Jeremy Coleman, 4 tracks J4JMIKE, 4 tracks MB4Metro Boomin, 4 tracks JR4J. Reid, 4 tracks TK4Tate Kobang, 4 tracks AJ4ATL Jacob, 4 tracks AT3Andrew Thielk, 3 tracks DM3Drew Money, 3 tracks PW3Pop Wansel, 3 tracks OF3Oak Felder, 3 tracks CH3Chauncey Hollis, 3 tracks H3Hit-Boy, 3 tracks DC3Dwayne Carter Jr., 3 tracks TT3Theron Thomas, 3 tracks H3Hitmaka, 3 tracks GL3Gamal Lewis, 3 tracks MM2Marshall Mathers, 2 tracks on Eminem's page KD2Kasseem Dean, 2 tracks SB2Swizz Beatz, 2 tracks E2Eminem, 2 tracks JR2Jonathan Rotem, 2 tracks JR2J.R. Rotem, 2 tracks TW2Tyler Williams, 2 tracks NS2Nikhil Seetharam, 2 tracks T2T-Minus, 2 tracks WA2William Adams, 2 tracks on Black Eyed Peas's page JB2James Brown, 2 tracks W2will.i.am, 2 tracks on Black Eyed Peas's page P&2Pop & Oak, 2 tracks CB2Chris Brown, 2 tracks CF2Carl Falk, 2 tracks RY2Rami Yacoub, 2 tracks WH2Wayne Hector, 2 tracks R2Rami, 2 tracks F2Falk, 2 tracks BH2Bilal Hajji, 2 tracks AG2Alexander Grant, 2 tracks AD2Alex da Kid, 2 tracks MD2Moses Davis, 2 tracks MW2Michael Williams II, 2 tracks MW2Mike Will Made It, 2 tracks JK2Jacob Kasher Hindlin, 2 tracks AG2Ariana Grande, 2 tracks JF2Jeremih Felton, 2 tracks Z2Zaytoven, 2 tracks J2Jeremih, 2 tracks RW2Robert Williams, 2 tracks T2T.O.D.A.Y., 2 tracks CW2Christopher Wallace, 2 tracks on The Notorious B.I.G.'s page DC2Dwayne Carter, 2 tracks on Lil Wayne's page RD2Rasool Diaz, 2 tracks F2Future, 2 tracks MB2Murda Beatz, 2 tracks JA2Joshua Adams, 2 tracks AB2Ashley Bannister, 2 tracks DH2Dillon Hart Francis, 2 tracks SM2Sonny Moore, 2 tracks on Skrillex's page JB2J Beatzz, 2 tracks B2Blank, 2 tracks KT2Kendall Taylor, 2 tracks YB2YG! Beats, 2 tracks HS2Hendrix Smoke, 2 tracks AC2Alyssa Cantu, 2 tracks RO2Ryan Ogren, 2 tracks AM2Alonzo Miller, 2 tracks B1Bangladesh, 1 track JE1J. Ellington, 1 track SH1Stephen Hacker, 1 track JS1Joe Satriani, 1 track KH1Kevin Hissink, 1 track WJ1William Jordan, 1 track CR1C. Rishad, 1 track R1Rihanna, 1 track GD1Geoffrey Downes, 1 track TH1Trevor Horn, 1 track BW1Bruce Woolley, 1 track KW1Kanye West, 1 track B1Brown, 1 track KF1Keith Forsey, 1 track SS1Steve Schiff, 1 track JW1J. Williams, 1 track RB1Robbie Bronnimann, 1 track JB1John B, 1 track DF1David Freeman, 1 track JH1Joseph Hughes, 1 track NB1Natasha Bedingfield, 1 track WT1Winston Thomas, 1 track LN1L. Nacht, 1 track BM1Blackout Movement, 1 track WR1William Roberts, 1 track CG1Cameron Giles, 1 track C1Cam'ron, 1 track RR1Rick Ross, 1 track MJ1M. Jordan, 1 track 2C12 Chainz, 1 track K1Kenoe, 1 track RM1Ryan Marrone, 1 track R&1Ryan & Smitty, 1 track RL1Ricardo LaMarre, 1 track RB1Rico Beats, 1 track JJ1Jay Jenkins, 1 track NJ1Nasir Jones, 1 track N1Nas, 1 track YJ1Young Jeezy, 1 track JR1J. Roberts, 1 track JT1J. Thomas, 1 track RC1Ronald Colson, 1 track EW1Ernest Wilson, 1 track MH1Matthew Hall, 1 track BW1Bobby Wilson, 1 track MP1M.E. Productions, 1 track BV1Bobby V, 1 track AJ1Achraf Jannusi, 1 track AP1Alex Papaconstantinou, 1 track BD1Björn Djupström, 1 track AP1Alex P, 1 track JT1Jimmy Thornfeldt, 1 track GS1Geraldo Sandell, 1 track JJ1Jimmy Joker, 1 track DJ1Daniel James, 1 track LH1Leah Haywood, 1 track RG1Ross Golan, 1 track D1Dreamlab, 1 track KS1Kelly Sheehan, 1 track CG1C. Grossett, 1 track BM1Beenie Man, 1 track TD1Tina Dunham, 1 track DD1DJ Diamond Kuts, 1 track AH1Anderson Hernandez, 1 track AR1Allen Ritter, 1 track V1Vinylz, 1 track

Bubble size = tracks worked on together. Showing the 150 most frequent of 349. ŁG Łukasz Gottwald · KB Kane Beatz

Photo credits

Portraits in the web and the rail come from Wikimedia Commons. The artist's own photo carries its credit under the picture.

The Authorship Story

Data Insight

Nicki Minaj writes all of her own rap verses, consistent with standard hip-hop authorship practice, placing her lyricist score near 100% across her catalog. Production on her albums is handled almost entirely by outside producers, so her composer score is lower, reflecting a classic rapper-as-lyricist, producer-as-composer split similar to Drake or Eminem.

Quick Facts

  • Best-sellerThe best-selling female rapper of all time, with over 100 million records
  • Chart recordFirst female artist to reach 100 entries on the Billboard Hot 100
  • Super BassCertified 12x platinum, the highest-certified song by a female rapper in RIAA history
  • Writes her ownHas written her own rap verses since age 11 and refused to use ghostwriters
  • Number ones'Super Freaky Girl' (2022) was her first solo US number-one single

Creative Fingerprint

A rapper who writes her own bars: Nicki Minaj holds a writing credit on effectively every track, penning her verses herself, but her pop-built hits always carry co-writers and producers alongside her, so nothing here is solo-written.

The Story

Nicki Minaj (born Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty) is a Trinidad-born, Queens-raised rapper and singer who became one of the best-selling female rap artists of all time after breaking out with a string of acclaimed mixtapes and her 2010 debut album Pink Friday. Known for her rapid-fire delivery, alter-ego personas, and technical lyricism, she has consistently dominated charts across rap, pop, and R&B for over a decade. She is widely credited with opening the door for a new generation of female rappers in mainstream hip-hop.

Awards & Recognition

The best-selling female rapper of all time, with over 100 million records sold worldwide
First female artist to reach 100 entries on the Billboard Hot 100 (2018)
'Super Bass' is certified 12x platinum, the highest-certified song by a female rapper in RIAA history
First female solo artist to have seven singles charting simultaneously on the Hot 100
Widely dubbed the 'Queen of Rap' and cited as one of the most influential rappers of all time

Frequently Asked Questions Nicki Minaj

Did Nicki Minaj write her own songs?
Yes. Nicki Minaj writes her own rap verses and holds a writing credit on effectively 100% of her tracks; she has said she has written her own raps since age 11 and refused ghostwriters. That said, her pop-leaning hits are always co-written: songs like 'Starships,' 'Super Freaky Girl,' and 'Anaconda' pair her lyrics with outside producers and songwriters, so none of her tracks here are written entirely alone.
Who wrote 'Super Freaky Girl'?
'Super Freaky Girl' (2022) was co-written by Nicki Minaj with Dr. Luke and others, and it interpolates Rick James's 'Super Freak.' It became her first solo US number-one single.
Who wrote 'Anaconda'?
'Anaconda' (2014) was co-written by Nicki Minaj with a production team, and it is built around a sample of Sir Mix-a-Lot's 'Baby Got Back,' which is why more names appear in the credits. Minaj wrote the rap verses herself.
Is Nicki Minaj the Queen of Rap?
She is widely called the 'Queen of Rap.' She is the best-selling female rapper of all time and one of the most influential rappers in the genre, and she titled her 2018 album Queen.
Who wrote 'Roman's Revenge'?
'Roman's Revenge' (2010) was a collaboration between Nicki Minaj and Eminem, so both wrote their own verses, along with producer Swizz Beatz. It appears on her debut Pink Friday.
How many albums has Nicki Minaj released?
This catalogue covers her 5 studio albums: Pink Friday (2010), Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded (2012), The Pinkprint (2014), Queen (2018), and Pink Friday 2 (2023).
How many records has Nicki Minaj sold?
Over 100 million worldwide, making her the best-selling female rapper of all time.
What is Nicki Minaj's biggest chart record?
In 2018 she became the first female artist to reach 100 entries on the Billboard Hot 100, a milestone that reflects her huge number of features and singles.
Who has Nicki Minaj collaborated with?
A long list, including Drake and Lil Wayne, her Young Money labelmates, Eminem on 'Roman's Revenge,' and Beyoncé on 'Feeling Myself.' Guest verses have been a major part of her career.
Did Nicki Minaj write 'Super Bass'?
Yes, as a co-writer. 'Super Bass' (2011) was written by Nicki Minaj with a team of producers and songwriters. It became one of her signature songs and is certified 12 times platinum, the highest-certified track by a female rapper.

Sources

Wikipedia: Nicki Minaj