A look at Nicki Minaj's ex-boyfriends before she got married
Now married to Kenneth Petty, Nicki Minaj's ex-boyfriends included high-profile names like Safaree Samuels, Meek Mill, and Nas. Her relationships often made headlines, especially her long-term romance with Safaree. While some of the relationships were confirmed, others remained rumours.
Source: Getty Images
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Some of the most high-profile names in Nicki Minaj's dating history include Safaree Samuels and Meek Mill.
- Beyond her verified romances, she has been rumoured to be involved with artists such as Drake and Eminem.
- Nicki is currently married to Kenneth Petty, her childhood sweetheart.
- The Trinidadian rapper shares a son, born in October 2020, with her husband.
Profile summary
Real name | Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty |
Nickname | Nicki Minaj |
Gender | Female |
Date of birth | 8 December 1982 |
Age | 43 years old (as of March 2026) |
Zodiac sign | Sagittarius |
Place of birth | Saint James, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago |
Current residence | New York City, New York, United States |
Nationality | Trinidadian-American |
Ethnicity | Trinidadian |
Religion | Christianity |
Sexuality | Straight |
Height in feet | 5'2" |
Height in centimetres | 157 |
Weight in pounds | 137 |
Weight in kilograms | 62 |
Hair colour | Black |
Eye colour | Dark brown |
Mother | Carol Maraj |
Father | Robert Maraj |
Siblings | 4 |
Marital status | Married |
Spouse | Kenny Petty |
Children | 1 |
School | Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School |
Profession | Rapper, singer |
TikTok | |
X |
Before the ring: Nicki Minaj’s ex-boyfriends revealed
Before marrying Kenneth Petty in October 2019, Nicki Minaj had a series of high-profile relationships that shaped her love life. From early romances to notable ex-boyfriends, here’s a look at the men who came before her marriage.
Lewis Hamilton (2018)
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Nicki Minaj and the British racing driver, Lewis Hamilton, were rumoured to be dating in September 2018 after they attended a New York Fashion Week event together. They were also spotted vacationing in Dubai, where they were seen riding an ATV bike.
Their public appearances together soon faded, and neither Nicki nor the Formula 1 racer publicly addressed the relationship.
Eminem (2018)
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Speculation about a Nicki Minaj relationship with Eminem arose in 2018 after the release of YG’s song Big Bank, which featured the rapper.
Told them I met Slim Shady, bag the Em—Once he go black, he'll be back again.
The rumour that Eminem and Nicki Minaj were dating seemed to amuse both hip-hop stars, who playfully leaned into the speculation. During a concert in Boston, the No Love rapper asked the crowd:
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 responded on X in May 2018, writing:
LMFAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. The fact that he’s silly & 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 while I gaze into ur beautiful eyes as u write ur verse.
Nas (2017)
Source: Getty Images
Nicki Minaj and Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones, professionally known as Nas, had a brief relationship in 2017. Their first collaboration came in 2012, when Nas featured on Nicki’s song Champion from her second album, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded. The two also shared notable chemistry when Nas appeared as her love interest in the music video for Right by My Side (2012).
They sparked dating rumours in May 2017 when Minaj shared a now-deleted, cosy photo of them at NYC’s Sweet Chick restaurant on Instagram, captioned:
Only Kings recognize Queens.
Nicki Minaj’s romance with Nas ended in late December 2017. Reports suggested the long-distance relationship was challenging, as Nas was in Los Angeles while Nicki was in Miami. Their split was described as amicable.
Meek Mill (2015–2016)
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Meek Mill first expressed interest in Nicki Minaj on social media in 2010. The two later collaborated on several projects but denied romance rumours at the time, insisting they were just friends
In early 2015, the rappers began publicly displaying affection and sharing photos of each other online. Their relationship started to unravel toward the end of 2016 when Meek Mill posted a series of cryptic messages. Minaj later confirmed their breakup in a January 2017 post on X, writing:
To confirm, yes I am single. Focusing on my work & looking forward to sharing it with you guys really soon. Have a blessed New Year. Love u
Following their split, Meek and Nicki continued clashing on social media and released diss tracks aimed at each other. In a January 2020 video obtained by TMZ, they were also involved in an altercation at a West Hollywood retail store that included Nicki Minaj’s husband, Kenneth Petty.
Safaree Samuels (2002–2014)
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Nicki Minaj and Safaree Samuels first met in the early 2000s as members of the New York rap group Hood$tars. Reflecting on their beginnings in a 2015 interview with The Breakfast Club, Safaree said:
We were in a group together called The Hood$tars. We did the group thing for like two years, but it didn't really work out. So she branched out did her solo thing, packed up two cars and moved to Atlanta, and we just started bubbling from there. We were friends for a year and a half first then the relationship started.
In October 2014, reports of their breakup surfaced, with Nicki’s track Bed of Lies widely speculated to reference their split. Later in the same interview, Safaree explained why he ended things:
It just got to the point where the respect was gone. Everyone around her works for her. So it got to the point where I was like, 'I'm your man. I'm the one you go to sleep with every night. I'm who you wake up with every morning.' It got to the point where I was being treated like an employee instead of her man.
The former couple later engaged in several public disputes. Safaree sued Nicki in 2015, claiming co-writing credit for some of her songs, but he later withdrew the claims. Their feud continued into 2018 when they had a heated exchange on X (Twitter).
Drake (Rumoured)
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Drake and Nicki Minaj have never officially been in a relationship, despite their close friendship and playful, flirtatious dynamic over the years. The two first met in 2009 after signing to Lil Wayne’s record label, Young Money.
The Canadian rapper sparked dating rumours after revealing his crush on Nicki in his 2010 mixtape, Thank Me Later. In a 2011 interview with The Daily Beast, Drake described Minaj as the ideal woman.
The two briefly lost contact in 2015 when Drake feuded with Nicki’s then-boyfriend, Meek Mill, before reconnecting in 2017. Drake later appeared on Minaj’s 2023 track, Needle.
FAQs
- Did Nicki Minaj and Meek Mill date? Nicki Minaj dated Meek Mill in a widely publicised relationship from 2015 to 2017.
- For how long did Nicki Minaj and Safaree Samuels date? The two dated for approximately 12 years, from 2002 to late 2014.
- Who is Nicki Minaj's current husband? The rapper's current husband is Kenneth Petty.
- How did Nicki Minaj meet Kenneth Petty? They first met during their teenage years in South Jamaica, Queens, the area where they both grew up.
- When did Nicki Minaj get married? Nicki Minaj got married to Kenneth Petty in October 2019.
- Who is Nicki Minaj's baby daddy? Her baby daddy is her husband, Kenneth Petty.
- Did Nicki Minaj date Drake? Nicki Minaj and rapper Drake were rumoured to have dated, though their relationship was never officially confirmed.
Nicki Minaj's history of ex-boyfriends is quite intriguing, as she has been romantically linked to celebrities including Safaree Samuels, Meek Mill, and Nas. Despite the attention on her past relationships, she has found lasting love. Today, she is married to Kenneth Petty, and they share a son.
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Reba McEntire has had several high-profile relationships, many of which involved figures from the entertainment industry. She has a son from her second marriage to Narvel Blackstock.
Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
