What is the stage name of rapper Onika Tanya Maraj?

The stage name of rapper Onika Tanya Maraj is Nicki Minaj. She is a Trinidadian-born rapper, singer, and songwriter who became one of the most prominent female rappers of the 2010s.

Minaj was born on December 8, 1982, in Saint James, a district of Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. She later moved to Queens, New York, and attended Monroe College. Before her major-label breakthrough, she released mixtapes and built an audience through online music platforms and New York’s underground rap scene.

Her original performing name was Nicki Maraj. According to accounts of her early career, music executive Fendi changed the surname to Minaj after hearing her distinctive, aggressive flow. Lil Wayne later recruited her to Young Money Entertainment, helping introduce her to a much wider audience. Her debut studio album, Pink Friday, arrived in 2010.

The answer is sometimes confused with the names of other major women in rap, including Cardi B, Doja Cat, and Megan Thee Stallion. Those are separate artists; Nicki Minaj is the professional name associated with Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty.