For the past two months, Lil Wayne has delivered weekly episodes of his Young Money Radio show from his Miami studio. Over the initial seven episodes, the rapper has brought on a wide array of guests, including Killer Mike, YBN Cordae, Eminem, Drake, and Lil Baby. He brought another Young Money artist on board for his latest episode, Nicki Minaj, so the two could discuss music and life.
Wayne and Minaj began their sit-down by playing a few tracks from the Young Money collective. They then dove into a discussion of what it’s like to be a woman in rap. “I just knew I was going to make it, so I was enjoying the groundwork of it and I was working super hard,” Minaj said. “I think people don’t realize the work that goes into it. Because if you’re not going to work, why bother?” She also opened up about her initial worries prior to signing to Young Money. “It was getting someone to take you serious, and that was the whole thing I was worried about,” she explained. “I didn’t know if you would take me serious, because at the time people had really given up on female rappers.”
Wayne later asked Minaj about her recent silence and toned-down presence on social media. “It can be so like, extra,” Minaj said. “I think everybody needs that time to themselves and their family and to think and for — when people stay on social media — their thoughts become everyone else’s thoughts. They can’t think for themselves.”
Wayne also floated the idea of a joint album with Minaj, to which she responded, “Whatever you want your wish is my command.” Minaj also spoke about her recent No. 1 song with Doja Cat, “Say So (Remix),” saying, “I have never built my career on whether or not something goes number one. Most of the things that stick forever in rap, they don’t go number one.”
The interview arrived shortly after Nicki and Tekashi 69 debuted their new single, “Trollz.”
You can watch Lil Wayne and Nicki Minaj’s full conversation in the video above.