Born in Trinidad and bred in Queens, N.Y., Minaj graduated from the famed LaGuardia High School of the Performing Arts and then hit the underground N.Y.C. rap scene for years before catching the attention of superstar Lil Wayne and joining the Young Money family, which also includes hip-hop phenom Drake. Her quest for success is not based in conceit but in love. “When I was little I [imagined] if I did everything perfectly, I could be rich and help my mother. I feel if I mess up there is a possibility that I won’t be able to fulfill that dream.”