During an Instagram Live session, the Harajuku Barbie gets emotional upon learning how Liz, her former elementary school teacher Liz, found out that she's a famous hip-hop artist.
- Oct 19, 2022
AceShowbiz - Nicki Minaj treats the Barbz with a glimpse into her pre-fame life. While reconnecting with her former elementary school teacher during an Instagram Live, the Trinidadian raptress was seen getting emotional.
On Tuesday, October 18, the 39-year-old hip-hop star went live on Instagram with her 5th grade teacher, who only identified herself as Liz. During the chat, Liz recounted how she came to find out that her former student is a famous person.
"I went to a Jay-Z and Eminem concert with my sisters, and you came out and performed," the teacher said after explaining that she had not made the connection to her former student, Onika Maraj. "And I was like, 'Oh my God, she's really good!' And we were dancing and singing… did not know it was you."
Liz further shared, "A week later, my old school, P.S. 45, called and said, 'Listen, Liz, E! True Hollywood Story' keeps calling, you were Nicki Minaj's favorite teacher.' " The teacher confessed, "And I literally dropped the phone."
"And I was like, 'Oh. My. God. Nicki Minaj is Onika Maraj?' " the surprised teacher added. "And I ran down the stairs and I told everyone, 'I taught her everything she knows!' " Nicki could be seen covering up her face with her hands as she appeared to wipe away her tears.
The school in question, also known as Clarence Whiterspoon, is the Queens elementary school from which Nicki graduated in 1993. Nicki would eventually go on to attend renowned New York City Music and Performing Arts magnet school Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School, whose long list of famous alumni also includes Azealia Banks, Kelis, Omar Epps, Eartha Kitt, and "Saturday Night Live" star Michael Che.
The heartwarming IG live moment comes after nearly a week of Nicki using social media to protest against her latest single "Super Freaky Girl" being excluded from the rap categories at the 2023 Grammys. The Rick James-sampling song was instead put forward for Best Pop Solo Performance.
Demanding "fair" treatment, Nicki argued Latto (Mulatto)'s "Big Energy", which also features a prominent '80s pop sample, should be bumped into the pop categories as well, sparking a very lengthy and very messy back-and-forth between the two rappers.
More recently, it's unveiled that despite Nicki's "Super Freaky Girl" not being listed in Rap categories, the "Super Bass" spitter's name is "listed five times" in Rap categories. According to Variety, Nicki's "Do We Have a Problem?", which has a featured appearance from Lil Baby, is one of the songs placed in the rap category on the Grammy ballot, up for Best Rap Performance.
"Blick Blick", a track Nicki shares with Coi Leray, is in contention for Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song. In the meantime, Nicki's song "Love in the Way", featuring Yung Bleu, is in contention for Best Rap Song and Best Melodic Rap Performance.
