Inside Lil Wayne's Relationship With Nicki Minaj

The link between Lil Wayne and Nicki Minaj goes well beyond their many collaborations, as the dynamic of their relationship has evolved over time. Weezy was a mentor to Minaj as he discovered her early on when she appeared in "The Come Up" DVD series, but rapping was not her main priority. "I was OK, but I wasn't focusing on the music. I was doing pictures and stuff like that, so people knew me more for pictures than my music," the "Beez in the Trap" artist recalled to MTV News in 2009. The two rappers first collaborated in 2007 on Minaj's "Playtime is Over" mixtape, as Wayne signed her to his Young Money label, per Rap Up. Despite the early success of Minaj's career, there was friction between her and the Young Money honcho.

In 2010, the "Starships" rapper revealed that Wayne nearly kicked her off the label after she left his tour to focus on her solo projects. "I started to record by myself and I lost track of what I was doing and who I wanted to be," Minaj told Billboard at the time (via HipHop DX). That led to Minaj and Wayne burying the hatchet as she adjusted her priorities, which coincided with her meteoric rise in the industry.

Minaj was grateful for the opportunities being on Young Money afforded her. "I can't even imagine my career, um, my creative spirit without Wayne," she told Interview in 2011. Over the years, many wondered if the two were ever more than just co-workers and friends.

Lil Wayne and Nicki Minaj were both megastars in the 2010s, and were often referred to as the king and queen of Young Money. A viral video captured a candid moment between the pair in 2012 when Minaj spoke about her and Wayne being hip-hop royalty. "If you was the real queen and I was the real king, off record, off camera, I'd be hitting that," Tunechi interjected. Minaj was visibly offended by the "Lollipop" rapper's insinuations, but he claimed the comment was a joke.

The duo played a couple while filming the video for Minaj's "High School" track in 2013 which led to several awkward moments. "He refused to touch me, he's so respectful, he refused to touch me, and then I was like, 'Wayne,' I was like, 'You could do this,'" Minaj told MTV News at the time. Apparently, Wayne found it overwhelming to film a bedroom scene with the "Anaconda" rapper. "But he was acting scared, like, 'Yo, Nick, this is my dream,'" Minaj recalled.

The leader of the Barbz made her relationship with fellow Young Money label mates clear in 2014. "Yo, I never f***ed Wayne, I never f***ed Drake ... If I did I menage with 'em," Minaj rapped on "Only." Four years later, Weezy hinted that he and Minaj had been intimate, as he told the Bumbu Room in 2018 that, after recording with Minaj, they "make beautiful something else." No romantic relationship was ever confirmed, but they remained close. 

After years of not only working together, but becoming good friends, Lil Wayne reflected on his relationship with Nicki Minaj. "I have a lifetime of memories with the beautiful Barbie!" he told Variety in 2020. It had been seven years since Mr. Carter had played her boyfriend in the "High School" video, but he fondly remembered that day on-set. "All dat a** on a n***a ain't a game, Jesus. She made it easy though, she's a doll forever. I love her for real," Wayne added.

Minaj has often used social media to give a peek into her long-standing friendship with Wayne. To celebrate the "I Feel Like Dying" artist turning 40 years old in 2021, Nicki Lewinsky took to her Instagram Stories to shower love on the man who was instrumental in her career. "Happy Birthday to my everything @liltunechi," Minaj wrote while sharing the first photo the two had ever taken together (via Rap Up).

That same year, Wayne sent a plethora of lavish gifts to Minaj's house for her son's first birthday party. The "Do We Have a Problem?" artist showed off the gifts, which included a bunch of Balenciaga-brand baby items, to her Instagram Stories. "@liltunechi I just opened the bags & I'm in shock this is insane. I love you so much. This is A LOT OF STUFF. OMG," she wrote in 2021 (via Complex). Following years of collaborating, it's safe to say that Minaj and Wayne's friendship will endure along with their music.