Before Nicki Minaj reunited with her high school sweetheart and now-husband Kenneth Petty in 2018, she had a brief romance with rapper Nas in 2017. Interestingly, the two had previously collaborated on a track in 2012.
The couple was first spotted together in May 2017, and Nicki even discussed Nas during her appearance on the Ellen DeGeneres Show. While they celebrated each other’s birthdays that year, their relationship came to an end by January 2018.
Prior to dating Nas, Minaj was in a two-year relationship with Meek Mill, and after their split, the two were embroiled in a feud that lasted several years.
Exploring the Timeline of Nicki Minaj and Nas’ Relationship
April 2012: Nas Featured on Nicki Minaj’s “Champion”
On April 3, 2012, Nicki Minaj released “Champion”as part of her second studio album, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded. The track featured Nas alongside Drake and Young Jeezy.
During an interview with Vibe that coincided with the song’s release, Nicki expressed her admiration for Nas’ willingness to collaborate, stating:
“I keep saying to be from Queens and to end up having him….we know how picky he is (for features). He said ‘I like the song, I’m a do it, you can wait ’til Monday and I got you’ and he kept his word. He murked it, for me to wait for a feature and it be that and murk the song and finish the song that way…I was amazed.”
April 2012: Nas Featured as Minaj’s Boyfriend in “Right By My Side”Video
On March 17, 2012, the music video for “Right By My Side,”another track from Roman Reloaded, premiered with Nas playing Nicki Minaj’s love interest. While he didn’t contribute to the song itself, his appearance in the video directed by Benny Boom was notable. Toward the end, viewers witnessed a kiss shared between Nas and Minaj, leading to rumors about a potential romance, though these were quickly denied.
May 2017: Nicki Dines with Nas at His Restaurant Sweet Chick
Just six months after her split from Meek Mill, Nicki Minaj shared a photo on Instagram alongside Nas on May 10, 2017. The two were dining at Nas’ restaurant, Sweet Chick, with him having his arm around her. The post was captioned: “Only KINGS recognize QUEENS.”
Later that month, Nas was mentioned by Nicki during her appearance on the Ellen DeGeneres Show, where she referred to him as “so dope”and added:
“We’re both from Queens… He’s the King of Queens, and I like to think that I’m the queen of Queens.”
When Ellen inquired about sleepovers, Nicki confirmed they had indeed shared some.
September – December 2017: Celebrating Birthdays Together
On September 14, Nicki Minaj joined Nas for his private birthday party at NYC’s The Pool Lounge. Their cozy interactions were captured on an Instagram Live stream, which quickly went viral, fueling rumors of their relationship.
Two months later, Nas attended Nicki’s birthday celebration on December 8, sharing a now-deleted Instagram post to wish her well, captioned:
“Queens Get The MFkN Money! Happy Birthday To The QUEEN OF NY.”
January 2018: Minaj and Nas Announce Their Breakup
Despite the appearance of a thriving relationship, January 2018 brought the announcement of their breakup. A source informed US Weekly at the time:
“Nicki and Nas fizzled out. They were never in the same place at the same time, so it was hard to move their relationship forward. They still remain friends.”
August 2018: Nicki Praises Nas on MTV
On August 18, a clip from Nicki Minaj’s interview with MTV’s TRL was released on YouTube, where she referred to her fans as her “kingdom,”highlighting their collective growth.
When the topic of Nas came up, Minaj shared about her ex:
“The good thing about the Nas situation is that he and I are still good friends and we still have so much respect for each other… Nas has never once said anything bad about me. He’s never done anything negative toward me. He has carried himself like a king.”
This year, both Minaj and Nas have announced upcoming albums. Nas is set to release a collaborative album with DJ Premier, which currently has no title, in late 2024. Meanwhile, Nicki recently announced that rather than releasing a deluxe version of her fifth album, she is preparing a new sixth album, Pink Friday 3.
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