Nicki Minaj's Husband Kenneth Petty Pleads Not Guilty, Hands Over Passport

BY Erika Marie 4.8K Views
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Nicki Minaj, Kenneth Petty Arrest
Kenneth Petty faces new legal drama for reportedly not registering as a sex offender in his new home state of California.

Newlyweds Nicki Minaj and Kenneth Petty were hit with a heavy blow on Wednesday (March 4) after Zoo was indicted for failing to register as a sex offender in California. Kenneth turned himself in to authorities and was placed in federal custody this morning. He's since been released on a $100K bond and will reportedly return to court on April 28.

Dimitrios Kambouris / Staff / Getty Images

Back in New York, Kenneth was added to the sex offender registry following a 1995 conviction of rape in the first-degree. That stint lasted for four years before he was released. In 2006, Kenneth was sent to prison after pleading guilty to a charge of first-degree manslaughter. For that, he completed a 10-year bid behind bars.

Critics have called out Kenneth's past and ridiculed Nicki for choosing him as a partner. However, the rapper wouldn't let anyone keep her from her happiness. She briefly addressed her husband's rape controversy by saying at the time Kenneth was 16, the girl was 15, and they were in a relationship. "But go awf Internet. Y'all can't run my life. Y'all can't even run y'all own life. Thank you boo."

Nicki Minaj has not yet commented on Kenneth Petty's recent legal woes. He faces upwards of 10 years and has reportedly been made to turn over his passport. He also reportedly has to adhere to a curfew.


About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming a Features Editor, highlighting long-form content and interviews with some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, Amy Luciani, and Omerettà—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.

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