Nicki Minaj Turned Down Record Deal After Label Wanted Ghostwriter

BY Erika Marie 21.5K Views
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Nicki Minaj Full Force
Nicki Minaj prides herself on penning her own rhymes, and three Full Force members recently shared she shut down a record label that tried to force her to have a ghostwriter.

If you aren't familiar with Full Force, you're missing out. The six-person group of singers is comprised of brothers and cousins who were not only a chart-topping collective, but they also wrote and produced for dozens of artists throughout their careers. A few notable acts included the Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears, James Brown, Bob Dylan, Patti LaBelle, 'N Sync, Roxanne Shanté, The Black Eyed Peas, and Selena. Most people recognize brother Paul Anthony, Brian George, and Lucien George Jr. from the original classic film House Party where they played the muscular, jheri curl-wearing bullies.

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The longtime entertainers recently visited The Breakfast Club to not only celebrate the 30th anniversary of House Party which just past on March 9, but to talk about their eventful careers. As they shared stories of artists they've worked with, they mentioned their time with Nicki Minaj. They explained that a friend of theirs turned them on to Nicki's music and they "immediately said she is dope."

"Besides Nicki just rapping, she even sang me a gospel song," Paul Anthony recalled. "Even before she was big, she was doing all the crazy voices and everything." Nicki joined the Hood$tars rap group with Paul Anthony's son and a few others, but he said it was difficult getting them a record deal. Soon, they began working with Nicki as a solo artist and eventually ended up at Warner Bros in a meeting with Kevin Liles.

Things were going well until the label expressed that they wanted Nicki to have a ghostwriter. "At the time [they] wanted Juelz Santana to write for her and she refused," he said. "Nicki always had a thing about writing her own sh*t." They thought it was an impressive move for the unknown artist because they knew she was "hungry" but wouldn't compromise on who she was an artist—and she even passed on the opportunity while having "a little crush on Juelz." Watch the members of Full Force on The Breakfast Club below.


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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