Born on December 8, 1982 hip hop rapper Onika Tanya Maraj known as Nicki Minaj was born in Saint James, Trinidad and Tobago. and moved to New York City when she was five. She was the child of Carol and Robert Maraj. Onika’s childhood was never a walk in the park or all hearts and rainbows. Her father was a severe drug addict who had an abusive history, According to Minaj, when she was younger her father set her childhood house on fire in attempt to kill her mother. As a way to escape her traumatic life at home Onika would create alter egos where she had a completely different life and was successful in it. She grew up in a large family and has four siblings, 2 brothers: Brandon Lamar and Michaiah Maraj, and 2 sisters: Ming Maraj and Jelani Maraj. From a young age Onika gravitated to music and acting. She was always singing and putting on shows as a child. She wrote her first rap at the age of 12. Later on she was accepted to her dream school La Guardia High School of Music & art and performing arts.