You read that right. Nicki Minaj can now add “Executive Producer” to her already compelling résumé. On Tuesday night, ABC Family announced that a scripted comedy about her life is in the works.
“The sitcom will be based on the rap legend’s childhood, focusing mainly on Minaj’s growing up in Queens in the 90s with her vibrant, immigrant family and the personal and musical evolution that lead to her eventual rise to stardom,” says Deadline’s Nellie Andreeva. It’s interesting to note that Minaj grew up close to the St. John’s campus, on West 147th Street in Southside Jamaica.
Minaj will be producing, appearing on and writing rap lyrics for the show. She is no beginner in the TV and film industry, having also starred in “The Other Woman” and “Barbershop 3.”
Nicki teased the announcement with the hashtag “#NickiSurprise” earlier Tuesday, stirring up quite a buzz on Twitter. Fans wondered what this could mean. New music? A tour? Maybe a baby?
Following the confirmation by ABC Family, Nicki Minaj took to Twitter, jokingly asking who should play the younger version of herself, saying that she is, “Now launching a nationwide search to find #YoungNicki.” Her fan base, better known as the “Barbz,” immediately trended this hashtag.
This international diva is extremely involved with her fans. “This is one of the more unique adventures I’ve embarked on,” she says. “I couldn’t be more proud and excited to team up with an amazing group of people to give [my fans and] the world something really special.”
The sitcom is expected to be yet another moneymaking venture for the Forbes list topper, who proclaimed herself a “business woman” earlier this year. She changed her image with the release of “The Pinkprint” album, which lead to the release of her perfume and alcohol brands. Minaj has reinvented herself through all of this and is on a mission to stand up for humankind and give herself a serious voice in the world. She states that even the risqué “Anaconda” video promotes “sexual feminism,” and “tries to eliminate body-type biases.” Even at the VMA’s, Minaj stood up for herself when she called out Miley Cyrus, asking “What’s good?”
As for ABC Family, this addition fits snug in line with the other shows already on the line-up, including “The Fosters,” an award-winning drama produced by Jennifer Lopez and the highly acclaimed “Pretty Little Liars,” based on the lives of a clique of girls. This is a power move for ABC Family, who already lures in the younger demographic, especially young women.
Nicki Minaj says she wants girls to envision themselves growing up to be successful. This show will showcase how achieving a dream is possible for anyone. Just because she might be a superhero now, she grew up like the rest of us and, frankly, is still human.
Filming for the pilot episode is set to begin this winter, in her (and our) hometown.
