“It’s important that corporate America can see a young black woman being able to sell things…

“It’s important that corporate America can see a young black woman being able to sell things outside of music.”

The way she sees it, everything she does — even when it softens the impact of her underlying talent — ultimately serves a higher purpose: to achieve greater visibility for young black women in pop culture, plain and simple. When asked if she’s ever considered dialing back on any of the extracurriculars, Nicki is firm. “Helllllll no,” she says. Rap cannot contain her music, and neither can any one pursuit contain Nicki’s ambition. “I’ve done things where people are like, ‘Uhhhh,’” she says, making a theatrically perplexed face. “But every time I do a business venture or something that isn’t the norm for a female rapper, I pat myself on the back. It’s important that corporate America can see a young black woman being able to sell things outside of music.”

-ONIKA. She’s got the Fader cover story this month and she’s generally coming in hot (he toss my salad like his name Romaine, also this part).