Minajestric nostalgia

22 March 2016 - 02:11 By Leonie Wagner

To be South Africa's Nicki Minaj you'll need the "double Ds" - drama and diva-like tendencies. The US rapper, in Cape Town for the final leg of her Pinkprint Tour, has scaled down the production for local fans but nevertheless captivated them during her performances.Flanked by more security than a head of state, she was also protected by a "no-cellphones" policy backstage. This is understandable, considering that the New York Times labelled her "the most influential female rapper of all time".She said every rejection of a composition inspired her to work harder."My advice to female rappers is definitely never give up. I've had a lot of doors shut in my face and a lot of record deals that I thought I would get that I didn't. It just made me work harder."That might explain her somewhat diva-like tendencies.After her Johannesburg shows last week a group of about 20 "Barbz and Kenz", as her fans call themselves - who waited hours to meet their hero - were rewarded with group pictures.Minaj said she believed that being in the music industry was her destiny and that her passion to fulfil her dream is what sets her apart. Although she is not all that familiar with the local hip-hop scene, she offered advice to South Africa's female rappers."If something inside you says this is what you were born to do, and if you honestly feel like that, then just keep on going. That's the only advice I can give because that's what I lived by . I lived by 'Where there's a will, there's a way', I'm not going to take 'no' for an answer. That's how I broke through that male-dominated space."Minaj's final show is at Cape Town's Grand Arena tonight.But her fans shouldn't expect costume changes or a set longer than an hour. Instead, they will get a dose of "Minajestry nostalgia" as she sings Anaconda, Pills 'n Potions and Right Thru Me...

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