Nicki Minaj

Influenced by the unpredictable rhymes of Missy Elliot along with the sexually charged attitudes of Lil' Kim and Foxy Brown, Jamaica, Queens, native Nicki Minaj was discovered thanks to her MySpace page. It was there that Dirty Money Entertainment CEO Fendi first heard her ability to freestyle and first laid eyes on her steamy set of promo shots. Minaj eventually signed to Lil Wayne's Young Money label. They began to build her career through mixtapes like Lil Wayne's "Dedication 3" and Minaj's own "Sucka Free". The big breakthrough came when Wayne added his rhymes to her "High as a Kite" single, a mixtape favorite in 2008. ~ David Jeffries