Nicki Minaj was announced as one of TIME's top 100 most influential artists yesterday and in an exclusive sit-down interview with them, Minaj spoke about how women shouldn't be ashamed to get the money they deserve for doing their jobs.
"One thing I learned along the way in business is the necessity for you to be unapologetic about asking for how much money you deserve. At a very early stage in my rap career, I was making six figures for shows. If I heard there was another rapper making that, I thought: "You know what? I get out there and demand or command a crowd. I get out there and make my fans happy. I get out there and give a real show. I want that too." And I pushed myself to be better with my showmanship, but I also decided: "You know what? I want to be compensated as well.""
Never one to mince her words, Minaj encourages fellow women to demand their worth when it comes to earning in the workplace.
"If you know you’re great at what you do, don’t ever be ashamed to ask for the top dollar in your field. If I’m great at what I do, I can’t be denied. Some things may be overlooked but no one can deny my brand, and that’s the words of wisdom I would give to other young women."
"It just feels like young women are being empowered and inspired, because I think it says a lot when you see two young women at the top of their field, whether they’re black or white, it just means a lot when you see them owning who they are and owning the business."
Wise words as ever.
Via TIME
