Compare And Contrast Nicki Minj And Jay Gatsby

In The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the main character, Jay Gatsby, is a wealthy man who lives in a mansion. However, Gatsby was not always rich. In fact, he grew up on a poor farm in North Dakota. His love for Daisy Buchanan caused him to strive for fame and fortune with the hope of winning her over. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s story is very similar. He too grew up poor and became famous in order to win over the woman he loved. Jay Gatsby and Fitzgerald wanted to live the American Dream. Much like the two, Nicki Minaj, too, went from rags to riches. Nicki Minaj was born on August 12, 1984 as Onika Tanya Maraj. Onika was born and raised in Trinidad and Tobago until the age of five when her and her family moved to Queens, New York. After moving to New York, Maraj and her brother lived with their grandparents while her parents got back on their feet. Not long after, Onika and her brother moved back in with their parents. Onika Maraj’s childhood was not easy. Maraj, her mother, and her four siblings had a tough life after moving to America. Her family was poor, and her father was a drug addict. Her father …show more content…
She became a backup singer for local rap performers in New York. As she wrote music, she would record herself singing and post videos of her work to her MySpace page (“Nicki Minaj American Rap Singer and Songwriter”). Her music was eventually noticed by a local record label, and she was immediately signed. This connection led her to famous rapper, Lil Wayne, who collaborated with her on several mixtapes (Biography.com Editors). Minaj’s rise to fame began in April 2007 with the release of her first mixtape with Lil Wayne called Playtime is Over. The songs on the mixtape displayed her wild and outgoing style. Minaj’s determination to be successful came from hope for a better life. She longed to be stronger for herself and her mother, and she believed that she could change their