Nicki Minaj recently shared on TikTok LIVE that she is not a U.S. citizen, despite her substantial tax contributions over the years.
“I’m not a citizen of America. Isn’t that crazy?” she said, before clarifying that she is still a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago, where she was born.
“I was born on a beautiful island called Trinidad and Tobago. But I’ve been in the States for many years. You would think that with the millions of dollars that I’ve paid in taxes to this country that I would have been given an honorary citizenship many, many, many thousands of years ago.”
Expressing her frustration, she remarked, “Isn’t that wild?” and emphasized her Trinidadian roots, saying, “I was born on a beautiful island called Trinidad and Tobago.
I’ve been in the States for so long, you’d think my tax payments would earn me honorary citizenship by now.”
Minaj has previously discussed her immigrant background, particularly highlighting her experience coming to the U.S. as a child.
In a touching message about immigrant rights back in 2018, she reflected on the trauma of families being separated at the border, sharing her fears about the impact on children.
“This is so scary to me. Please stop this. Can you try to imagine the terror & panic these kids feel right now? Not knowing if their parents are dead or alive, if they’ll ever see them again… ”
Proud of her heritage, Nicki represented Trinidad during a recent collaboration on the remix of “Shake The Place” with fellow artists Machel Montano and Destra, celebrating her culture with lyrics that honor her homeland.
“Trinidad my country, the greatest carnival of all time,” Nicki said at the beginning of the track before rapping: “I’m reppin’ that red, that white, that black/ I’m reppin’ my real flag.”
After performing at the Trinidad and Tobago Carnival, she expressed a heartfelt wish that her grandparents could have witnessed her achievements.