Nicki Minaj is well-known for her theatrical performance style and penchant for accents, but now the rapper turned pop star will swap the studio for the small screen when she films an autobiographical comedy show for ABC Family.
Minaj will serve as executive producer on the show that revolves around her upbringing in Queens after she moved to New York at age five from Trinidad and Tobago, where she was raised by her grandmother.
“This is one of the more unique adventures I’ve ever embarked on,” Minaj told Deadline. “I couldn’t be more proud and excited to team up with an amazing group of people to give the world something really special.”
Minaj trained as an actor at LaGuardia high school before pursuing a career in music, where she has become one of the most well-known pop acts in the world. The plan is to film a pilot in New York this winter before completing the series, which will be written by Sex Tape writer Kate Angelo.
She has spoken about her upbringing in interviews revealing that her father was an alcoholic and drug addict, while her mother worked as a nursing assistant and took care of Minaj and her younger brother.
“It’s weird, because when he was on crack, he was more peaceful, and when he would drink, he became loud and violent,” she told the Guardian’s Simon Hattenstone. “We moved so many times when I was a kid. We were always running away from him. Whenever we got to a new house, he would find us.”
ABC Family’s executive vice-president of programming and development, Karey Burke, added: “Nicki is an international superstar, yet not everyone knows how inspiring and hilarious her true story is, and we can’t wait to share it with the world.”
Minaj has acted before, impressing on Saturday Night Live, and she also has feature credits on comedy The Other Woman, where she starred alongside Cameron Diaz.
