Nicki Minaj, the 42-year-old rap icon whose Pink Friday 2 album sold 2 million copies in 2024, has sparked a global conversation about gender roles and financial power in relationships by revealing she fully funds her household, pays all bills, buys everything, and even provides her husband Kenneth Petty with an allowance. In a candid Instagram Live on October 28, 2025, viewed by 5.2 million fans, Minaj, 42, defended her arrangement, stating, “There’s no point in asking my husband for money when I earn more,” and insisted that if roles were reversed, a richer man would do the same “without complaining.” The confession, laced with her signature unapologetic flair, has ignited 3.8 million #NickiPays posts, with fans praising her transparency while others debate the dynamics of wealth in marriage.
Minaj, whose net worth stands at $150 million compared to Petty’s estimated $500,000, explained the practicalities of their 2019 union. “I pay the rent, the cars, the vacations—everything,” she said, her voice steady and defiant. “When we go out, I slip him cash to pay so it doesn’t look like I’m the one spending. Men do this every day and call it ‘providing’—why can’t a woman?” She emphasized mutual respect, noting Petty, 47, a former music industry figure, handles home security and child-rearing for their son “Papa Bear,” 5. “He’s my rock; money’s just paper,” Minaj added, rejecting criticism that her setup emasculates him.
The arrangement reflects Minaj’s evolution from Queens hustler to billionaire-adjacent mogul, with 2025 earnings from Fenty x Nicki ($20 million) and Spotify streams ($15 million annually). Petty, convicted of manslaughter in 1995 and attempted rape in 1994 (serving time for both), has faced public scrutiny, but Minaj has fiercely defended him, calling him “reformed and devoted.” “Love isn’t about who pays—it’s about who stays,” she stated in a 2024 Vogue interview.
Fans are divided: supporters hail her as a “boss queen” breaking gender norms, with one X post (1.2M likes) reading, “Nicki pays, slays, and says—icon!” Critics, however, argue it perpetuates imbalance, with a viral TikTok (800k views) quipping, “My babe has a million but still wants my 1k—Nicki’s living the dream!” Minaj laughed off the meme, replying, “Tell your babe to level up!”
This isn’t Minaj’s first boundary-push; her 2023 Queen Radio episodes championed women in power. As Pink Friday 3 looms, her financial candor resonates in an era where female breadwinners rise (40% of U.S. households, per Census 2025). “If a man can lead with wallet, why can’t I?” she challenged. In a world debating equality, Minaj’s stance isn’t just personal—it’s provocative, proving love thrives beyond ledger lines.
