Nicki Minaj announces her retirement from music

Nicki Minaj shocked fans on Thursday when she posted a tweet announcing her retirement from the music industry. The rapper said she was done releasing new music, but there’s a possibility the “Super Bass” star was actually responding to a troll. Fingers crossed for Barbz.Minaj tweeted on Thursday that she was leaving the rap game behind to focus on starting a family, tweeting “I’ve decided to retire & have my family. I know you guys are happy now. To my fans, keep reppin me, do it til da death of me, check in the box- cuz ain’t nobody checkin me. Love you for LIFE.”

I’ve decided to retire & have my family. I know you guys are happy now. To my fans, keep reppin me, do it til da death of me, in the box- cuz ain’t nobody checkin me. Love you for LIFE ♥️

— Mrs. Petty (@NICKIMINAJ) September 5, 2019

Minaj made waves with her sudden surprise announcement, leaving members of her fan army shaken. Seeing that many of her devoted followers were devastated over the news, Minaj addressed the abruptness of her text and apologized, saying that her announcement should have been a longer discussion and one that she plans on having at a later time on her Apple Music radio show Queen Radio.

I’m still right here. Still madly in love with you guys & you know that. In hindsight, this should’ve been a Queen Radio discussion & it will be. I promise u guys will be happy. No guests, just us talking about everything. The tweet was abrupt & insensitive, I apologize babe ♥️ https://t.co/eS0oHipwtg

— Mrs. Petty (@NICKIMINAJ) September 6, 2019

I will babe. I promise. I love you so much https://t.co/YaK6T4U1FP

— Mrs. Petty (@NICKIMINAJ) September 6, 2019

While Thursday’s announcement came mostly as a shock, Minaj has previously spoken about taking an extended break from music following the release of her fifth album. In a clip shared on her Twitter account from the 2015 MTV documentary Nicki Minaj: My Time Again, Minaj revealed that she planned on stepping away from music to start a family following the release of her fifth studio album. Saying she looks forward to becoming a mom and a housewife, Minaj said she planned on returning to music with a new outlook as a mother. Minaj dropped her fourth studio album Queen in 2018, so she’s a bit early on the break, but ideal timelines and family planning don’t always match up.

This video always makes me cry chile https://t.co/iz6nJUq4hg

— Mrs. Petty (@NICKIMINAJ) September 6, 2019

While Minaj seems to be serious about her retirement, not everyone is convinced. TMZ is reporting that the Grammy-nominated rapper is tired of defending herself against trolls who accuse Minaj of not writing her own songs. The gossip site has also spoken to sources close to Minaj who report that the announcement blindsided her team, with Nicki having spent ample time in the studio lately and already having several songs ready for her next album.As for the whole marriage/is she pregnant aspect, that’s the biggest grey area. The five-time MTV VMA winner got engaged to boyfriend Kenneth Petty in 2018 and changed her Twitter handle to Mrs. Petty. As reported by TMZ, Minaj and Petty have obtained marriage licenses in both their native New York and in California, though if a wedding has taken place, it’s been kept top secret. Petty, who has a violent past, has appeared in Minaj’s videos for “Megatron” and most recently “Hot Girl Summer” with Megan Thee Stallion.We’re all for women choosing whether to continue their careers after motherhood or stepping away from work to focus on family. We just hope that Minaj’s decision isn’t in any way being influenced by trolls. Haters to the left, etc.