“I’m having fun. My first album, I wasn’t really having fun. I was to busy figuring myself out as an artist. I was too busy caring about what critics thought. Now I’m actually enjoying myself.”

Nicki Minaj joined The Breakfast Club to discuss her highly-anticipated sophomore album Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded, artists she recorded with on the project, working with Hip Hop legends, Madonna’s birthday kiss, paying homage coming up, dealing with shady business people, Grammy performance, relationship with Drake and much more in this two-part exclusive.

On her collaboration with Nas:

“When I heard it, I was in love with the verse. I just felt like, is this really happening? You know, I’m from Queens and it’s a big deal for me and he delivered so crazy on the album. It felt like it was a Nas record. It didn’t feel like Nas on a Nicki Minaj song.”

Who would she want to work with?:

“My fans want a Beyonce collab. That’s the only one. But I feel like, I’ve worked with everybody. If anybody would have told me before my second album came out I would’ve worked with Em, Jay, Kanye, Mariah Carey, Madonna, I would of said, ‘Your kidding me.’ But it really happened.”

Rumors and records:

“I don’t say anything to them. What’s so interesting is you guys always think I’m talking to somebody, and then you think I’m talking to somebody in particular. A lot of times I be talking to people y’all have no idea I’m talking to, which is interesting.”

“I’m good, and when I say that I mean, I’m not writing records about any girls in the game, past or present. I wish you guys the best and I really mean that. We went at it, the best woman won, and I’m ready to move on. It’s not that [serious]. People make it a bigger deal than I make it. I’m about to go on tour around the world! And this is my first time touring around the world, so could you imagine? I’m like a kid in the candy store, I’m so excited! My fans give me so much love.”

Early business dealings:

“It was just a lot of psychological manipulation going on and that’s why I’m so aggressive now in my business life. Because I feel like, I gave too many people the opportunities to do me dirty.”

“I cringe when I hear “Massive Attack”, there’s a few songs that I cringe when I hear… “Your Love”. It wasn’t mixed properly, [the record] leaked.”

Nicki discusses getting support in New York, what she does in her spare time, wanting to write a book based on her Roman character and make it into a movie, Pepsi business, signing with Young Money, hesitant about signing artists herself and more.