[dramatic music]
\h- On this episode of "My Life on MTV."
♪
Straight out of California \h\h\h\h\h\h\hand Queens.
A gospel singer and a street MC.
Big personalities. \h\h\h- Come on!
- Lord, have mercy.
- Dynamic, versatile...
\h\h\h\h\h\h- Yes! [laughs] - And always changing it up.
\h\h\h- You’re a girl. You have to be a beast.
- Katy Perry kissed a girl \h\hand everyone liked it.
- Killing them with the thigh right now.
\h\h\h\h\h\h- Oh, boy. - But not everyone knew
the playful and punchy singer
\h\h\hwould come out swinging with a string of pop anthems.
- Live dangerously.
- Resulting in over 18 million \h\h\h\halbums sold worldwide.
[upbeat music]
\h\h\h\h\h\h- Why isn’t there a female rapper turned mogul?
- Nicki Minaj answered \h\h\h\hher own call.
- Yes! [laughs]
\h\h\h- Her unconventional and ever-changing approach
\hlanded over 100 hits on the Billboard 100.
We’re busting open \h\hthe archives.
- Don’t use this footage.
- Sharing everything they did \h\h\h\hfor our cameras only.
- I hope you’re ready. \h\h\hGet your popcorn.
- Only on MTV.
- Ladies and gentlemen.
\h- [roars] - [growls]
- Rock ’n’ roll.
- ♪ California girls, we’re unforgettable ♪
♪ I kissed a girl and I liked it ♪
♪ Baby you’re a firework
♪ I got the eye of the tiger, \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\ha fighter ♪
♪ Dancing through the fire
♪ I knew you were
♪ You were gonna come to me
♪ And here you are
\h♪ But you better choose carefully ♪
♪ Thought we kissed goodbye
♪ Thought we meant this time
♪ Was the last, but I guess \hit’s never really over ♪
- From sunny Santa Barbara
came the ultimate \hCalifornia girl.
In 2008, Katy’s breakout hit, \h\h\h\h\h"I Kissed a Girl..."
\h\h\h\h\h\h- ♪ The taste of her cherry Chapstick ♪
- Landed her a spot on "TRL."
\h\h\h- A big hit single, here she is, Katy Perry.
- ♪ I kissed a girl \h\hjust to try it ♪
- What an outfit. \h\h- Thank you.
- Did you really kiss a girl \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hand like it?
Is this true?
- I’m kind of saving myself \h\h\h\h\hfor Miley Cyrus.
♪ I liked it
[upbeat music]
\h\h\h\h\h\h- Before long, she hosted a circus-themed
record release party for her debut album
and MTV was there.
Wrote like 65 odd songs \h\h\h\hfor the record,
so I picked the best 12,
and they’re all different \h\hchapters of my life.
[playing "Lost" by Katy Perry]
- And fans got to see \h\h\ha different side
of the emerging pop star when she went unplugged.
- ♪ Lost
♪ Known the way
♪ And still so lost
[upbeat music]
- The KatyCats were coming out \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hin full force
\hand the fandom was about to get an iconic addition.
\h\h\h\h\h- Back in May, none other than Madonna
called the singer’s \h\h"You’re So Gay"
her favorite song.
- The feeling was mutual,
so Katy decided to pay tribute \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hto her idol,
during her first performance \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hat the VMAs.
- I’m trying to sing Madonna.
\h\h\h\hI don’t know what I’m doing here.
♪ Like a virgin
♪ With your heartbeat
♪ Next to mine
I chose "Like a Virgin" \h\hbecause VMAs 1984,
\h\h\h\hthe year I was born, Madonna did "Like a Virgin,"
so I decided to give it a shot.
\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIt went well. I got to show off my banana.
[cheers and applause]
- Almost one month later \h\h\h\h\hto the day...
- Ooh, this is fun.
- Katy went from VMA performer \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hto EMA host.
♪
\h\hKaty managed to squeeze in a dozen outfit changes...
- This is fun.
- A few songs.
- ♪ I kissed a girl \hjust to try it ♪
- And the cherry on top?
- Katy Perry.
- She won the award for Best New Artist.
- Last year I was sitting in my bedroom,
heating up mac and cheese
\hand watching this on the television,
so you can do it too.
Thank you!
\h\h\h- Fans wanted to know where this magical creature
came from, and in 2010, \hshe teamed up with MTV
for a very special homecoming.
\h\h- This is where the internet was.
\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hThe dialup. [imitates dial-up tone]
\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h- Yeah. [imitates dial-up tone]
And we were never allowed to watch MTV.
- Ever. - Ever.
- At this house I wrote \h\h\h\hmy first song,
"Trust in Me," and it actually \h\h\h\h\h\h\hended up going on
the gospel record that I did at 15.
- I don’t know if you remember \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hthis moment.
You were my first kiss. \h\h\h\h\h\h\h- Really?
\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h- Yeah. - I was your first kiss?
- You were my first kiss.
- That was my hood.
\h- ♪ You make me feel like I’m living a... ♪
♪ Teenage dream
- Her second album, \h\h"Teenage Dream,"
\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hexploded with two number one hits,
the title track...
- ♪ Baby, you’re a firework
\h\h\h\h\h\h♪ Come on, let your colors burst ♪
- And then "Firework,"
\h\h\h\h\h\hrocketing her to a new level of stardom.
- Everybody can be a firework.
It’s just all about you \h\higniting the spark
inside of you.
♪ California girls, we’re undeniable ♪
- Katy’s swerved on over \h\h\h\h\hto Snoop Dogg,
\h\h\h\hserving up the perfect combination of hip-hop and pop
with "California Gurls."
- ♪ Toned, tan, fit and ready ♪
\h\h\h\h\h\h\h♪ Turn it up, ’cause it’s getting heavy ♪
This is a number one \h\h\h\h\hhit single,
believe me when I tell you.
♪ Katy, my lady \h\h\h- ♪ Yeah?
- ♪ And looky here, baby \h\h\h\h\h\h\h- ♪ Uh-huh
- ♪ I’m all up on you
♪ ’Cause you representin’ \h\h\h\h\h\hCalifornia ♪
- ♪ Oh, yeah
Thank you. Love you.
♪ Kiss me, ki-ki-kiss me
\h\h♪ Infect me with your love and fill me with your poison ♪
- One hit pop collab \h\h\hled to another
and she found herself \h\hon Kanye’s radar.
- ♪ I’m a legend, I’m irreverent ♪
♪ I be reverend, I be so far up ♪
♪ We don’t give a...
- The 2011 VMAs would bring Katy a new career milestone.
- What does this night mean for you?
- Ten nominations, you have yet to win a Moonman.
- Well, it just means that all \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hmy hard work
has been recognized... \h\h\h\h\h\h\h- Uh-huh.
\h\h\h\h\h\h\h- By the people of MTV and the fans that are voting.
- And vote they did.
both: Katy Perry.
- ♪ Take me, ta-ta-take me
\h\h\h\h- Katy’s Kanye collab, "E.T.," finally got her a date
with the Moonman.
- Oh, my goodness.
\h\h\h\h\h\hThere’s nothing like your first time.
The first Moonman.
- Katy broke her VMA seal and opened the floodgates.
- Video of the Year goes to Katy Perry.
- ♪ Baby, you’re a firework
\h\h\h\h\h\h\hI’m very, very proud of this song,
and what it stands for, \hwhich is "Firework,"
and I feel like I am doing \h\h\h\h\h\hsomething right
when I sing that song.
[dramatic thump]
\h\h\h\h\h\h- A year later, changes in her personal life
led to an introspective time \h\h\h\h\h\hin Katy’s music.
- I called this record "Prism"
because I actually finally \h\h\h\hlet the light in,
working on myself.
\h\h\h\h\h- The result was one of the most empowering anthems
of all time.
- ♪ Roar
\h\h\h♪ I’ve got the eye of the tiger, a fighter ♪
♪ Dancing through the fire
♪ ’Cause I am the champion
♪ And you’re gonna \h\hhear me roar ♪
- Right behind "Roar,
the trap-infused single \h\h\h\h\h\h"Dark Horse"
also blew up the charts.
- ♪ Like a dark horse
♪ Are you ready for, \h\h\h\h\hready for ♪
♪ Ready for
- It was clear Katy came out \h\h\h\hstronger than ever.
[upbeat music]
Katy’s vintage theatrical \h\h\h\h\hpinup girl style
was always evolving.
♪
- I think I have a larger \h\hthan life personality
and my clothes really \h\h\h\hreflect that,
and it’s just another creative \h\h\h\h\hbranch of who I am.
It’s very fun to me.
- With her fourth album, \h\h\h\h\h\h\h"Witness,"
\h\h\hKaty emerged with a new purpose
and a new haircut.
\h\h\h\h\hShe showcased her short-hair-don’t-care style
at the VMAs.
[cheers and applause]
Katy came in for a landing \h\h\hand nailed the show.
- ♪ Swish, swish, bish
- She even squeezed \h\hin a performance
of her house inspired hit, \h\h\h\h\h\h"Swish, Swish"
with Nicki Minaj.
- ♪ Pink Ferragamo sliders \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hon deck ♪
\h\h\h\h♪ Silly rap beefs just get me more checks ♪
♪
both: ♪ So keep calm, honey, \h\h\h\h\hI’ma stick around ♪
♪ For more than a minute, \h\h\h\hget used to it ♪
♪ Funny my name keeps comin’ \h\h\h\h\h\hout your mouth ♪
♪ ’Cause I stay winning \h\h\hLay ’em up like ♪
- ♪ Swish, swish, bish
♪ No, I’ve never worn white
- Three years later,
\h\h\hin her music video for "Never Worn White,"
Katy revealed she and Orlando Bloom
were expecting.
- ♪ I do
♪ Cover me in daisies, \h\hdaisies, daisies ♪
♪ They said I’m going nowhere
- She delivered Daisy Dove Bloom
\hand a new album in the same week.
- ♪ They tell me that I’m crazy ♪
- Her album "Smile" proved \hshe is still killing it
as an artist and a new mom.
- ♪ We went from strangers \h\h\h\h\h\h\hto lovers ♪
\h\h- As we watch Katy grow through each new chapter...
- ♪ ’Cause it’s never \h\h\h\hreally over ♪
♪ Just because it’s over
- She continues to evolve
\h\hand it shines through her music.
- ♪ And I’ll have to get over \h\h\h\h\hyou all over again ♪
♪ We drew the line
♪ Right through you and I can’t keep going back♪
♪ I guess it’s never \h\h\hreally over ♪
- Rock ’n’ roll.
- Ladies and gentlemen.
- Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah. [laughs]
[upbeat music]
- Rock 'n' roll.
- ♪ Starships were meant to fly ♪
♪ In this very moment, I'm king ♪
♪ In this very moment
♪ I slayed Goliath with a sling ♪
♪ They need rappers like me
♪ Ayo, I've been north
♪ Lara been Croft
♪ Plates say Chun-Li, drop the Benz off ♪
- ♪ My anaconda don't want none ♪
♪ Unless you got buns, hun
- ♪ Boom, badoom, boom, boom, badoom, boom ♪
♪ He got that super bass
[hip-hop music]
♪ Pardon me if the clucking is bothering y'all ♪
♪ I'm just being Nicki Minaj, you know? ♪
- Lil Wayne discovered Nicki Minaj spitting bars
on the streets of Queens.
- I just thought she was gonna be the new female MC.
- The underground rapper became the first lady
of Young Money, hanging with the boys
who included a baby-faced Drake.
- Nicki Minaj.
[laughs]
- Soon, Nicki got her intro to the entire hip-hop world.
- That's my baby, Nicki Minaj.
- [screams]
- And one year later she was rapping onstage
with the Young Money crew.
- ♪ Okay, I get it, let me think ♪
♪ I guess it's my turn
♪ Maybe it's time to put this... ♪
♪ On your sideburns
♪ He say I'm bad, he probably right ♪
♪ He pressing me like button-downs ♪
♪ On a Friday night
♪ Wait, wait, hold up
♪ Maybe they ain't get that there ♪
♪ Like 1,100 horses when I switch that gear ♪
- Pretty soon she was spitting her flow
onto other people's songs.
No track was complete without a verse from Nicki.
- ♪ My name is Nicki Minaj, that's Diddy ♪
- Her fans, the Barbz, have been there since day one.
- Everybody love Nicki. Like, she's the [bleep].
[giggles]
- Watching Nicki live out her Barbie dreams
and her other alter egos, Roman and Martha Zolanski.
- It's Martha.
What?
It's Martha. [groans, laughs]
[imitating British accent] Roman is a very,
very peculiar character.
I love Mary Kay. - For real?
- And I really recommend it.
I swear to God, like, do you understand what I'm saying?
- Fire up, fire up.
- By 2010, Nicki scored a spot on MTV's notorious
Hottest MCs List.
- You're watching the 2010 Hottest MCs Edition.
- Being the first woman to make the list is a big deal.
- Thank you. Thank you.
- You deserve a round or applause.
- We actually haven't put the album out yet.
To be a part of something that Eminem
and Jay and Kanye and Wayne are a part of,
it's like, I can't believe this is happening.
- Can you please bless us with a verse?
- Uh, if I'm even gonna remember it.
You guys put me on the spot.
♪ Should've sent a thank you note, you little ho ♪
♪ Now I'ma wrap your coffin with a bow ♪
♪ Nicki, she's just mad 'cause you took the spot ♪
♪ Well, if that bitch mad-- [laughter]
I just feel like the luckiest girl in the world.
- Nicki was everywhere.
She got radio play 24/7.
TV hosts fought to score an interview,
and her live performances were epic.
But she still hadn't dropped her debut solo album.
The hype for "Pink Friday" was real.
- I'm number four on Amazon.
- You hit number four on Amazon
six weeks before your album comes out.
- [giggles] - Yo!
[hip-hop music]
- The 2010 VMAs offered Nicki a spotlight
ahead of the album's release.
- It's my first ever time performing on the VMAs,
and I'm nervous.
I know people can't wait to bash me.
- The most talked-about MC in the rap game.
Nicki Minaj is about to have
her first live solo performance.
- Four, three, two, lift off.
["Your Love" by Nicki Minaj playing]
- ♪ You got spark, you, you got spunk ♪
♪ You, you got something all the girls want ♪
♪ You're like a candy store and I'm a toddler ♪
♪ You got me wanting more and mo-mo-more ♪
♪ The type to keep a couple of hundred grand ♪
♪ In a rubber band
- Nicki's debut album was an instant hit.
- ♪ Can't you hear that boom, badoom, boom ♪
♪ Boom, badoom, boom
♪ He got that super bass
- Pink Friday, homes! both: Pink Friday!
[people cheering]
- Barbz lined up for blocks
to get a copy signed by their girl,
and for some, it was emotional overload.
- You can't even explain it in words.
It's just crazy.
- The 2011 Video Music Awards.
- Any one you really wanna win in particular?
- I'd like to win Best Hip-Hop Video.
- And the winner for the best hip-hop video goes to...
- Nicki Minaj! Ah!
- In 2011, Nicki's first win
became one of the most memorable
in VMA history.
- Oh, my God!
[cheers and applause]
Oh! Oh!
Southside Jamaica, Queens, underground female rapper.
Young Money, Cash Money.
MTV, thank you. Mwah!
- Coming off that high, she made another dream come true.
- This is the mortgage.
Again, your initial, every single page.
- This is not for me. This is for my mother.
Ooh! - Congratulations.
- It's a very, very great day.
- Did Nicki Minaj just drop the best album ever?
- Best body of work to date.
- Welcome to the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards.
- The hits and the awards kept coming.
- Best Female Video.
both: ♪ Let's go to the beach, beach ♪
It's Nicki Minaj!
- ♪ I'm on the floor, floor
♪ I love to dance
I just can't believe this even happened.
Oh, my goodness.
Like, this is another MTV award!
[vibrato vocalization]
[slap]
- But it wasn't until she used one of her biggest assets
that she became a household name.
- ♪ Got buns, hun
- A lot of butt shaking. I'm enjoying this.
- ♪ You telling me it's real that he love my sex appeal ♪
No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
No, no.
And that's what I ain't gonna do.
It's my first time actually performing on the main stage
at the VMAs. There's a lot of pressure
on this performance.
- Most artists would tell you
how stressful and exhausting VMA prep is,
but Nicki was pushed to the limits with a big scare,
and then a live SNAFU.
- We were in rehearsal
and all of a sudden someone said,
"Someone needs to call an ambulance."
- What's wrong? - Did she get bitten?
- What happened? She got bit?
The snake bit her. - Oh, my God.
The snake bit her. - Who got bit?
- Don't worry about that. Don't worry.
- Did it hurt?
- The dancer was fine, but the snake had to go.
But the show must go on, and it was time
to get her glam on and walk the red carpet.
[cheers and applause]
- ♪ My anaconda don't want none ♪
♪ Unless you got buns, hun
- Oh, my gosh. Look at her butt.
- Even without the snake,
Nicki had everyone on their feet.
- My gosh. Look at her butt.
- The drama wasn't done for Nicki.
- But then I only had 40 seconds to change.
I felt my top loosen in the back.
I just kept holding on to a little bit of hope
that that zipper was gonna go up.
I knew that if I stayed one more second,
I would've missed my cue.
When I'm faced with crazy adversities,
I turn on a switch
that I don't even know I have sometimes.
♪ Swimming in the grotto We winning in the lotto ♪
♪ We dipping in the powder blue four-door ♪
♪ Kitten so good It's dripping on wood ♪
♪ Get a ride in the engine that could ♪
I didn't come there not to go out on that stage.
The show must and will go on.
[upbeat music]
[cheers and applause]
This is the MTV EMAs!
\h- There were no snakes or wardrobe malfunctions
in sight when Nicki took on her first hosting gig
at the 2014 EMAs.
- ♪ Boom, badoom, boom, \hboom, badoom, boom ♪
♪ He got that super bass
- And she brought down \h\h\h\h\h\hthe house
with her performance \h\hof "Super Bass."
\h\h- ♪ Said, Excuse me, you’re a hell of a guy ♪
♪ I mean, my, my, my, my, you’re like pelican fly ♪
\h♪ I mean, you’re so shy and I’m loving your tie ♪
♪ You’re like slicker than the guy with the thing on his eye ♪
- There was no time to rest \h\hand the pressure was on.
Nicki got right back to work \hon her third studio album,
"The Pinkprint,"
which enjoyed sweet success,
debuting on Billboard \h\h\h\hat number two.
[upbeat music]
- Nicki!
[overlapping chatter]
- Nicki, straight ahead, \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hplease.
♪
- Nicki’s got it all now,
\h\h\h\hincluding the most creative hair in hip-hop.
Where does she get the ideas \h\h\h\h\h\h\hfor her locks?
- Ugh, out of my ass.
[laughs]
\h- No matter the source, Nicki’s got the hair game
on lock.
[overlapping chatter]
- Nicki. - Nicki.
- Today’s episode \h\his so special
\h\h\hbecause our guest is a global superstar.
In 2016, she was named \h\h\hone of "Time’"s
100 Most Influential People,
\hand she just release her highly anticipated
fourth studio album, "Queen,"
\hwhich is number one in over 85 countries.
\h\h\h\hLadies and gentlemen, please welcome to the stage,
the queen herself,
give it up for Nicki Minaj!
[cheers and applause]
I love the album.
There was a line that you said that stuck out to me.
\h- ♪ Drake worth a hundred milli ♪
♪ Always buying me...
♪ But I don’t know if the p... wet ♪
♪ Or if he crying and...
[laughs]
- That might’ve been one \h\hof the funniest lines
\h\h\hto me right there, because I know how close
Drake and you are... \h\h\h\h\h\h\h- Yeah.
- And, uh, did-- did you tell him
it was coming down \h\h\hthe pipeline?
So you didn’t even tell him?
Have you talked to him since?
[laughter]
Is he feeling a way?
[overlapping chatter]
Is he in his feelings?
- I don’t know. \h\h- [laughs]
\h\h\hBut you and Drake are still cool, though?
- That’s my baby, I love him.
You know that’s my family. \h- Okay, okay, all right.
Okay, cool.
I’m excited about the VMAs.
- I can’t say much,
but it’s gonna be very special.
[cheers and applause]
♪ Looking for a dude to give some babies ♪
- It was a VMA performance \h\h\hand a proclamation.
- ♪ Three times a night \h\h\h\h\h\hall: Peace.
- ♪ I try to...
\h- Nicki was ready to reign as queen, speaking her mind,
and leaving all the haters \h\h\h\h\h\h\hin her wake.
- ♪ Make sure it’s the KO
[cheers and applause]
♪ You gotta have real skill, \h\h\h\hgotta work for that ♪
♪ Is it really a passion?
♪ Would you give the world \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hfor that? ♪
♪ Unlike a lot of these girls \h\h\hwhether whack or lit ♪
♪ At least I can say I wrote \h\h\h\h\hevery rap I spit ♪
♪ Put my blood, sweat and tears \h\h\hin perfecting my craft ♪
♪ Still every team’s number one \h\h\h\h\h\hpick in the draft ♪
♪ You could name anybody, weatherman, pick a day ♪
♪ Kobe, KD, Kyrie! \h\hall: Pick a K!
[cheers and applause]
[upbeat music]
- Flashback to 2014.
MTV asked Nicki to predict \h\h\h\h\h\h\hher future.
- Where do you wanna be then?
- Four years from now?
I think four years is a time \h\h\h\h\h\hto have a child.
\h\hBut I would have to be married first.
\h\h\h\h\hI kind of feel like there’s a housewife
somewhere inside of here. \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h[laughs]
- Nicki’s prediction \h\h\h\hwas dead on.
\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNicki and husband Kenneth Petty
\hwelcomed a baby girl on September 30, 2020,
and we can’t wait to hear what her music says next.
[electronic music]
\h\h\h\h\h\h- Why isn’t there a female rapper turned mogul?
I mean, mogul.
Having an empire that lives on \h\h\h\hbeyond your rap career.
I don’t know why women \h\h\h\hhaven’t done--
I just wanna be the first \h\h\h\h\hwoman to do it,
and I will be.
♪
- Rock ’n’ roll.