Nicki Minaj turned down Gucci Mane’s offer to sign in the late 2000s, citing concerns about his influence on her career
Nicki Minaj never made the signing with Gucci Mane in the late 2000s because she was quoted by her former manager, Debra Antney, as saying he would “destroy her”.
Antney, who also happens to be the mother of Waka Flocka Flame, managed a host of Atlanta artists including Gucci and OJ Da Juiceman, just before getting into business with Minaj towards the end of 2008. It was almost two years since at-that-time-revered rapper Lil Wayne discovered Minaj but had not given her a deal, so she decided to move to Atlanta to be near Antney and work on that signing.
Her period in Atlanta saw Minaj spend a lot of time with Gucci and his 1017 crew, which set off conversations about her joining his label. However, according to Antney, Minaj knew that wasn’t the right move.
In an interview on Ray Daniels’ The GAUDS Show on November 25, Antney explained, “That was one of the things she knew: Gucci was going to destroy her. That nigga was always in jail, always in beefs, always in some trouble. She wasn’t going to shine over there. I remember giving Baby that tape and saying, “You’re going to be a fool if you don’t sign this girl.”
