Nicki Minaj Expresses Regret Over Plastic Surgeries, Was Unhappy With Her Appearance

Trinidadian rapper Nicki Minaj recently revealed on The Run-Through with Vogue podcast that she regrets past plastic surgery decisions. The 40-year-old singer, known for hits such as Starships and Super Bass, expressed her opinion on the widely held belief that changing one's appearance through surgery may lead to later feelings of self-acceptance. Minaj's candid discussion sheds light on the difficulties of dealing with body image issues in the spotlight.

During the podcast, Minaj expressed her belief that people who undergo surgical changes to their bodies often have a moment of realization, questioning whether they were fine the way they were before. She admitted that she, too, had gone on an introspective journey, expressing surprise at some of the photos she used to dislike, as reported by People.

"I guarantee you, if you change anything on your body and do anything surgical and all this, you’re going to—more than likely—look back one day and say, ‘I was fine just the way I was,' " Minaj informed the podcast hosts, Chioma Nnadi and Chloe Malle. And that’s what happened to me," she said. "I could not believe even some photos I didn’t love."

Minaj's physical transformation journey dates back to her early career when she struggled with body image insecurities. When asked about her appearance at the Carolina Herrera Show in September 2011, she admitted to avoiding looking at old photos because "I didn't like the way I looked." During that time, the rapper expressed dissatisfaction with being skinny, having a flat bottom, and other aspects of her physical appearance.

Minaj emphasized the impact of her growing public persona on her self-perception. She described her fame in the music industry as a "very scary" fishbowl with millions of eyes watching her every move. The rapper highlighted the societal pressures that come with celebrity, where external expectations often drive people to seek perfection through cosmetic procedures.

Minaj attributed her improved self-esteem to the birth of her 3-year-old son, affectionately known as "Papa Bear." Pregnancy pushed her to reconnect with her "real self," as seeing her son reminded her of her essence. This realization made her wonder why she hadn't embraced her true self sooner.

“I think pregnancy could’ve played a role because seeing my son did remind me of myself so much, my real self and it made me think, Why didn’t I like this? So weird," Minaj said. “But seeing old photos, being able to look at old photos again made me realize, ‘These old photos are beautiful.’”

While Minaj did not go into specifics about her plastic surgery procedures during the Vogue podcast, she previously mentioned having "ass shots" on The Joe Budden Podcast in March 2022.