After linking up with Kenneth Petty in November 2018, Nicki Minaj quickly announced her shocking
retirement from music to start a family.
But is she rushing into a bad situation?
Here's why we're worried about Nicki and Kenneth's relationship.
A major rap sheet
Before becoming known as the future Mr. Minaj, Petty had an alleged criminal history that
would give most women pause.
Court records obtained by TMZ revealed that Petty was convicted of first degree attempted
assault in the mid-'90s, and reportedly served four years for the offense.
But Petty's alleged violent history didn't end there.
In 2002, Petty reportedly shot a man three times in his, and Nicki's, shared hometown
of Queens, according to TMZ.
Petty was initially charged with second degree murder, but pleaded down to first degree manslaughter,
and was eventually released from prison in 2013.
But he supposedly couldn't stay out of trouble during this sentence.
TMZ reported that Petty allegedly racked up a slew of violations, ranging from threats
of violence and fighting to disobedience and creating a disturbance.
He spent four months in solitary confinement and also quote, "lost phone, recreation and
commissary privileges" due to his alleged conduct.
Nicki defends his past
On a July 2019 episode of her Queen Radio show, Minaj lashed out at critics, especially
those who pointed out that Petty's alleged criminal record and reported lack of known
employment may have made him a less-than-ideal partner…particularly when compared to the
likes of Nicki's exes Nas, Meek Mill and Safaree Samuels.
Referencing the fact that she first met Petty when they were teens, Minaj snapped,
"When a person is with a n---- that loved them before they had a dime in their f---ing
pocket.
How do you not understand that?"
And she quickly added,
"How do you not understand happiness versus clout?"
Did he flash a gun on Insta?
It's not surprising that many of Nicki's beloved "Barbies" were concerned when they believed
Petty flashed a gun during a since-deleted Instagram Live session in September 2019.
"My wife, get your own, n-----."
One fan tweeted of the alleged incident,
"SIS NICKI MINAJ?!
After countless mass shootings this summer, you let him walk into a Live with your kindergarten
fans watching with a gun in his pocket?!
Are you DUMB?!"
Another fan pointed out on Twitter that, depending on Petty's legal situation, possession of
a firearm could potentially land him in hot water with authorities again.
A history of toxic relationships
In September 2019, Minaj revealed that she's been in abusive relationships in her past,
but claimed that her current relationship with Petty was very different.
She tweeted:
"When u see a woman in a toxic relationship, rather than laugh & say mean things, try to
offer sound advice from your heart & root for her to learn her worth.
We've all been there.
I saw my parents fight & argue non stop & never divorce, so I thought this was normal behavior."
"I was behind the scenes of course, wishing it never happened."
She added in a follow-up tweet that any man who truly loves a woman would never belittle,
beat or humiliate her, nor would he hide anything from her, either.
She wrote:
"I remember being so afraid to speak cuz I never knew when that person would be in a
particular mood and I could maybe say one wrong thing that would get me hit.
So the [difference] you see in me now is that feeling when a woman feels lifted up, safe,
appreciated & unconditionally loved."
In a hurry to settle down
Some believe Minaj may have rushed to settle down with Petty in order to become a mom.
"I'm obsessed with babies.
Obsessed."
The rapper told Complex back in 2014,
"If I'm done with my fifth album and I don't have a child by then, no matter how much money
I have, I would be disappointed, as a woman, because I feel like I was put here to be a
mother…I'd rather not do anything that's going to be on paper but I definitely will
be married before I have my baby."
This may explain why Minaj and Petty got their marriage license less than a year after going
public with their relationship.
"She was trying to be in disguise, but she was wearing this long hair ensemble."
Of course, this is all purely speculation.
And ultimately, we wish the rapper nothing but the best in her life outside of music,
and potential marriage to Petty, so here's hoping all of these concerns will amount to
nothing more than a little Barbie buzz.
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