Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty (born December 8, 1982), known professionally as Nicki Minaj (/mɪˈnɑːʒ/), is a Trinidadian-born rapper, singer, songwriter, and actress. Dubbed as the "Queen of Rap" by several media outlets, Minaj is one of the most influential and best selling female artists of all time, with 137 million records sold worldwide. She has garnered praise for her animated rapping, her versatility as an artist and her songwriting which utilizes metaphors, double entendres, and wordplay.