Nicki Minaj Announces She’s Expecting First Child, Shows off Baby Bump

Rapper Nicki Minaj shocked fans on Monday by announcing she is pregnant. She posted a characteristically extravagant photo of herself in brightly colored hair and makeup, holding cradling her belly in bejeweled hands. Her caption read simply: “Preggers.”

Minaj offered no further details on her pregnancy, though fans began guessing how far along she is and asking about the details of the process so far. The 37-year-old married her boyfriend, Kenneth Petty last year. The two dated as teenagers, and reunited in 2018 after Petty was released from prison.

Fans flooded the comment section of Minaj’s post with well-wishes and congratulations, with some proclaiming that she had “saved 2020” from the deluge of bad news. Many were excited to see how Minaj handles motherhood, as she is already an icon in her own right. “It’s going to be a baby girl, congrats!” one fan predicted. Another added: “This baby already has more lifetime achievements than I do. BABY MINAJ.”

Minaj followed up her first post with another one. Here she posted in a different, yet equally over-the-top outfit — bedazzled platform high heels and white lace stockings beneath a beaded, silk bikini. The rapper had lace on her hands and over-sized shoulder pads as well, clutching her hips and her midsection with long fingernailed hands. Her hair was blue-green and piled high on her head, topped with a bow, while her make-up was colored to match. Minaj did not include a caption here at all.

Minaj joins other celebrities — such as Jessica Biel over the weekend — who have kept their pregnancies a secret during the coronavirus pandemic. However, much of Minaj’s relationship with Petty has been similarly secretive. The two had a relatively private marriage in October, announcing that they were wed before they had even revealed that they were engaged.

In part, the secrecy may be a defensive measure for Minaj, who took a lot of criticism for reigniting her relationship with Petty back in 2018. Petty is a registered sex offender in the state of New York, convicted in 1995 for attempting first-degree rape of a 16-year-old girl. However, Minaj has defended Petty publicly, writing in an Instagram comment: “He was 15, she was 16… in a relationship. But go awf Internet. Y’all can’t run my life. Y’all can’t even run y’all own life. Thank you boo.”

Petty served his prison sentence for manslaughter after he was convicted in 2002, according to a report by PEOPLE. Judging by the social media response to her pregnancy announcement, Minaj’s most die-hard fans have gotten used to Petty by now.