Nicki Minaj's Sister Comes out as Bisexual

'It was always like that actually,' said Minaj's sister.

By Ashley Turner

Ming Luanli, also known as Ming Li, Nicki Minaj's 18-year-old sister, has publicly come out as bisexual. The aspiring artist made this personal announcement during her appearance on the We In Miami podcast, where she also discussed her complex relationship with her famous sibling and her own budding music career.

Li, who shares a father with Minaj but has a different mother, opened up about her sexuality. She explained that her attraction to both genders had been a part of her self-awareness from a young age. "It was always like that actually," Li confessed, describing how she had long harbored feelings for girls but initially struggled to distinguish between fleeting emotions and genuine attraction. 

She added, "I always had, like, that type of mindset where I think I might like a girl like when I was younger but I wasn't sure if that was just a feeling or that was just like me just, just talking or just me hearing other things from other people about it at the time."

The young rapper recounted her first same-sex experience, revealing that she was "13 [in] seventh grade" when she shared her first kiss with another girl. Li seems to have explored her sexuality in an accepting environment so she could embrace her identity without pressure or judgment.

However, Li's journey hasn't been without its challenges. Growing up as the half-sister of one of the most recognizable figures in the music industry brought its own set of difficulties. Li spoke candidly about the bullying she endured throughout her school years, with peers often making her uncomfortable by prying into her relationship with Minaj or asking invasive questions. 

"In elementary, middle school, high school, the moment people knew who I was, it was either like they would ask me about my sister or ask me like just weird things that's gonna make me feel uncomfortable," Li shared, highlighting the isolation she experienced despite her connection to a global superstar. She added, "At the time, I felt not only attacked, I felt vulnerable. I felt like I was by myself."

Despite their familial bond, Li disclosed that her relationship with Minaj has never been particularly close. The significant age gap of 23 years between the sisters has likely contributed to this distance. Li revealed, "I've never called her Nicki, by her name, at all. Calling her Nicki always felt weird, I've always called her Onika too [her real name], on top of all that. … But we was never close, but we had a good bond. She was always like busy, she be busy and stuff like that, I be doing my s—, too. But at the end of the day, I know that I still got love for her, she still got love for me, and I'mma still be proud of her."

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As Li embarks on her own musical journey, she acknowledges the long shadow cast by her sister's success. While admitting that she may never reach the same level of fame as Minaj, Li expressed her desire to impress her sister and achieve her own form of greatness in the industry. 

She stated that Minaj has come "a long way" and that she doesn't think she'll ever "be at the same level," but she hopes to "impress her" and reach "her type of greatness" one day. Li's musical debut came earlier this year with the release of her music video "Do It Again," featuring Rakeem Love. 

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