Nicki Minaj decided not to make a deal with Gucci Mane in the late 2000s because she believed he would harm her, as stated by her former manager Debra Antney.
Antney, who is Waka Flocka’s mother, started managing New York-based Minaj in late 2008 after already managing Atlanta-based stars such as her son, Gucci, and OJ Da Juiceman. Despite being discovered and endorsed by Lil Wayne nearly two years earlier, the Pink Friday rapper had not received a deal from him yet. So, she chose to relocate to Atlanta to be near Deb and focus on getting signed.
During her time there, Minaj hung out often with Gucci and his 1017 group, sparking discussions about her potentially joining them – though Deb, she was aware it wasn’t the right decision.
During an appearance on Ray Daniels’ The GAUDS Show on Monday (November 25), the experienced music manager revealed: “She was aware that Gucci was going to ruin her.” That guy remained in prison, remained in conflicts, remained in trouble. She wasn’t going to be successful. I recall sitting with Baby and giving him that cursed tape. I handed him the CD and told him, ‘You’d be foolish not to sign this girl.’”
The convo begins around the 1-hour mark below.
Nicki Minaj and Deb Antney separated as the rapper became a superstar in the 2010s, but they reconciled earlier this year.
Their gathering was captured on Instagram, with Minaj praising Deb for consistently supporting her, especially during difficult times. No matter the situation, whenever the speaker called this woman crying, she would downplay the situation and tell her to stop.
She added: “It was wonderful for me to have a female ally in the music industry.” Do you understand? And let me know that there was nothing incorrect about me. As the leader of Mizay Entertainment, Antney played a crucial role in altering Atlanta’s path in the world of Hip Hop.
Playing a less prominent role, she has contributed to the creation of the largest online radio station in the city, B100, known for being a launching pad for numerous up-and-coming artists.
Antney has made multiple appearances on VH1’s Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta through Flocka’s storyline with his ex-wife Tammy Rivera, appealing to the reality TV-obsessed audience.
However, when she spoke to HipHopDX in 2016, she attributed the success of her artists to having a flawless team supporting her.
“I can’t accept all the praise as I had a great team with me during that period,” she stated. The artist played a more significant role than the industry in the overall scenario. The subject was the artist. All of them were artists who were injured, and if you’re familiar with me, that’s my main passion in aiding others.
She added: “My experience in case management as a social worker is what shaped it to be what it is now.” I am unable to control my heart. My focus wasn’t just on observing their progress in the industry, but also on helping them achieve their goals or guiding them towards their desired destination.
I simply wished to turn their dreams into reality and protect them. Once more, there were several individuals who were simply in pain. The focus was not on the industry to stay authentic. “It was simply instinctual.”
