The “Big Difference” MC explained to Ebro Darden what the distinction between her real-life persona and her combative alter-egos is.

Nicki Minaj’s new interview with Ebro Darden on Apple Music held so much compelling conversation and so many takeaways that we’re still parsing through its best moments. Moreover, they discussed her new album Pink Friday 2, her place in the rap game, her personal growth and current state, and much more. In addition, they also spoke on common criticism that the rapper is a “bully” for demeaning her peers, something that she was quick to laugh off. It’s a bit of an ironic reaction for an accused bully to tease folks as to why she would care about such a thing, but that’s just Roman being Roman.

“You’re just getting Nicki when you hear the music,” Nicki Minaj told the journalist and commentator during their sit-down. “The other stuff is work and some of it is play. I mean, let’s face it. This is my f***ing job. I have to have some sort of fun. If it means making fun of these h*es– why the f**k not? The thing is though, I’ve realized it’s like a movie. They’ve made me the bad guy so I’ve welcomed the challenge. You know why? It’s because I know I can accept that challenge. None of them can. None.”

Nicki Minaj’s Full Interview With Ebro: Watch

Furthermore, she also spoke on her acclaim in the rap game and how it differs to the critical leniency male rappers receive. “[It] always has mattered to me that, whether you knew how I look, whether you knew where I was from, whether you knew if I was a male, female, whatever, all that mattered to me was that, ‘Are they liking my raps?'” Nicki Minaj expressed. “And somewhere along the line, that shifted, and it’s everyone’s fault, as a whole, as our culture. It’s *nsane to go backwards. And I’m keeping it a thousand, because when I think about the people who inspired me, I can still pull from them right now. That’s why Biggie, rest in peace, he seems to always make his way on my projects. And I didn’t even realize that. You know what I’m saying?

“So thank God I had those kinds of people that, right now, I can still pull inspiration from them when I don’t have anything to pull from,” she continued. “Whether it’s Biggie, whether it’s Jay, whether it’s Foxy, whether it’s Wayne, whether it’s Lauryn Hill. Because they were so great, I don’t care about any of Biggie Smalls’ videos or Lauryn Hill’s videos. I care about the music. When I was riding on the trains to school, I had my CD player and my headphones. I didn’t give a s**t about what any of them looked like. And it kind of has become a little whatever.” For more news and the latest updates on Nicki Minaj, keep checking in with HNHH.