Nicki Minaj is a globally-celebrated rapper, with five studio albums, four headlining tours, and multiple prestigious awards under her belt. Voice-acting is one of Minaj's lesser-known talents, with her first gig as a voiceover artist being Ice Age: Continental Drift (2012).
Two years later, Nicki Minaj was cast to voice a character in an animated TV series titled Steven Universe that was broadcast on Cartoon Network. Minaj voiced Sugilite, a character which was brought forth by the combination of Amethyst and Garnet's powers.
Steven Universe first aired on Cartoon Network in November 2013. It spanned over five seasons (160 episodes) which concluded in January 2019.
Nicki Minaj's character appears in two episodes of Steven Universe
Nicki Minaj's debut on Steven Universe is in the twentieth episode of the show's first season. In the episode titled Coach Steven, Crystal Gems - the heroes of Earth - need to destroy a malfunctioning antenna in the ancient communication hub to prevent things from going haywire.
On their own, it would take them all day to break the antenna down piece by piece. As a quicker alternative, Garnet and Amethyst decide to combine their power through an elaborate dance. At the end of the dance, a huge, purple ray of light is produced, and from that comes Sugilite - a purple rampaging fusion.
Sugilite has four arms, large canine-like teeth, and five eyes. Four of her eyes are covered by stylish goggles. The giant can also summon a large, fist-like wrecking ball, which she then uses to break the hub apart violently.
Sugilite's character is a perfect embodiment of Nicki Minaj's larger-than-life essence. The Starships rapper's effortless confidence and sass flow right through her.
Despite her overwhelming presence, Sugilite has an underlying sweetness as she wants to see Steven happy and is there to do exactly what he and Pearl have been trying to accomplish.
That being said, Sugilite appears to get a bit carried away when she's on a rampage. Towards the end, the purple giant refuses to leave even after the hub has been destroyed. Ultimately, Peal has to get rid of her to get the plot of the story moving.
The next time Sugilite appears in the show is in the eleventh episode of its second season. In the episode titled Cry For Help, Sugilite is called upon again because the communication hub is being reassembled.
This time, Sugilite's character has no voice. She uses her ultimate wind-up punch to destroy the communication hub for the last time. Later in the episode, it is revealed that Steven and Amethyst suspected Peridot of rebuilding the hub, they catch Pearl red-handed in the act.
Minaj plays the character of a woolly mammoth in Ice Age 4
Two years before Nicki Minaj voiced Sugilite in Steven Universe, she was a voice artist in the fourth installation of Ice Age: Continental Drift. The rapper lent her voice to the character of Steffie in the movie - a woolly mammoth who was the girlfriend of Peaches' crush, Ethan (voiced by Drake).
Talking about being part of the movie on the Flicks and Bits podcast in July 2012, the rapper said:
"I just think it's a blessing and an honour. And seriously, I can't believe I'm in an Ice Age movie. My nieces and my little brothers, they're freaking out. They think I'm making it up. They won't believe it until the movie comes out that I'm doing a voice in Ice Age 4."
The movie was released in the US on July 13, 2012, and was followed by Ice Age: Collision course two years later.