Posted by Andrew Unterberger on 12/05/2011 at 2:05 PM Videos

The Popdust Files: award shows, Billboard, nicki minaj, super bass, taylor swift

Of the many female megastars currently ruling the pop landscape, perhaps only Taylor Swift gets more emotional at award shows than Nicki Minaj. Talking about her humble beginnings, her YMCMB team, and most of all, her fans, Nicki tends to get a little effusive when face to face with how far she’s come in such a short time in the game. Receiving Billboard’s “Rising Star” honors over the weekend at a New York event, Nicki lost it a little bit when starting to talk about “a couple little kids…maybe a few million…I call them my barbs.” The rapper went on, getting progressively more choked up: “I know they’re not in here today, but I know they’ll hear me say this: Barbs, I love you so much for being by my side for such a long time. ”

Nicki also thanked Billboard for supporting her in the early stages of her career (“Even before ‘Super Bass,’ and even before Pink Friday, you believed in me”) and saluted her fellow female pop stars for showing her that “you can be your own boss and ythat ou can make can music that you want.” Then talking with Robin Roberts, Nicki discussed one pop star who had a particular effect on her breakout year—Taylor Swift, whom Minaj has never been shy about crediting for her role in making “Super Bass” such a smash hit. “I think after Taylor Swift tweeted [about the song], ‘Super Bass’ climbed up like 80-something spots, the same day, on iTunes,” said Nicki. “And that’s why people don’t understand why I keep on thanking Taylor Swift, but this is real.”

Yet another in the series of Moments 4 Life that have made up Nicki Minaj’s 2011. We’re oddly happy for you, Nicki.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Y8aADnJzmFo