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Nicki Minaj’s little one, Papa Bear, celebrated his 4th birthday on Monday (Sept. 30). The Barbz commenced the festivities a bit before, with #PapaBear trending on Twitter featuring nearly 10,000 tweets, followed by the New York rapper expressing a touching message to her son just after midnight.
In a heartfelt Instagram post, Minaj shared, “Happy 4th birthday, sweetheart. You’ve brought so much joy to Mama and Daddy. From the moment you were in Mama’s belly, you imparted a new sense of purpose to my life: hope. May God watch over you always and guide your journey. No weapon designed against you shall succeed. In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen.”
Alongside her heartfelt words, the “FTCU” artist posted charming snapshots of Papa Bear from over the years, including moments with his father, Kenneth Petty, as well as clips of him enjoying The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl.
In an intimate chat with Jada Pinkett Smith for Interview Magazine, Minaj elaborated on the significance of motherhood in her life. “Firstly, being a mom is the greatest blessing on this planet. I’m incredibly grateful that God granted me this experience,” she said.
“I’ve always had a deep affection for children and have been great with them, but in recent years, I started realizing the enormous change it would bring because I was accustomed to my freedom,” Minaj continued. “I knew having a baby would transform my life, but I absolutely adore it. I love my son to such an extent that I wonder if it’s even normal.”
Musically, the rapper referred to Papa Bear in her 2023 track “Are You Gone Already,” where she expressed her feelings about losing her father before he could meet his grandson. This song was featured on Pink Friday 2, for which Minaj is currently touring throughout North America.