Nicki Minaj finally confirmed what many had speculated for weeks now: she and Kenneth “Zoo” Petty are proud parents of a bouncing bundle of joy. In an Oct. 15 Instagram post, Nicki, 37, revealed that she gave birth to a boy, and she did so in the most Nicki-est of ways: by flexing. Nicki shared a gallery of cards from some A-level celebrities, famous friends like Beyoncé, fashion designer Riccardo Tisci, Winnie Harlow, Kim Kardashian, and Kanye West. “Thank you to Queen B, Kim & Ye, Riccardo Tisci, Winnie, Karol & everyone who sent well wishes during this time,” Nicki captioned the photo. “It meant the world to me. I am so grateful & in love with my son. Madly in love. My favorite liddo boy in the whole wide world.”
Though this was a little bit of Nicki showing off (how many other people get handwritten notes from Beyonce when their baby is born?), her gratitude was sincere – as was the love for Nicki and her new baby. “Onika,” wrote Beyonce, addressing Nicki by her birth name. “Welcome to motherhood. God bless you and your family.” Kim and Kanye printed out their note, but the love was no less authentic. “Congrats! We love you!” “Dearest Nicki,” wrote Ricardo. “Congratulations on your baby! Wishing you and your family health and happiness.”
“Baby Barb on Board!” wrote Winnie Harlow. “Congratulations, sis. Happy for the healthy delivery of your first bundle of joy! Sending you blessings and prayers on this new journey.” Karol – presumably Karol G, who Nicki teamed with for the song “Tusa” – wrote, “Congratulations! May God bless you and your family!”
Unfortunately, Nicki didn’t share any more details about her boy, like his name or official birthdate. She reportedly gave birth in secret on Sept. 30, with TMZ reporting that she and Kenneth welcomed their baby out in Los Angeles. Some Barbz thought that she might have given birth earlier than that, thanks to a comment Nicki’s mother, Carol Maraj, made on Instagram. “Motherhood already looks beautiful on you!” she wrote for a #WCW, but eager Barbz jumped on this flattery as a low-key alert that their “queen” had birthed a royal baby.
Mrs. Petty announced her pregnancy with on July 19. “#Preggers,” she captioned the shot of her growing baby bump. The photo was taken from a larger shoot by photographer Alex “Grizz” Loucas. One of the photos – where Nicki looked like the Virgin Mary while surrounded by nature — mirrored Beyonce’s famous pregnancy announcement. Judging by the handwritten note she sent Nicki after her son was born, Beyonce was a fan of the pic.