Nicki Minaj’s father, Robert Maraj, has died after being struck by a hit-and-run driver in New York.
The 64-year-old was hit while walking between Roslyn Road and Raff Avenue in Mineola on Long Island, New York at 6.15pm local time on Friday, February 12.
The driver failed to stop and witnesses to the scene were not immediately able to provide a meaningful description to police.
Maraj was taken to a hospital in critical condition, and he was pronounced dead the following day.
A representative for Minaj confirmed the loss of her father, but the singer has not yet publicly spoken about his death.
Minaj was born Onika Tanya Maraj in Trinidad before travelling to America at the age of five, where she went on to be raised in New York City.
She has spoken about her relationship with her father on a number of occasions, and while photos of the two of them together on social media indicate they had a good relationship she has previously discussed crack cocaine use and domestic violence at her childhood home, including an incident in which her father tried to burn down her house, the New York Times reports.
The singer told the publication she was not personally abused by her father, but that he ‘was just abusive’, adding: ‘I would always hear him yelling and cursing, always. And it made me feel it was the way to interact, because that’s how I saw him interacting.’
Nassau county police are asking any further witnesses to the hit-and-run incident to come forward to assist with the investigation.
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence contact Cruse Bereavement Care via their national helpline on 0808 808 1677.
Topics: Celebrity, New York, Nicki Minaj, Now
