Nikki-D Promotional Portrait

Nikki D (Nichelle Strong, b. 1968) is known as the first female rapper signed to Def Jam Records. At the young age of 15 Nikki D was discovered by veteran rapper and actor Ice T who took Nikki under his wing and made her his protégé. In 1992, Strong released her first single, “Daddy's Little Girl,” which appeared on soundtrack for the indie film Just Another Girl on the I.R.T. and reached #1 on the US Billboard Hot Rap Singles chart. Over the next decade, Nikki D toured nationally and internationally, as well as guest performing with other Rap artists, such as Redman, EPMD, and Queen Latifah. Nikki D also was the host of BET’s Rap City and Yo! MTV Raps. Nikki left the mic and branched out as a music executive and worked directly with Lyor Cohen and Russell Simmons, where she administered deals between Def Jam, Ruff Ryder, and Rockafella, as well as lead the A&R department for Queen Latifah’s label Flavor Unit records.