<!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3><br>THE father of rapper Nicki Minaj has died after being struck by a hit-and-run driver near New York City, police said Sunday.</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3>Robert Maraj, 64, was walking on a road in Mineola, Long Island when he was hit, Nassau County Police Department said in a statement.</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:image {"id":304593,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="http://tempo.com.ph/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/nicki-minaj-ig1.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-304593"/><figcaption><strong>NICKI Minaj</strong> (IG)</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3>The driver left the scene of the accident, and Maraj was taken to hospital, where he was pronounced dead on Saturday.</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3>“The investigation is ongoing,” police added.</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3>The statement did not specify Maraj’s relationship to Minaj, but a police spokesman confirmed he was her father.</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3>Minaj, 38, was born in Trinidad and Tobago and raised in the Queens borough of New York City.</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3>The rapper has been nominated for 10 Grammy awards during her career. <strong>(AFP)</strong></h3> <!-- /wp:heading -->