“I don’t care who’s looking at me or in the car with me. If I feel like dancing, I dance.”
- The Ride
- The Driver: Elliot
- Car in Question: 1999 Chevy Cavalier
- Spotted at: Reggie’s Music Joint, 2105 S. State Street Chicago, IL 60616
- Odometer: 103,000
- Car’s Nickname: Minaj
THE DEFENSE
Q: Hi Elliot. Is that The Club I spy in the back?
A: My mother gave it to me. I don’t have a garage, so I have to park my car on the street. Because of that, I want to make sure it’s protected at all times. When I park it at night, I put this on. It might be a throwback, but I don’t care. The safety of my car comes first.
Q: It’s understandable that you want to protect your investment. How long have you and Minaj been together?
A: Since February of this year. I’ve been saving up since last year. I always wanted a car, but I had other responsibilities to take care of. Now that I’m back home, I used the money I would have used for rent to save up for a car.
Q: Is this your first car?
A: Sure is! It fit in my price range. I wasn’t looking for anything fancy to be honest. I just needed something reliable that could get me from point A to point B. I shopped around a lot before I settled on this one. Finally, I went to a used car lot on the Southwest Side and snatched it up.
Q: What do you mainly use Minaj for?
A: I really don’t have a life, so I mainly just use it for work. Other than that, I might run a couple of errands.
Q: No joyriding?
A: Definitely not. Gas is too high to go anywhere anyway. If the gas prices go down, then you will see me anywhere and everywhere. But, since it’s almost $5 a gallon, I’ll happily sit myself down on the couch and be content!
Q: Finally, the last and most important question. Why do you call your car Minaj?
A: It’s pretty simple. Nicki Minaj is my favorite artist right now. So in her honor, I decided to name my car Minaj.
Photos and interview by Nicolette Chambers
View previous Defend Your Ride features as well as other great stories for people who love cars at CBSChicago.com/Autos.
