(CNN) - Saudi Arabia has invited rapper Nicki Minaj to perform this month, an unusual move for the famously conservative kingdom. Minaj is scheduled to headline the Jeddah World Fest, a music and performance festival, on July 18. Minaj is known for more than just her rap skills, with explicit lyrics and risque performances sometimes taking center stage. So why did she get an invite to Saudi Arabia, where public spaces are mostly segregated by gender and women's rights are still restricted? This year, Mariah Carey held her own concert in Saudi Arabia, despite backlash from women's rights activists.

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