Nicki Minaj graced the cover(s) of V magazine, and we have the pics and part of her interview here. Check it:
During a radio interview last summer in support of Kanye West’s new single, “Monster”—a psych-rap posse track featuring Jay-Z, Rick Ross, Nicki Minaj, and indie-folk singer Bon Iver—West declared Minaj to be “the scariest artist in the game right now—she has the most potential to be the number two rapper of all time.” (Number one, in Kanye’s mind, being Eminem.) It was the kind of outré pronouncement we’ve come to expect from West, but nevertheless the sound bite set off serious reverberations in the rap community. Nicki Minaj…the funny face with the Day-Glo wigs, bounteous curves, and multiple personalities? Number two rapper of all time? In old-school hip hop circles the idea could be considered profane.
But halfway through 2010, Minaj was enjoying heavy buzz following a series of underground mixtapes and a record for the most simultaneous entries in the Billboard Hot 100 by a female MC, with six of those seven singles featuring her as the guest on records by men. “$50K for a verse, no album out!” she rapped on “Monster,” with the rest of her lacerating lyrics besting all the dudes assembled on the track. She was in demand and she knew it. And by the time she did have an album out—her debut, Pink Friday, was released on Universal Motown at the end of November—the mainstream music press had already anointed her the new queen of hip hop.
Here are some pics:
Nicki rocks this patterned Versace number as a part of the Discovery Issue that was photographed by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinood Matadin.
“Everything I do has been approved by me personally. My team is mostly made up of guys, but none of them would ever think about telling me what to wear or what to do with my hair. They know that ultimately I’m gonna do what I’m gonna do.” –Nicki Minaj
Nicki recently talked about the shoot on Twitter saying:
"Its safe to say my cover shoot in V Magazine is dedicated to my gays and fashionistas. My most bad ass shoot to date. On stands in 3 days ;)"
Photography by: Inez Van Lamsweerde & Vinoodh Matadin