Ring in the new year with Nicki Minaj. The Harajuku Barbie has been added to the super-sized lineup for “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest.”

Nicki will cap of a successful year by hitting the stage when the ball drops in the final hours of 2011, serving up some hits off her debut Pink Friday including “Super Bass,” reports EW.com.

She joins Gym Class Heroes, Taio Cruz, will.i.am, Florence + the Machine, LMFAO, OneRepublic, and more as a performer on the annual special. Fergie and Jenny McCarthy will co-host alongside Dick Clark and Ryan Seacrest.

Count down the final moments of 2011 by tuning into ABC beginning at 10 p.m. on New Year’s Eve.

Source: Rap-Up.com

Watch the world premiere of the video today on 106th and Park!

Nicki Minaj attended the Billboard’s Sixth Annual Women in Music event at the Capitale on December 2, 2011 in New York City.

Taylor Swift and rising star Nicki Minaj headlined a list of Women in Music industry that was topped by Atlantic Records’ Julie Greenwald, who appeared alongside boss Lyor Cohen, CEO of Warner Music.

Billboard editorial director Bill Werde said he was repeatedly asked why Billboard still ranks its Women In Music honorees, which was expanded from 30 to 40 this year. “We believe in taking an editorial stance to keep the industry striving to work harder,” he said.

That sentiment was echoed by Minaj, who told ABC News’ Robin Roberts during an onstage Q&A that she dealt with a lot of rejection before reaching her current place in the pop culture stratosphere. “I’ve had a lot of doors closed in my face,” she said. “I’m no different than any struggling artist that just tried one last time.”

Friday’s event fell on a particularly busy day for Minaj, who debuted her new single “Roman In Moscow” from her upcoming album “Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded” on iTunes just minutes before walking the red carpet. She also revealed plans for a one-of-a-kind Barbie doll made in partnership with Mattel, to be auctioned off next Wednesday at Divine Design’s five-day gala in Beverly Hills on CharityBuzz.com.

Minaj told Roberts that the new album is “so much fun from beginning to end” and will explore multiple genres. “It’s … grimy,” she said.

Although Swift and Minaj never shared the stage at Billboard’s event, a career highlight for both artists from 2011 was performing Minaj’s “Super Bass” at Los Angeles’ Staples Center earlier this year. Minaj credits Swift’s early praise of the song, and subsequent shout-outs on radio and tweets to her fans, as having a direct impact on the song’s path from “Pink Friday” bonus cut to her highest-charting single to date. “I just saw her last week, and I told her, ‘This is not something I’m saying to the cameras. This is something you had a hand in.’ This just shows the power of her words.”

Both honorees had important people to thank for helping them in their way to the top. Swift credited her parents with teaching her the importance of personal responsibility and integrity in her career. “It’s just easier to stand by the decisions you’ve made [yourself],” she said, noting that she sits in on every management and publicity meeting to make sure she’s on the same page as her team on every decision.

And Minaj had a message for the room of fellow honorees at the end of her acceptance speech. “To everyone out there, I am so proud of you for showing me this can be done. You can be your own boss, and make your own music, and project an image you believe in and keep good morals and all that good stuff.”

The event closed with a performance by S-Curve recording artist Andy Grammer, who paid tribute to Swift with an acoustic version of her hit “Mine” and dedicated his own single “Keep Your Head Up” to Minaj and the rest of this year’s honorees. [Source]

There are many reasons people love to bash the Grammys, but one of the most frequent punching bags is the Best New Artist category. Whether it goes to someone music fans have never heard of (2010′s Esperanza Spalding), an act who’s been around forever (2001′s Shelby Lynne), or one that even at his or her peak seemed unworthy at best (notorious 1981 flash-in-the-pan Christopher Cross), Best New Artist is a perennial head-scratcher.

By Recording Academy rules, the award is for a musician or band who releases an album during the year of eligibility that establishes their “public identity” as an artist. That doesn’t mean it’s their first album or that they suddenly appeared on the scene just that year, because, really, no act just materializes out of thin air and makes their way to the Grammys without years of unseen road, club and studio work.

But a look at this year’s nominees is proof that in an age of mixtapes, YouTube, features and blog love such “new” acts as Bon Iver, Nicki Minaj, Skrillex and J. Cole are practically veterans by the time the Academy decides to shine its spotlight. In fact, of all this year’s nominees, only country trio the Band Perry are truly “new,” and they formed in 2005, then gigged around and dropped a few singles until their only full-length studio recording was released in late October of last year.

Nicki released three mixtapes between 2007 and the time she signed with Young Money Entertainment in 2009. From that point on, she became the queen of features, showing up for guest verses on songs by Robin Thicke, Teairra Marie, Mariah Carey, Bobby Valentino, Usher, Mya, Ludacris, Jason DeRülo and many others prior to dropping her first album, Pink Friday, in November 2010.

On the same tip, Cole started posting his earliest rhymes online nearly a decade ago before being signed to Jay-Z’s Roc Nation label. He, too, released a series of mixtapes, scored guest shots on songs by Jigga, Wale, B.o.B, Young Chris and Miguel, worked the road and seeded the Net with new music for more than three years before finally unleashing his major-label debut, Cole World: The Sideline Story, in May. Like Minaj, by the time his debut hit stores, Cole was practically a household name and had already been touted as one of the biggest young stars in the business. [Source]

( CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE PHOTOS IN THE GALLERY )

The 2012 GRAMMY nominations concert was held tonight and announced Ms. Minaj for 3 different categories! Nicki is nominated for “Best New Artist”, “Best Rap Performance” for “Moment 4 Life” with Drake and “Best Rap Album”.

The 2012 GRAMMY’s will air live from L.A.’s Staples Center on Sunday, February 12, at 8 p.m. on CBS.

Nicki Minaj is already coming off a winning weekend, with two American Music Awards, and the good news doesn’t stop there: Billboard has decided to name her its rising star of 2011.

She is slated to get the honor at Billboard’s “Women in Music” event on Dec. 2 in New York City.

Nicki will have one her biggest fans on hand as well – Taylor Swift is also being honored as the woman of the year.

Nicki Minaj said Wednesday she was “deeply honored to be recognized by Billboard.” She said she and her fans have come a “mighty long way” but are not close to where “God will take us.”

The rapper and singer has emerged as one of music’s most popular entertainers since releasing her debut album “Pink Friday” a year ago Tuesday. Her hits include “Super Bass” and “Moment 4 Life.”

She announced Tuesday night the release date of her new album, “Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded,” will be on Valentine’s Day 2012, reports MTV.

“Its only right to announce it on the anniversary of Pink Friday right barbz???” Nicki tweeted on Tuesday. [Source]

Roman is getting his revenge this Valentine’s Day. Nicki Minaj has announced the title of her next album, Pink Friday: ROMAN RELOADED, due for release on February 14, 2012.

Barbz and Kenz a new Nicki Minaj album is closer than you think. Nicki’s Cash Money boss, Birdman, has revealed that the rapper is prepping the release of her Pink Friday follow-up for the first quarter in 2012, which presumably means that we’ll soon hear what the “Super Bass” songstress has been cooking up for the highly-anticipated release.There’s even some talk that Nicki, who is reportedly hard at work on her sophomore LP, could drop a new single by year’s end. Hold on to your pink wig.

“Nicki’s back in the studio, so we’re looking to drop Nicki in the first quarter,” Brian “Birdman” Williams said in an interview with Billboard.com. He went on to dish that Minaj could potentially drop new music sometime before year-end. “Maybe this year? I don’t know,” he added about releasing a single before 2012 strikes. “We’re really thinking it out. But she’s in the studio, and we’re looking real soon, because she’s ready to go and we’re ready to go with her.”

Earlier this month, BET reported that Minaj posted a blog post about how her alter-ego Roman would play a part in her new music. Although the post was later removed, the MC teased that Roman is out for revenge.

“Roman will be in rare form this time. You know why? Cuz he no longer gives a f—,” she wrote. “He has two more weeks in boarding school. We’re going to pick him up now. When he lands, he will address the nation in the form of music. He will also announce the date.”

Whether or not Roman will have anything to do with this record, Minaj’s Pink Friday producer Kane Beatz recently told MTV News, “We got one so far. She’s in L.A. goin’ crazy. … She just started, so she’s really picking her music and picking the songs. She’s real selective. She’ll pick all the beats before she even starts writing, so right now, we’re just getting music together, and it’s goin’ crazy right now.” [Source]

Singer Nicki Minaj posed for a portrait with her awards for Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Artist and Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Album at the 2011 American Music Awards held at Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE on November 20, 2011 in Los Angeles, California.

( CLICK HERE TO VIEW PHOTOS IN THE GALLERY NOW )

Singer Nicki Minaj attended the 2011 American Music Awards held at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on November 20, 2011 in Los Angeles, California.

Nicki Minaj hit the American Music Awards 2011 like a pink-wigged robot, decked out in a cyborg-looking outfit to perform David Guetta’s “Turn Me On.” She then would perform “Super Bass” (to the glee of Taylor Swift and Selena Gomez) before returning to the stage to accept a couple AMA trophies.

One of the unintentionally funny moments from the American Music Awards was when Nicki won for Favorite Rap/Hip Hop Album. Wearing massive heels and long green dress, Nicki needed help from an AMA staffer (or security guard) to walk all the way across the stage.

And luckily he was there to help here, because Minaj slipped once or twice even with his help.

Later, Nicki won her second award (Favorite Rap/Hip Hop Artist) and made it a point to inspire her fans with her acceptance speech.

“Chase your dreams, I never thought that this could be possible … Shout out to all the female rappers, past, present, and future.” [Source]

Nicki Minaj was seen sporting a ring on her engagement finger whilst accepting an award at the American Music Awards at the Nokia Theatre in L.A. Speculation has arisen that her Young Moneylabelmate Drake has proposed to the woman he has always publicly gushed about.

The 25-year-old Toronto MC recently said an interview with the Daily Beast: “All jokes aside, Nicki is somebody I could spend my life with because I think we understand each other.”

The ‘Headlines’ star continued by adding, “If there’s any woman in my life that’s the ideal woman for me, it’s definitely Nicki. I like the stripped-down Nicki. I like Nicki with no makeup, black hair, some casual clothes in a recording booth rapping an amazing verse. That’s sexy to me.”

Nicki was last known to be dating her hype man Scaff Breezy, but onlookers have noticed the obvious chemistry between the two rappers with producer T-Minus hinting there “could be something” between the pair after spending time in the studio with them. [Source]

Nicki Minaj and Ricky Martin have teamed up for MAC’s 2012 Viva Glam campaign. All proceeds from the duo’s Viva Glam makeup products will support the MAC AIDS Fund. Photographer David LaChapelle shot the stars in his signature bright colors and surreal imagery. Ricky and Nicki’s Viva Glam products will be available at MAC starting Februray 2012. [Source]

OPI nail lacquer company teamed up with colorful Pink Friday rapper Nicki Minaj to create a new nail color collection.

Dressed in her usual flamboyant costume attire, Nicki matches up her colorful outfits with her bright nail color.

Fans get to catch a glimpse of Nicki springing into action as she gets her nails polished. Ms. Minaj definitely seems ecstatic about her latest business venture with the nail color company.

Nicki is a super busy woman nowadays. She’s been working with Willow Smith for her new video “Fireball,” and she’s been in the studio readying her new album.

There’s no word on when Nicki will drop a sophomore album, but for now, take a glimpse at all the behind the scenes action of Nicki and OPI below! [Source]