Have you ever wondered how you might romance Lil Wayne protégé Nicki Minaj on the most romantic day of the year? Well, it seems that the way to this bad girl’s heart is surprisingly traditional. In other words, stock up on flowers and candy.

“For the men on Valentine’s Day? Be traditional,” she told MTV News at Dylan’s Candy Bar in New York earlier this month. “Don’t get caught up in the hype of doing something crazy. Be traditional.” (more…)

#16 – Nicki Minaj

This young female rapper is giving industry vets like Lil Kim and Foxy Brown a run for their money. She’s got a critically acclaimed mixtape, “Beam Me Up Scotty,” A-list collabos and a wannabe iconic Barbie girl style. Signed to Lil Wayne’s Young Money Entertainment, Minaj is definitely one to watch in 2010.

Source: BET

( CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL PHOTOSHOOT IN THE ‘BARBIE BOX’ )

Last week we blessed you with the futuristic shoot from our cover girl Zoe Saldana (click here if you missed it), and today we’ve got another exclusive from Complex’s December/January issue (which officially hits stands tomorrow). Something tells us that the internets have been waiting for this one!

It’s been about 10 years since a fly female rapper has come along and captured the heart of the hip-hop nation, but Young Money’s Nicki Minaj is undoubtably that chick right now. With her debut album set to introduce her to the mainstream in 2010, it was a no-brainer to feature the sexy Queens native as our latest Hot Complex subject. We just put the full interview, extended gallery (featuring additional photos not seen in the magazine) and hilarious behind the scenes video online for your viewing pleasure. It’s Barbie, bitch!

You may know Nicki Minaj as that girl with the curvaceous frame that’s been touring with Lil’ Wayne. Maybe you’ve listened to one of her three mixtapes. If so, you’ve probably got an image of who you think she is: a potty-mouthed MC using sex to sell herself to the masses. Look harder, homie. The 24-year-old Queens, New York native may possess a gorgeous face and a body you could get lost in, but she’s got more up her sleeve than diamond bracelets. With females not even part of the rap conversation these days, she’s trying to make some noise and some loot. And we think she has just the right moneymaker to do it.

Complex: When people think of Nicki Minaj they envision stilettos, bustiers, and maybe a lollipop…

Nicki Minaj: This is the thing: I like being sexy when it’s time to do a show, but to be honest, I hate wearing high heels, and I hate wearing anything tight. People do get taken aback when they see me in person because I’m in the jeans and the little slippers. I think it’s cute when they see me transform, they see me go into my machine and come out as Nicki Minaj.
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Thanks to reader Maya for sending this in to me. Here’s a review of Gucci Mane’s upcoming album “The State vs. Radric Davis” and more importantly the track featuring Nicki Minaj.

Here’s your first look inside Gucci Mane’s forthcoming LP, “The State Vs. Radric Davis”.

The State has taken Radric Davis for another 12 months, but Gucci Mane’s legacy still lives in the spirit of the people! Unfortunately we’ll never really to understand Gucci’s personal perspective on his forthcoming LP, “The State Vs Radric Davis” since the obvious occurred last week. However, before the legal system snatched Mr. Davis for another 12, he wrapped production on “The State Vs Radric Davis.”

“Sex In Crazy Places” ft. Nicki Minaj, Trina and Bobby V | Prod.By Fatboi |
Potential second single status, this freaky group opus might be a bit much for the young ears at 106 n Park, but radio will swallow this whole (get your mind out the gutter). Trina and Nicki trade explicit’s regarding their favorite places to wrestle (place ur mind back in the gutter) while Gucci dishes out his wish list of public places he wishes to christen. Oh, and I strongly suggest you stay away from Six Flags Great Adventure when Gucci gets out of jail. See the lyric below lol. “I wanna take u to six flags and do you on the roller coaster.”

Source: BET.com

Nicki Minaj isn’t worried about the people who criticized her for not spitting off the dome during the BET Hip-Hop Awards cyphers.

“How many people on that cypher do you think spit off the top of their head?” Minaj fumed to Richmond, Virginia, radio host TT Torrez last week. “I don’t write off the top of my head. I can’t come up with those punch lines and metaphors off the top of my head. Everybody besides KRS-One, who else can you name that spit off the top of their head? They will tear apart a female, like, ‘She did a good verse, but she wrote it.’ … The only thing that matters is that I wrote on a paper and memorized it. Wayne never wrote my sh–. No one ever wrote my stuff.”

Nicki’s Young Money family member Drake went through some of the same problems earlier this year. When he was on Funkmaster Flex’s Hot 97 show, Drake spit his rhymes while reading them from his BlackBerry. Some bloggers and fans wrote negative responses, and comedian Affion Crockett even posted a video spoof online.

“I’ll never forget the night, man, when I went up to Hot 97, and it wasn’t scheduled,” Drake explained. “It wasn’t like, you know, ‘Drake’s coming up here Tuesday.’ It was literally like, ‘Funk Flex wants to meet you,’ and bam, like, two seconds later, it was like, ‘Let’s go on the radio and just kill New York.’ I’ll never forget how nervous I was. It was such a rookie hip-hop moment — and, obviously, the controversy of me pulling out my phone and rapping off my phone because I just wasn’t prepared. A lot of people don’t know the difference between freestyle or off the top and coming to a radio show knowing you got to go there, so you got verses cued up in your head, whether they be off your upcoming album or verses just that you have laying around. A lot of artists get that preparation time.”
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