Nicki Minaj is officially the first lady of Young Money.

The Queens rapper—who attracted the attention of fans and industry heads alike with her third mixtape, Beam Me Up Scotty—signed to Lil Wayne’s Young Money imprint just two months after Drake inked the dotted line.

“There’s so many people that kind of shut you down as a female before you even get your foot in the door,” Nicki Minaj told XXLMag.com. “So when you get moments like this it’s like ‘yes, finally’.”

According to a press release [see below], Manaj will retain and own all of her 360 rights, including merchandising, sponsorships, endorsements, touring and publishing.

While she’s focused on the Young Money compilation album, set for a year-end release, Minaj has began recording for her as-yet untitled debut album.

“A lot of things that could’ve been on Beam Me Up Scotty weren’t because they were quote-unquote too good to put on a mixtape,” she told XXL. “So I have an arsenal and very soon we’ll start releasing stuff.”

Nicki Minaj’s first LP is expected to drop early 2010, distributed by Universal Motown. –John Kennedy, with additional reporting by Vanessa Satten.

Congradulations Nicki!
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By Kimberly W.

The America’s Most Wanted Tour graced the DMV on Friday, August 7th to a packed Nissan Pavilion in Northern Virginia. Thousands of fans made their way to the venue located about an hour outside of the District. This was the long awaited summer concert explosion that left many fans disappointed.Newcomers Jeremiah and Shanelle opened the show, while Soulja Boy burst onto the stage, and only performed a few of his hits.

Young Jeezy was a “no show” and Drake didn’t perform because of his leg injury – definitely not what fans were anticipating. You could tell that folks came to see Drake, but now had to get over seeing him on stage.

Lil Wayne and his Young Money Crew served as the concert finale – performing a list of songs including “Every Girl”, Drakes “Best I Ever Had” and songs from Lil Wayne’s most recent album – The Carter III.
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By Kevin McGarry

Nicki Minaj is the Cindy Sherman of rap. Since making a splash recreating Lil’ Kim’s infamous bikini-squat pose for the cover of her 2008 mixtape “Sucka Free,” Minaj — a 24-year-old, multiracial (she is of African, Trinidadian and Indo-Asian descent) Queens-born rapper — has assumed the roles of Marilyn Monroe, Chaka Khan, Mickey Mouse and even Harry Potter’s pal Hermione. Now Minaj, a protégée of the rap impresario Lil’ Wayne, is drawing attention for her searing new summer album, “Beam Me Up Scotty,” and her accompanying reinvention in Wonder Woman drag.

Female M.C.’s have traditionally had their choice of two routes up the charts: showboat their brutal expertise in all things streets and sheets (Foxy Brown, Remy Ma, Trina) or affect an unthreatening and palatable pop persona (Missy Elliott, Queen Latifah, Lil’ Mama). Minaj has hybridized a course all her own, blending keen pop culture whimsy with lyrical power trips fit for the boardroom, a sporadic and unexplained London accent and flourishes of gale-force girlishness that make Mariah Carey look like Miranda from “Sex and the City.” Plus she’s got a great ear for hits — in addition to her original material, she’s re-recorded verses over many of the year’s best tracks as if they were her own. Minaj, now the world is ready for you, and the wonders you can do.

Check out Nicki Minaj’s website and selections from her new mixtape “Beam Me Up Scotty” at myspace.com/nickiminaj.

Dear Nicki,

Hey Boo Boo, what’s good? No we’ve never met, so this may seem awkward, but this is Rob the Music Ed. from XXL and I got something I just wanna put out there. I started hearing your name bubbling early 2008, but never really knew. Then DJ Sickamore showed up to the office with your Sucka Free mixtape. The cover was something else and the music was cool, you had a few joints on there. But I’m not the jump out the window type, feel me? I had to make sure you were here to stay. Instead I just kept my eye on you, admiring from a far.

Now my love for hip-hop femininity probably began with Lil’ Kim, but that was B.I.G.’s girl and you know how Brooklyn do; we don’t play disrespect. Then there was Lauryn. We started talkin’ to each other around the same time The Score came out and she became my official girl when The Miseducation… dropped, but then she left me for that Marley dude and has been M.I.A. ever since. Fuck it, her loss. I ain’t gonna lie ma, there were flings with Foxy, Shawnna, Trina; but not Remy though, she was dope but I heard too many lyrics about her beasting-out on dudes. (Hold your head Rem; we got stoopid love for you). Still, there was no single rap female that could completely hold me down. I got needs girl; your spit game gotta be crazy, flows gotta be wet and your sex appeal gotta be through the roof.
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By Jenna Talavera

Last week, I tagged along with MTV News for the Mixtape Daily shoot with Nicki Minaj at Baisley Pond Park in Queens, New York (I live just a few minutes away). A lot of people in Queens have much respect for Nicki as a writer, singer and artist whose lyrical content is fun and playful — but don’t forget, she has a flow so crazy she can hurt your feelings. She’s been highly recognized after working with Gucci Mane, Lil Wayne and the Young Money Crew.

Waiting for her to arrive at the park, I didn’t know what to expect or even make of the day ahead of me. The only thing that came to mind was “Nicki Minaj is a bad bi—!” (in the best way possible!) She stepped out of the white SUV in a white tank top, glittery pink leggings, and strapped heels, complemented by gold earrings, big chains and bracelets. After going through the details of how the interview would get started, she had a few creative ideas of her own. She wanted to incorporate bikes into the shoot, and for her to take creative direction showed me that she has no problem voicing how she wanted her segment to look.

After meeting up with Atlanta’s DJ Holiday, the interview got started with Nicki sitting on a blue motorcycle while her girls stood next to her and the guys stood behind her wearing “I Wanna Minaj” T-shirts. A yellow Ferrari rolled up next to us, followed by a group of dirt bikes doing wheelies and other stunts around the park.

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