Nicki Minaj Visits "America's Got Talent"

Rappers Nicki Minaj and Queen Latifah are among the stars slated to appear on last several episodes of the hit NBC reality contest “America’s Got Talent.” Flo Rida, David Guetta and Minaj will all take part in an August 31st performance of "Where Dem Girls At."

Susan Boyle will be appearing in the same episode.

Latifah will perform alongside Tony Bennett on September 14th. They will be performing "Who Can I Turn To."

Kreayshawn On Nicki Minaj

Kreayshawn denies rumors that she's romantically involved with veteran female rapper Da Brat. But there is another well-known femcee that gets her hot and bothered. Kreayshawn admitted that she has a thing for a certain Young Money starlet.

We're sure you can figure out which one.

"I like that rumor, but it wasn't true," Kreayshawn said of the Da Brat rumors. "But you never know... Hey, I got her number. I might hit her up and be like, 'Hey."

"I love Nicki," she added. "She fine. I'd kiss her everywhere."

Dave Chappelle On Nicki Minaj, Jay-Z, & Kanye West

Reclusive comedian Dave Chappelle gave his thoughts on bootylicious femcee Nicki Minaj during a recent radio interview. Chappelle has become less vocal than in his mid-2000s heyday, and this was his first interview in almost five years. The funnyman was also asked about Jay-Z and Kanye West's Watch the Throne album.

"I just downloaded it yesterday," Chappelle said when asked for his opinion on Watch the Throne. "I haven't listened to the whole record. Real talk. Actually, I did see Kanye at Coachella [music festival]. Which was great...He ripped it, it was a good show."

Dave was to the point when he was asked about Minaj. "Nicki Minaj? Yeah, she's a good looking girl," Chappelle said. "You keep asking me about all these girls. Nicki Minaj is a good looking girl."

Nicki Minaj Dumped Hypeman?

Nicki Minaj has kept mum about the physical altercation that occurred between her and her hypeman and 'best friend,' Safaree. But there are rumors buzzing that Safaree is actually Minaj's boyfriend--or was Minaj's boyfriend. Allegedly the incident in Dallas was the beginning of the end for the two.

They are both tweeting constantly from the road--but from different parts of the country.

So many are speculating that Nicki bumped Safaree from her show and her crew and maybe--her heart? She was supposedly taking care of his living expenses--even paying his child support--while the two have been 'performing' together.

Introducing the King of Hip-Hop

Now more than three decades old as a recorded medium, hip-hop is deeply embedded in popular culture – to the point where its stars seem not only larger than life but also, as Rick Ross once put it, "deeper than rap." But even as they sell out arenas and top the pop charts, rappers still court the respect and esteem of their hip-hop peers. The title King of Hip-Hop still means something.

In that spirit, just as we did in June with the Queen of Pop, we've crunched a pile of data to try to determine who is the current King of Hip-Hop.

We're not looking for the all-time greatest, although many of our contenders would vie for that crown. Some of them have only been recording a couple of years; others have been in the game since the 1990s. But that's what makes hip-hop exciting – it's plausible for someone who was watching cartoons when Jay-Z dropped his debut album to emerge as a contender for the title.

As with our Queen of Pop tally, in naming the King of Hip-Hop we focused on the very recent past: from 2009 through the first seven months of 2011. We ranked 20 solo rappers (no groups – sorry, Beasties) who have dropped an album during that time. We looked at album sales, rankings on the R&B/hip-hop and rap charts, YouTube views, social media, concert grosses, industry awards and critics' ratings. In alphabetical order, our contenders are: Big Boi, B.o.B, Diddy, Drake, Eminem, Fabolous, Lupe Fiasco, Gucci Mane, Jay-Z, Kid Cudi, Lil Wayne, Ludacris, Nicki Minaj, Pitbull, Rick Ross, Snoop Dogg, T.I., Waka Flocka Flame, Kanye West and Wiz Khalifa.

All of our contenders are men except for Minaj, who reappears from our Queen of Pop survey. We like to think of "King" as a gender-neutral term, and the fact is that Minaj has earned the right to compete in this arena. It would feel strange to leave her out – as a rapper, she's had a world-beating couple of years, with a chart-topping album, block-rocking singles and a slew of killer guest appearances. Frankly, she deserves to be called a hip-hop king just for her giant-killing appearance on West's hit "Monster," in which she crushed West and fellow guests Rick Ross and Jay-Z with one blow.

Fans of the rappers, and the acts themselves, take these sorts of rankings pretty seriously. (We learned that firsthand in the comments section of Queens of Pop.) We stand by our data, but of course we know that no King of Hip-Hop index can capture swagger or flow – if it could, the all-time title might go to Q-Tip or Rakim. As you'll see, it turned out to be a fairly exciting contest. Our top overall contenders were pretty evenly matched, with five different rappers leading at least one tally each.

Let's start with the tally that comes with the biggest bragging rights: album sales.

9 pages of FACTS By ---> Rolling Stone

Nicki Minaj Storms the Charts

Nicki Minaj's hit single "Super Bass," has moved into the number three spot on Billboard magazine’s “Hot 100” singles chart, and now threatens to break a nine-year old record held by Missy Elliott's "Work It." The song was the last time a female rapper had a single peak so high on the charts.

The song continues Minaj's commercial success. In 2010, she became the first female rapper to have seven songs on the Billboard Top 200 Singles chart. She was also the first female Rap artist with an album in the top 10 for 14 consecutive weeks.

“Nicki isn't like any other female rapper,” says Ronald “Slim” Williams, co-founder of Cash Money Records. “We knew she had the goods when Lil Wayne signed her. She's not a female rapper—she's a pop star who happens to rap.”

Nicki Minaj On "Ice Age 4."

Nicki Minaj explained how she landed a role in the upcoming kiddie flick Ice Age 4. The rapper said that she loves animation and her knack for goofy voices played a huge part in her getting the audition.

"My agency sent me out on an audition for some people who really wanted to hear me," Nicki says. "They knew I loved animation, they knew I loved to do voices and I thought, 'Oh, my God this is amazing.'"

"The original role that I was up for I didn’t get and so I said, ‘well, okay whatever’. I was really mad and then next thing you know they called me and said, 'You know what? We actually wrote in a part just for you because we really want you to be a part of this movie,'" she continued. "I was just screaming and so excited and I went in and I had a blast. I was doing my voiceover and I did it as two different voices and I basically said ‘listen, I’m going to do every line in two different voices and you decided which character you want. So yeah, they were amazing and we’ll see what happens."

Drake Misses Nicki Minaj

Drake's sadness fetish has surfaced yet again. The mopey Toronto rapper called out his labelmate Nicki Minaj during a recent concert. The Most Sensitive Emcee of All Time let Nicki know that he still cares about her--but he misses her.

He weally, weally misses her...

“Maybe I should call up Nicki Minaj and tell her how much I love her and how proud of her I am because I feel that ever since we got famous we don’t really talk anymore," Drake told the crowd. "And all I wanna do is hear her voice again for once in my life. Maybe I should and that’s real sh*t too…damn”

Nicki Minaj 911 Call Surfaces

Nicki Minaj's mysterious 'incident' in Dallas, TX just won't go away. Weeks after the rapper and a male friend were involved in an altercation at a hotel, the 911 call has surfaced online.

Both Minaj and her associate denied anything major happened and she refused to press charges.

“Did you hear all of that? It’s pretty crazy up here right now," a man's voice says on the call. "This is a celebrity profile group. This is Nicki Minaj, I don’t know if you know anything about that but her entire crew is up here on the 8th floor and it is getting crazy so as soon as possible would be awesome. She got hit in the face by somebody too, I’m sure you got that on tape. [Who hit her?] I don’t know but she’s screaming about it right now so I’m happy you got it on tape.”

Tech N9ne Challenges Nicki Minaj

Tech N9ne is challenging Nicki Minaj. The indie rap star says that he's signed way more women's breasts than Minaj--who has become famous for autographing cleavage. Tech says he's signed more because he's more open to his fans.

Of course he is. Who wouldn't be?

"I think I sign way more t*tties than Nicki Minaj because I'm way more accessible," Tech explained in an interview. "I have meet-and-greets and sh*t. I don't know what she does. They probably hide her away. I have rapid fans. She has a lot of fans too. They wear pink wigs and sh*t. I'd sign her t*tties with my tongue. I think I've signed way more t*tties than Nicki Minaj though. I don't even know how many t*tties she's signed but I guarantee you I probably sign more."

Britney Spears On Nicki Minaj

Pop star Britney Spears shared her enthusiasm for rapper Nicki Minaj, who has been paired with Spears on the singer's current tour. Spears says she's a fan of Minaj and thinks she's done a lot to separate herself from the pack in popular music.

"I think she's great," Spears told MTV. "She's a great artist in every way and I'm really happy for her. I think she has a distinct sound when she raps -- It really stands out and sets her apart from everyone else. I'm happy she's able to be on tour with me because that's just amazing."

Lil Mama Disses Nicki Minaj

Lil Mama continues to join the ranks of has-been or never-was female rappers taking shots at Nicki Minaj. The "Lip Gloss" rapper said an interview that she would never aspire to be Nicki Minaj, and even called out Nicki's trademark 'Barbie' persona and tattoo.

"I'm gonna be me regardless; I'm not changing who I am because of promotion," she said defensively. "I don't look at TV and listen to radio and say, 'Oh, I'm gonna be a hoe now. Oh, I'm gonna do this now. I'm gonna talk like this. I'm gonna get a tattoo that says I'm a doll. I'm gonna get a chain that says I'm a doll. ' I'm Lil Mama, til the day I die, period."

Or til the day your career dies. Which, was reportedly sometime around 2009.

Kanye West Snags Seven VMA Nods

Rapper Kanye West has landed seven MTV Video Music Awards, leading all male nominees for the 2011 ceremony. West's videos “All of the Lights” and “Power" are among the nominees. He's also nominated for Best Hip-Hop Video, Best Male Video, and two for his Rihanna and Kid Cudi-assisted “All of the Lights.”

Eminem and Nicki Minaj both garnered three nominations each, with Tyler the Creator, Wiz Khalifa, and Big Sean also among nominees. Notables Lil Wayne and Pitbull are nominated, as well.

. The 2011 MTV VMA's will be at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles on August 28th.

Nicki Minaj Denies Fight Story

Rapper Nicki Minaj is denying reports that she was involved in a physical altercation with a male friend at the Palomar Hotel in Dallas. Details have been offered as to what allegedly happened.

Minaj and her hypeman Safaree “SB” Samuels reportedly got into an argument and Minaj was hit in the mouth with a suitcase.

“Responding officers spoke with the Complainant [Nicki Minaj], who stated a verbal altercation took place…at the pool,” the report read. “When [Minaj] returned to her hotel room, Witness 1 [Safaree Samuels] was also back at the room…[Minaj] told [Samuels] that she didn’t want him taking anything out of the room. [Samuels] had some of his personal belongings in a suitcase, and as [Minaj] was looking into the suitcase, [Samuels] grabbed the suitcase and as he was picking it up, he shoved the suitcase across [Minaj's] chin.”

“Responding officers observed slight swelling and redness to [Minaj's] chin and lower lip. [Minaj's] teeth struck the inside of her lower lip, causing the inside….to bleed….[Minaj] told responding officers that she did not want to make a report and that she just wanted her suitcase back….[Minaj] stated multiple times that she and [Samuels] were only friends and had never been involved in an intimate relationship and were not related at all. The hotel rooms…were re-keyed…and [Minaj] was provided with a key. [Minaj] refused to have any pictures taken and refused to make a police report.”

But Minaj and Safaree both claim the story has been exaggerated. "The fact that u believe a man either slapped or punched me in the face & didn't leave on a stretcher w/his balls hangin off? #getaF%cknLifedenied," Minaj tweeted shortly after the story broke. "The media could pee on ur leg & tell u its raining. You'd believe it. You'd believe u were an adopted martian if TMZ told u so. #stopit5"

The general public are some stupid muthaf*ckas!!!! Y'all d*cks believe anything on a website," Safaree tweeted. "It's really a shame... Wut up tho Dallas?!!

He then added, "4the record I would never lay a hand on ANY woman, I have all sisters and No brothers And that's the last I'll say about that!!! God bless."

Nicki Minaj Hit In the Lip

Rapper Nicki Minaj was reportedly struck in the lip by a man during an argument at an upscale Dallas hotel last night (July 11.) Minaj told authorities she was “struck” in the lower lip during an intense verbal spat with an unidentified man she was with.

Minaj reportedly told an employee of the Hotel Palomar to call the authorities.

According to TMZ, Nicki also allegedly told authorities that the fight continued inside of their room, which was when she was hit in the lip.

The man left the scene before the police arrived and Minaj said she didn't want to press charges and is not in a romantic relationship with the man.

Only an incident report was filed.

Nicki Minaj Didn't Write Song For Cousin

A 'new' Nicki MInaj track that many fans suspected was a tribute to her recently-murdered cousin is actually over a year old. Minaj explained the song's history on her Twitter page; revealing that she didn't write or record "We Miss You" for her fallen relative.

"Tho the lyrics of "We Miss You" eerily depict the circumstances surrounding my cousin's death, I wrote & recorded that song on 5/24/2010," she tweeted. "It was sent to Mariah Carey & Keyshia Cole over a year ago for a possible feature. It didn't make "Pink Friday" due to clearance issues."

"Its an unauthorized leak," she added. "Thank u ALL for your kind words and well wishes. Love."

Amber Rose Addresses Nude Pics

Amber Rose has broken her silence about the pictures of her nether regions that have leaked (no pun intended) all over the Internet. The beautiful model has had nude photos pop up online before, but never any as graphic as the ones that surfaced earlier this week. Rose says the images were--of course--stolen from her laptop and that the pics have hurt her career.

While she denied rumors earlier that she intentionally sent the pics to Nicki Minaj's boyfriend, here's Rose's 'official' statement:
"I was gonna wait until my radio show to address this but I want to say this now. I trusted someone that worked 4 me & allowed them to use my laptop a million times, I caught this person sending my pics to themselves and I fired this person immediately Wiz [Khalifa] & I & both of our families have known about this for 2 months now. We tried to prepare ourselves for this day. Those pictures r 2 1/2 years old just sitting in my computer. I'm really hurt & embarrassed because I have so many young girls that look up to me. I would never put those pics out of myself."

"The company that I was working with no longer wants to work with me because of these pics and that prevents me from getting money to take care of my family. Its a messed up situation when someone so evil comes into ur life and tries to destroy it. I know I'm not the only girl in the world that has taken pics like that but they were very private. I'm sorry for letting my young Rosebuds down. Pls understand this was a result of trusting a person that didn't deserve my trust. I have cried for the past 2 days but I know this to shall pass. Thank u for all of ur support."

Amber Rose Denies Sending Nude Pics

Graphic nude pics of Amber Rose hit the web today (June 28) and while it is undeniably Rose in the images, the sexy vixen is denying reports that she sent the images to Nicki Minaj's boyfriend. She's not explaining where they came from, however.

"These blogs do nothing but try to ruin ppls lives I DID NOT send pics to anyones boyfriend pls stop with the lies. Its so ridiculous. smh," she tweeted. "Yall been doing this to me for 3 years now it shld be illegal to write fake stories about ppl the media never wants to see anyone happy."

Wiz Khalifa, Nicki MInaj Win Big

The 2011 BET Awards featured several notable hip hop honors taking home honors. Celebrities like participated in the ceremony and won accolades, with comedian Kevin Hart serving as host for the event, which took place in Los Angeles, California.

nicki Minaj was named best Female Hip Hop Artist, Best Group went to Diddy/Dirty Money, and Best Collaboration went to Chris Brown, Lil Wayne and Busta Rhymes for "Look At Me Now." Wiz Khalifa took home the coveted Best New Artist.

"They need a taller mic for me," Wiz joked. "I am not used to winning stuff. I want to thank everyone at rostrum records, everyone at Atlantic, all my fans, The Taylor Gang and all the young people who promote positive and just enjoying yourself, this is for y'all."

Mary J. Blige, Jadakiss and DJ Khaled opened the show, while Rick Ross performed his single "Aston Martin Music" minus Crisette Michelle or Drake [who did attend the awards].

Gladys Knight presented the Lifetime Achievement Award to Patti Labelle, and Snoop Dogg and Warren G took part in a tribute to their late friend and collaborator Nate Dogg, who passed away earlier this year.

Lil Wayne Believes In Drake/Nicki

Lil Wayne has complete and total faith in Young Money superstars Drake and Nicki Minaj. Weezy says that he looks to be fine going forward, due in part to the ongoing success of his proteges-turned-megastars.

"You already know what I expect," Weezy says. "I expect to eat, and eat well. I expect [Drake] to be a lot more successful than he has ever been. I mean, this guy's a superstar. He is the definition. That's what I told y'all before he was: 'That's the definition of a superstar.' And like Nicki, he's only breaking ice. He has yet to be who he's going to be. I'm banking on them."