Nicki Minaj On Being Herself: "I'm An Artist In Every Sense Of The Word"

22 March 2012, 17:20 | Updated: 22 March 2012, 18:27

The 'Moment 4 Life' rapper says she wants her fans to be able to connect with her on a personal level.

Nicki Minaj says she works best when she is just being herself and says she is an artist "in every sense of the word".

The 'Starships' singer says she would never let anyone control how she is presented, and feels strongly about allowing fans to connect with her true self.

"In the beginning people thought they knew who I was but they didn't," Nicki revealed. "Whenever I'm being me, the people love it. They connect with it.

"But whenever I find myself in a situation – prime example, during a photo shoot if a photographer is telling me every little thing to do, I shut down. And you might as well kiss the photoshoot goodbye. 

"I'm an artist in every motherf***ing sense of the word," Nicki told Complex magazine. "This did not come overnight. This did not happen from a record company. No manager created this." 

The 'Super Bass' rapper confirmed on Twitter earlier today (22^nd March) that she will appear on American Idol for a performance next week (29^th March).

Nicki Minaj is due to launch her second studio album 'Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded' on 3^rd April.