When Nicki Minaj gave a sneak peek of her upcoming Marie Claire cover via her Instagram account, her Barbz flew into a frenzy. Now the fashion magazine has revealed the full cover for their August 2013 issue and it is red hot. The rapper, the first one to cover the magazine, poses in a red and black Fausto Puglisi dress and blonde bob against a red backdrop. Inside, Minaj opens up about her American Idol experience, expanding her career into film and how much she wants to become a mom someday — an epiphany she encountered while touring last year.
"For the first time, I allowed myself to feel proud of where music had gotten me, and I felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude. You feel the need to pay it forward, which starts with analyzing yourself with a true desire to grow," she says. "I was praying every day, 'You know what, Lord? I want to be a mom one day, and I want to start becoming the woman who I want to parent my child.' I wanted all of the feelings of entitlement to leave me, because some people have this life for a year or five or 10, and a lot of them lose it. I didn't want to become a person who wasn't enjoying the moment."
But don't expect Minaj to go running after any man to make that parenthood dream come true. She advised readers to focus on themselves and their ambitions rather than rushing into a relationship.
"Don't chase any man. Put your school first. Men love independent women. You don't have to be a bitch, but there's nothing wrong with it at times. And: Men are kids at heart. They want to be nourished and pet like a dog."
Speaking of nourishment, the rapper also admitted to hating working out and instead changes what she eats in order to lose weight.
"I don't work out. I hate it. I don't mean to sound superlazy. I tried it for a time. I lost my boobs. When I feel I need to lose weight, I just change what I eat. I cut carbs and sugar. I'll do water and protein and fruit. But I do think that you should work out. My doctor tells me that, and I get it. Do cardio, Barbz."
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(Photos: Courtesy of Marie Claire)