Nicki Minaj is the newest member of Lil’ Wayne’s label.
 
AllHipHop.com reports she has signed a lucrative deal with the Young Money imprint which has been building its roster for months. Nicki now joins Bow Wow and Drake, making her the label’s first female rapper.
 
Lil’ Wayne recently announced the deal in a statement saying, “I am honored to have Nicki Minaj as Young Money’s First Lady. She is a star.”
 
"To say I'm excited would be an understatement. It's validation. It's proof. It's empowerment. I represent every little girl in a hood near you,” Nicki added in the statement.
 
Per her contract with Young Money/Universal Motown, she’ll be keeping all the benefits of her 360 deal. Basically, she owns the rights to her endorsements, merchandising and publishing.
 
Much like Drake, she built a following for herself by distributing mixtapes, and she thanked her original fan base and the newcomers for their love.
 
“To everyone that supported me two years ago when I was on underground mix-tapes and DVDs and to the people that only caught on two weeks ago, I say thank you,” Nicki said. “Be proud of yourself. You've given girls all around the world the permission to change the face of female rap."
 
Her as-yet untitled debut album should drop sometime in 2010.

-- Sonya Eskridge

Here’s more:
Drake’s the next young money millionaire
Bow Wow’s got Cash Money
Omarion said he left Young Money
Omarion dropped from label