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Minaj Makeunder

Minaj Makeunder,  Nicki Minaj usually doesn't appear on camera without some serious statement makeup. But in the April issue of Elle, the "American Idol" host, 30, was forced to leave her flamingo-colored lipstick and rainbow-colored wig at home.

"I'm so, so attached to my pink lipstick, it's hard," Minaj confessed to the magazine. "To go in front of the camera without pink lips or big ol' crazy lashes — you know, nothing — I felt naked."

The stripped down look she flaunted for Elle seemed like a major step, the "Super Bass" singer said.

 "It was scary!" Minaj said. "So this photo shoot was a real accomplishment in my eyes."

Her face wasn't all she bared in the magazine spread. The Trinidadian-born rapper opened up about her childhood difficulties.

"I went through a lot of bullying early on," Minaj said. "Girls made my life a living hell. We had come to America from a different country. My brother and I had accents. It was very tough."

 But Minaj has come a long way from being pushed around in the schoolyard. The best-selling artist has learned how to run a room, and she has a few words of wisdom for other ladies trying to make it in showbiz.

"My advice to women in general: Even if you're doing a nine-to-five job, treat yourself like a boss. Not arrogant, but be sure of what you want — and don't allow people to run anything for you without your knowledge," the songstress explained.

 "You want everyone to know, Okay, I can't play games with her. I have to do right by this woman."

Now that she's burned up the Billboard charts and conquered television with her fellow "American Idol" hosts, Minaj has her sights set on even bigger dreams.

"My goal in the beginning was to buy my mother a house. Now I realize, okay, if I really focus and become a key player in business, then I can build an empire," Minaj said.

So don't expect the frequently bewigged beauty to step out of the picture anytime soon.

"I'm thinking of a legacy that I can be proud of and wealth that my grandchildren can use to go to college," she said. "So world domination — in terms of providing for my family — is absolutely my goal."

Read more: nydailynews

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