Nicki Minaj V Magazine Spring 2011 Pictures

Hip-hop femcee Nicki Minaj is featured in a coloful photospread on the pages of the Spring “Discovery Issue” of high-end fashion mag V — and there isn’t a crazy outfit, green wig, or funny face in sight!

Shh! Don’t tell Lil Kim!

The 26-year-old protege of rap sperminator Lil Wayne, the generation self-appointed Barbie-Pink, is the face of the magazine’s issue promoting what’s new and cool for 2011. Nicki had her famous derriere painted in tribal patterns for part of the shoot by photographers Inez Van Lamsweerde & Vinoodh Matadin. As well as showing off her Googleable assets in a series of frocks from Versace, the “Roman’s Revenge” star is virtually unrecognizable in some shots as she strikes stunning poses with her famous plastered with voodoo-inspired paint. In other shots, she flashes her Calvin Klein pants and has tribal patterns painted on her bottom and toned legs.

In an article titled “A Star Is Born,” the Trinidad-born, New York-raised Minaj talks about finding success after years of setbacks in the Boys’ Club that is hip-hop and her now-platinum-selling debut album, Pink Friday. Oh — she also dishes on some of her musical counterparts, such as Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, and Coldplay.

Nicki On Success: “I’m proud that women, female rappers that come in this game after Nicki Minaj can see that, you know what? There is a chance for you to sell just as much as the boys and to be recognized. And you don’t have to feel like, because you’re a female rapper, you going to not be recognized. And so for that alone, I’m proud. I’m happy.”

On Style: “Everything I do has been approved by me personally. My team is mostly made up of guys, but none of them would ever think about telling me what to wear or what to do with my hair. They know that ultimately I’m gonna do what I’m gonna do.”

On Not Sweating the Small Stuff: “I’m an entertainer – I like to make people laugh,” she says. “Some will hate it and some will love it, but all will remember it. And that’s what I want: to be remembered. Even if I’m saying something hard-core or controversial, there’s always a touch of humor, and if you don’t like it, it means I’m stirring things up inside of you.” At the same time, there’s a lot going on inside the artist’s own head. “I just always want to do ‘me,’ but ‘me’ changes every day. I would crumble up and die if I had to wake up and be the same person every day. I don’t silence those voices anymore. I just let them speak.”

What’s up next for Nicki? “We’re shooting the video with Rihanna for ‘Fly’ this weekend. We’re going to save the world in more ways than one with the video and that’s all I can say about that… I love Ri-Ri! I mean, when she’s not grabbing my ass she’s a sweet girl.”

Is She Single? “Yes. I’m single and ready to mingle [laughs].”

This quarter’s issue of V arrives on newsstands Thursday.