Nicki Minaj Plays Principal at Chicago High School

Nicki Minaj got the chance to exert her authority as "Principal for the Day" at the Collins Academy high school in Chicago on Thursday (May 19). Her appearance was a reward to the school's 400 students who participated in, and won, the Get MotivatED Challenge to promote daily attendance.

Minaj, decked out in a fairly conservative Jean Paul Gaultier jumpsuit in comparison to her outlandish stage ensembles, had the chance to help teach a freshman English class before presenting three lucky students with $10,000 college scholarships. She then joined MTV host Sway Calloway for an intimate, formal assembly where both students and teachers were honored for their hard work.

"When I went to school, I wish I would've really understood the importance of high school ...," Minaj told the students, "I don't think I realized how much high school was going to be indicative of who I really was in the real world."

The students at Collins Academy improved their attendance rate by 7 percent over the six-week long competition. Their 92 percent attendance rate ranks them among Chicago's highest, and Minaj stressed the importance of keeping that number up.

"I am a young, female mogul before I am an artist. As a business woman there isn't a single day where I don't use my education or acquire new knowledge to ensure my success," Minaj told the student body. "Regardless of where you are today, with education you can take yourself where you want to be."

Nicki Minaj recently wrapped up a stint on Lil Wayne's I Am Still Music tour, and she is scheduled to hit the road with Britney Spears this summer for the North American leg of the pop star's Femme Fatale tour.

"I wanna see what she's done to really stand the test of time this long," told the BoomBox about her future touring partner Spears. "How she's interacting with the people and the dancers, the lighting and the props, I just want to get into the whole thing. I've always loved her."

The tour kicks off June 17 at the Power Balance Pavilion in Sacramento, Calif.

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