Nicki Minaj Joins 'American Idol' as Judge

It’s official. Nicki Minaj has joined the judges’ panel on “American Idol.”

Fox made the official announcement Sunday, confirming rumors just hours before the first round of auditions were to begin.

The “Starships” rapper will take a seat alongside previously announced judge Mariah Carey and returning judge Randy Jackson, while country superstar Keith Urban fills out the fourth chair.

“It’s official, your new #IdolJudges are @MariahCarey, @NickiMinaj, @KeithUrban & @Yo_RandyJackson!” tweeted “Idol” host Ryan Seacrest.

Nicki will be looking for “a superstar,” which is “something that can’t be defined in words.”

Meanwhile, Mariah is not sure what kind of judge she will be yet. “Am I the mean one? Am I the nice one? … It’s not about me, me, me, it’s about them [the contestants] and what I can bring to them to help guide them in the right direction,” she told the AP.

The new judges got to know one another at a dinner last night. “Everyone gave a heartfelt toast about being on the show after we ate last night. Cant wait to see the first contestants today,” said Seacrest.

Auditions begin today in New York, while the 12th season of “American Idol” premieres in January.

Are you excited to see Nicki Minaj on “Idol”? Let us know.