Nicki Minaj & Drake Cover XXL (May 2010)

Lil Wayne might be gone ’til November, but Young Money is still in the house. Nicki Minaj and Drake take center stage next month as Weezy’s protégés grace the cover of the May 2010 issue of XXL. Both have built a deafening buzz throughout the past year and change, with standout verses and chart topping singles under their respective belts. With fans clamoring for their highly anticipated debut albums, Drake and Nicki stand on the cusp of being crowned hip-hop’s new reigning king and queen. XXLEditor-in-Chief Vanessa Satten sits down with Nicki for a candid Q&A, while senior editor Benjamin Meadows-Ingram documents Drake’s rise.

In addition to our in-depth interviews with the Young Money all-stars, this blockbuster issue also includes investigative pieces on the struggles of female MCs and the death of the New York rap star, complete with a borough-by-borough breakdown of the Big Apple’s hip-hop history. Other issue highlights to lookout for are profiles covering the triumphant return of Reflection Eternal and the tragic demise of Little Brother. Also, Bun B gives us an early preview of his upcoming Trill O.G. album and Joell Ortiz goes on a fake-booty scavenger hunt in The Cool.

XXL’s May 2010 issue with Nicki Minaj and Drake hits stands nationwide on April 20. In the mean time, stay tuned to XXLMag.com in the coming weeks for more exclusive excerpts and issue leaks.

Also, if you’re in the New York area be sure to check out the Freshmen ’10 Live Concert tonight (March 31) at the Highline Ballroom, featuring performances by Cam’ron and The U.N, as well as six of this year’s XXL Freshmen class.