Rapper Nicki Minaj has announced she is pregnant with her first child in a typically outrageous Instagram post. 

The 37 year-old revealed the news to her 119 million followers with a series of images, which showed her posing on a pink sofa, cradling her bump while wearing a floral bikini, high heels and bright yellow wig.

The father is her husband Kenneth Petty, who she married in 2019. 

She has captioned one of the images ‘#Preggers’ and in another, she wrote: “Love. Marriage. Baby carriage. Overflowing with excitement & gratitude. Thank you all for the well wishes.”

Friends were quick to congratulate Minaj as actress Halle Berry said: "YES Congratulations beauty!!!!"

Singer Sam Smith wrote: “Congratulations beautiful x”

Power actress Lala commented: “Congrats Nick‼️ u look beautiful GLOWING”.

While singer Tinashe added: “CONGRATS QUEEN!!!!!”

Last year Minaj dropped a bombshell that she was retiring in order to focus on starting a family in a since-deleted tweet. 

She said: "I've decided to retire & have my family. I know you guys are happy now.

“To my fans, keep reppin me, do it til da death of me … Love you for LIFE.”