Nicki Minaj strikes a bold pose, wearing a Mark Fast knit minidress and Maison Martin Margiela bodysuit, in a black-and-white photo for Elle’s Music Issue, on newsstands April 12. In the interview, hip-hop’s reigning diva speaks about competing with her male peers.

“I always wanted to play with the boys,” she tells the magazine. “I didn’t want to be a pawn in their game or have asidekick role. I wanted to be more of a lead character—a superhero.”