Nicki Minaj gets animated for Steven Universe

Rapper Nicki Minaj is getting animated for a role in children's cartoon TV series Steven Universe.

The Starships hitmaker voices a new character called Sugilite in the Cartoon Network show, about a group of intergalactic warriors who use the power of special gem stones to protect the world from evil threats.

The episode, titled Coach Steven, is due to air next month (Aug14).

It's not the first time Minaj, who also acted in romantic comedy The Other Woman, has helped to bring an animated character to life - she played a mammoth named Steffie in 2012's Ice Age: Continental Drift.