Nicki Minaj accompanies her mom to visit jailed brother

Rapper Nicki Minaj reportedly visited her incarcerated brother last week (ends10Nov17) for the first time since he was convicted of child rape.

Sources tell TMZ.com the No Frauds hitmaker's close relationship with her older sibling Jelani Maraj became strained after he was arrested and charged with sexually assaulting his pre-teen stepdaughter in December, 2015.

He denied the allegations, but went on trial in New York in October (17), and was found guilty of predatory sexual assault against a child and endangering the welfare of a child on 9 November (17).

Nicki was a no-show throughout Maraj's trial, but she reportedly accompanied her mother Carol to Nassau County Jail last week to pay him a visit.

Maraj faces 25 years to life in prison when he is sentenced on 14 December (17).

His lawyer is planning to appeal the verdict.

During the trial, the defense claimed the girl's mother, Jelani's estranged wife Jacqueline Robinson, set him up as part of a $25 million extortion plot, just four months after they tied the knot in a lavish wedding paid for by Nicki.

Robinson, who filed for divorce last year (16), denied the allegations during her testimony, while the court also heard evidence from the alleged victim and her younger brother, who claimed he walked in on Maraj assaulting his sister.

Nicki has never commented on the case publicly, but she previously helped to secure her brother's freedom following his arrest by putting up two of her homes for collateral as she covered his $100,000 bail.