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Nicki Minaj Pays Secret Visit to Queens School

By  Jesse Lent and Nigel Chiwaya | November 20, 2012 2:52pm | Updated on November 21, 2012 9:39am

JAMAICA — Rapper Nicki Minaj made a secret appearance to her old elementary school in Jamaica on Monday evening, handing out turkeys to families at P.S. 45 Clarence Witherspoon.

More than 200 students and parents waited in lines that stretched around the block at P.S. 45, located at 126-28 150 St., to listen to the "Va Va Voom" rapper, who attended the school while growing up in Queens. The lines were so great that police turned dozens of people away, enforcing a strict "one student, one parent" admission rule.

The event was held very much under wraps, as the school refused to confirm Minaj's appearance to reporters Monday morning. Students said that they weren't even aware that Minaj would be visiting; as the school sent home a note to families saying only that a "special guest" would be appearing.

Students at the school were stunned to learn that the guest was Minaj, who released her latest album, "Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded - The Re-up," that day.

"I think it's surprising," said Ashanti Abraham, 10, a fifth-grader at P.S. 45. "I never thought she'd come back to the school she went to years ago."

Ashanti's sister, Nyesha, 24, was just as surprised, saying: "I'm just really shocked that she's here. I thought it was a joke, but apparently it's not."