Nicki Minaj has bought her mum a home and a fleet of cars since finding fame

She told Page Six: "She has bought me a Mercedes-Benz. She bought me a beautiful home, and many different cars."

Speaking about how Nicki grew up in America, Carol added: "I love my home. (Nicki) was born in Trinidad (and) came here at five years old. So to see her become this major success is amazing."

Nicki rapped on her 2010 track 'I'm the Best': "I remember when I couldn't buy my mother a couch, Now I'm sittin' at the closin' bought my mother a house."

Carol added: "I never expected this, raising my children here in the States, that my daughter would become this big superstar. I love that my daughter is so successful, and glad that she has a platform - but I have my own passion and drive. It's really nice to know that I'm different."

The mum-of-three, who also has son Jelani and daughter Ming, said she always wanted to instill in her now-famous daughter "the importance of education", adding: "I insisted that my children go to school... and make the best of it when they came to the States.

"Since I was a child, I have been determined no matter what happens in my life. I went to school for nursing.

"I always have hope to keep going, and that's what I always try to tell these women. That it's not over."

Nicki - born Onika Tanya Maraj - grew up with her grandmother in a household with 11 cousins while her gospel singer mum worked several payroll and accounting jobs before getting her green card and moving to the US aged 24, after which she brought over Nicki and her younger brother Jelani.

Nicki's financial ex ecutive and gospel singer dad Robert got addicted to drink and crack and burned down their family home in 1987 when Nicki was aged five.

Carol now runs a foundation for female victims of domestic violence and has a new fragrance in the works called Heaven Scent.