Paper reveals Break the Internet take two, with Nicki Minaj shot by Ellen von Unwerth

Photographer Ellen von Unwerth has photographed Nicki Minaj for Paper magazine’s latest Break the Internet cover. The rapper is shown in three separate poses together, with the coverline “Minaj À Trois – Break the Internet”. It’s the second time the magazine has used the term, since its iconic Kim Kardashian cover in 2014.

The 63-year-old German photographer is renowned for her celebratory and fun approach to sexualised imagery that is both provocative and empowering. Ellen’s photos of Claudia Schiffer for Elle France in 1988 brought wide acclaim, as well as her 1995 Playboy shoot with Drew Barrymore. She’s also shot for every title from Vogue to Interview, Vanity Fair, Arena and i-D, and album covers for Janet Jackson, Bananarama, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and Rihanna.

Drew Elliott, creative director and founding partner of Paper, says of the cover: “Break the Internet is all about the big idea, the word, the image. It came to me one day that ‘Minaj à trois’ had never been done. HOW? We have seen different versions of Nicki, from high fashion to seductive to in-your-face and eye-catching all at the same time. But we had never seen all of these together — and now we have the chance, thanks to our cover shoot with the rap star and Ellen von Unwerth. Welcome to Break the Internet.”

The cover story is released later today (15 November) and the issue is out 28 November 2017.