<<Print>>

Nicki Minaj and her bad boy boyfriend are taking a big step towards tying the knot ... the rapper says the couple got a marriage license. 

Nicki made the announcement Friday on her "Queen Radio" show ... saying, "I think I have what I was striving for, just happiness. It was hard to get to a happy place. Now that I'm here I don't want to compromise that for anyone or anything."

The timing is interesting ... Nicki released a music video for "MEGATRON" earlier Friday, and it heavily featured her ex-con boyfriend, Kenneth Petty, and was met with immediate backlash, which she brushed off.