Rapper Nicki Minaj and country star Keith Urban are joining Mariah Carey and Randy Jackson as judges on "American Idol," Fox announced Sunday morning.
Carey, Minaj and Urban replace Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler, who departed at the end of last season. Host Ryan Seacrest remains. The return of Jackson, who is Carey's manager, ended speculation that he might leave the judge's panel to become an advisor on the show.
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His exit would have cost "Idol" its last original judge. "Idol" debuted in 2002 with Jackson, Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell, but Cowell left to create "X Factor," and Abdul served as one of its judges last season.