While many were unwinding over the extended holiday weekend, Nicki Minaj was stirring up controversy by seemingly shading the queen herself, Beyoncé, with the unnecessary release of Pink Friday 2 - Gag City Pluto Edition. This re-release included only one additional track, "Press Play," featuring frequent collaborator Future and a Beyoncé name-drop:
"Uh, set the pace like a runner, ho (Go)
Set the tone like her vocal coach (Ah)
They said, "Why can't you be Yoncé?"
Daddy wasn't no businessman, mama wasn't no business owner."
Nicki's defenders will argue that this was not a diss to Beyoncé; Nicki was just speaking facts – a modern-day truth-teller. However, when people point out the lack of major labels backing female rappers during Nicki Minaj's rise, are they not speaking facts? That hasn't stopped Nicki from being offended, and rightly so in some cases, as some have tried to imply that Nicki's success was solely due to the lack of competition and her coming up after the first female rap renaissance.
Facts can be used in a shady way.
That is what I believe Nicki Minaj attempted to do with her verse - a very 'throw a rock, hide your hand' type of move. Nicki isn't merely stating facts in her rhyme; she's insinuating. When she raps about Yoncé and questions why she can't be her, it's more than an innocent response. It's a subtle jab, suggesting that perhaps Beyoncé had a certain privilege that Nicki lacked – a helping hand in her rise to the top. Some might interpret it as Nicki blaming her upbringing in the hood for her perceived lack of maturity, conveniently deflecting the spotlight onto Beyoncé every time her behavior is scrutinized.
Reputation also comes into play because Nicki Minaj loves taking shots at artists after something goes viral in the news involving her that she does not like - Hi, Usher. We are not going to sit here and act like this did not come after Trina just went viral for calling Beyoncé the "Queen of Rap" and after Nicki Minaj was accused of shading Jay Z after he complimented Doja Cat for her rap verse on "JEEZU" off The Book of Clarence Soundtrack.
Speaking of Doja Cat...
Say So Remix Déjà Vu: A Cat Got Nicki's Tongue?
The "Yoncé" line in "Press Play" isn't the first time Nicki Minaj has faced accusations of dissing Beyoncé. Recall the drama surrounding the Say So Remix. Nicki delayed the song's release after hearing the Grammy-winning "Savage" Remix featuring Beyoncé and Megan Thee Stallion. This delay sparked rumors of Nicki Minaj dissing Beyoncé in her added verse:
"Why you talkin' bout who body fake?
With all the fillers in your face, you just full of hate.
That real a** ain't keep your n*gga home.
Now you lookin' silly, that's word to silicone."
Initially, speculation centered around Wendy Williams as the target, but Nicki swiftly dispelled that rumor by posting on her IG stories - "That line ain't about Wendy though #SaySoRemix." However, when the rumors shifted to her allegedly dissing Beyoncé, a cat got her tongue, and she stayed quiet.
Why clear up the diss to Wendy Williams but stay tight-lipped on Beyoncé? Nicki Minaj seemed to want people to believe she was dissing Bey, and similar to that incident, Nicki seems in no hurry to clear up rumors that she is doing it again.
Timing Is Everything
But what is most damning to me is the way Nicki Minaj tried to hide taking a shot at Beyonce.
In media, there's a widely held belief that if you need to release bad news or something you want to downplay, the best time to do so is late on a Friday, heading into the weekend when media coverage tends to slow down. By the time Monday rolls around, the hope is that any ensuing drama has either disappeared or been overshadowed by a new headline.
Nicki Minaj, who has been promoting turning every Friday pink until the return of Roman, dropped this special edition album at midnight PST on Saturday. The album is called "Pink Friday 2," not Pink Saturday.
This calculated move was done because she knew her Barbz would stay up eagerly awaiting the ONE song added to the "Pluto edition" while most media outlets would be on break until after MLK Day, providing her with an opportunity to take her shot at Beyoncé with minimal headlines.
Otherwise, why not drop the project on Friday with other new releases to get the most eyes on this "masterpiece." This woman tirelessly promotes PF2, with her AI art all up and down her social media, but she releases this project during vampire hours??? She wanted media attention to be low.
Nicki is not slick. This was a veiled shot at Beyonce, and like most of her shots at other girls, only her fans will even care. None of her "disses" are popular; GP wants "high-heels on my tippy."
So, yes, Nicki, be like Beyonce and grow up, and don't start wars you are not really ready for.
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