During the early hours of December 8, 2023, Nicki Minaj, also known as Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty, surprised fans with her fifth studio album, Pink Friday 2. This release follows the original Pink Friday from 2013, showcasing Minaj’s return to the music scene after facing questions about her consistency and dominance in rap.
Despite scrutiny and a lack of prominent awards, the hip-hop queen, also hailed as the queen of Barbz, continues to defy expectations by dropping music on her own terms. Notable releases include ‘Barbie World’ with Ice Spice and ‘Last Time I Saw You’ earlier this year.
Pink Friday 2 comprises 22 tracks, featuring collaborations with long-time colleague Drake, Lil Wayne, Lil Uzi Vert, J Cole, Skillibeng, Future, and others. Fans express overwhelming excitement, proclaiming ‘Queen Barbz is back.’ They highlight the album’s unique sound, distinct from current trends in female rap, yet reminiscent of the essence of the original 2013 Pink Friday.
Notably, in the track ‘FTCU,’ Minaj appears to diss her colleague Meghan Thee Stallion with the lyrics ‘Stay in your Tory Lane, bitch, I’m not Iggy.‘ While not explicitly naming Meghan, the wordplay suggests a message to stay in her lane, invoking Tory Lanez and Iggy Azalea for emphasis.
Stream here—