The Barbz Vz Everybody

2.1.22

Nicki Minaj, Rihanna, A$AP Rocky

Nicki Minaj has announced a new single releasing this Friday, but she is giving fans all the reason to believe there may be much more on the way. From a music video trailer, to setting up a hotline phone number, and doing radio station interviews, something big is near.

Last week, Nicki Minaj announced a new single releasing this Friday, Do We Have A Problem, featuring Lil Baby. This alone is a feature fans have been wanting for years, as Lil Baby is currently at the top of the game in hip-hop, and Nicki Minaj will likely never leave. Still, with the extent of hype she is giving the track, it seems like there may just be more.

So far, Nicki has shared four different Instagram posts related to the new single. In each that she writes, Do We Have A Problem, she also notes Pink Friday. While this could just mean that the Queen Barbie is dropping on a New Music Friday, Pink Friday was the name of Nicki’s 2010 breakthrough album. So, is she dropping more than a single? Is an album on the way?

It has been around four years since Nicki released her last album, Queen, in 2018. While she has released a few singles here and there with other artists, she certainly took some time off to be a first-time mother, and now seems geared up and ready to take back her crown. One of Nicki’s posts is a trailer for the music video, that should be releasing alongside the single on Friday. In the video, she represents some sort of spy, sent on a mission to retrieve invaluable goods. She calls up Lil Baby as her sidekick, but in the end, this could be foreshadowing to Nicki sneaking in a whole album, or looking for another diamond certification. She event went as far to set up a hotline for fans to call and ask questions, for Nicki to respond to at a later time on Instagram Live.

Whenever active on social, Nicki always chats with her fans, but she has been especially active recently. Additionally, she even completed an interview with Houston radio station, 97.9 and seemed rather keen on the idea of a Verzuz nowadays. When initially asked about who Nicki would go against in a Verzuz, the radio hosts mentioned the only people that could stand next to Nicki would be Drake and Lil Wayne, her own people. Nicki did not seem super into that one, suggesting that their “bonafide hip hop hits” was too much for anyone to handle. However, she surprisingly suggested that she does feel there are one or two females whom could stand up next to her at a Verzuz.

Of course, Nicki did not want to throw at any names right away, however, she did mention that Swizz Beatz and Timbaland had been in contact with her about doing a Verzuz, and she said, “if it’s going to be fun, you never know.” Nicki expressed that she has been working hard for years, and now wants everything she does to be fun, which very well likely could be a Verzuz battle.

Now, the question is who. We have seen a male versus female showcase, but Nicki says she will take on a female, if it happens. Some are speculating Lil Kim, but they typically do two artists whose prime time crosses paths. She also said that she wants it to be fun, so now is not the time to bring your Cardi B vs Nicki Minaj drama. In my opinion, the one or two are Beyoncé and Rihanna. Two ladies that Nicki Minaj has so much love, has done music together with, and while many times different styles and genres, could go hit for hit with their endless catalogs.

My final guess, would be Rihanna. Timing is a bit funny, but Nicki Minaj did publicly wish RiRi a congratulatory announcement on her pregnancy, which was just finally confirmed yesterday. We also know that this is more than just a social media acknowledgement, after a photo relatively recently went viral of Rihanna and A$AP Rocky paying a visit to Nicki Minaj and her family. Seems like these two first time moms have plenty to celebrate, and also bond over together. It has been a while since releasing new albums for each of them, so this could be the opportunity where each other celebrates what catalog they do have, and how far they have came to establish their newly grown families.

Only time will tell who the opponent might be, but it does sound like there is potential that Nicki Minaj will be participating in a Verzuz in the near future. Similarly to spamming Instagram feeds and going on press interviews, people using have new projects to promote when they go to Verzuz. So, I am ready for the upcoming single, I am ready for the Verzuz, and I am ready for a new Nicki Minaj comeback album.