Nicki Minaj
Source: Beats1
Source: Beats 1 on Twitter
Here's a comprehensive list of every new female rapper Nicki Minaj shouted out in her Beats 1 interview.
Nicki Minaj returned from her hiatus Thursday, sitting down with Zane Lowe on Beats 1 radio to grace fans with new music and a candid interview.
The Queens MC dropped two new singles, "Chun-Li" and "Barbie Tingz" ahead of the release of her fourth studio album.
"Shoutout to Cardi and all the new female rappers that's doing their thing," Minaj said when asked about the rumored beef between her and "Motor Sport" collaborator Cardi B.
Along with the shoutout, Minaj revealed how she felt "ambushed" by Cardi and the Migos— particularly Quavo— after the release of "Motor Sport." She noted that when asked in interviews about why Cardi and Minaj didn't appear in any scenes together in the video and how the track came about, she was made to look like "the bad guy." "Until her most recent interview, I had never seen her show me genuine love in an interview," she says.
Nicki also addressed past tension between her and Azealia Banks, admitting that the rapper has said "some terribly nasty things" about her in the past. She went on to praise Banks' new song Anna Wintour, explaining why she doesn’t hold any grudges. "When people apologize and they acknowledge their wrongs, I move on... And also, Azealia Banks' new record is dope."
READ: Stream Nicki Minaj's Two New Singles, "Chun Li" & "Barbie Tingz"
In the past, Minaj has faced critiques on not using her platform to help push unknown acts to the forefront. In the new interview, Nicki revealed that she's currently signing new artists and producers. In fact, both "Chun-Li" and "Barbie Tingz" were produced by Atlanta's J. Reid, a new producer whom Minaj has recently signed. Along with shouting out the new faces in rap, Minaj also extended her praise to a few rap veterans of the past, including the living legend Ms. Lauryn Hill, Foxy Brown, Trina, and Lady Luck.
At one point during the interview, Lil Wayne dialed in and praised his Young Money signee on her everlasting influence on the game. "She made her own way and there's a gang of people, not only women, following her path," he said.
With a nearly decade-long reign in the rap game, at this point, we'd be remiss to mention Nicki Minaj's stronghold and influence. Now, she's taking the time to pay it forward, tapping into a new generation of artists post-pinkprint.
Here's a comprehensive list of every new female rapper Nicki Minaj shouted out on her Beats 1 interview:
Azealia Banks
Azealia Banks is the most acclaimed of the bunch. Since her breakout 2011 track "212," the Harlem rapper and singer has been delivering intricate bars, laden with every literary device you can and can't think of. Lyrics, vocals, bars, bops— Azealia can do it all, and do it well. Oh, and she can act, too. Banks recently appeared in RZA's film, "Love Beats Rhymes" alongside Common and Jill Scott. Her 2014 debut album, Broke With Expensive Taste received critical acclaim. Her forthcoming second studio album, Fantasea II: The Second Wave is slated for release in June.
Minaj and Banks are both alumna of Manhattan's famed LaGuardia High School of Music & Art. A collaboration between these two? A wishful no-brainer.
Maliibu Miitch
Hailing from the South Bronx, Maliibu Miitch is the next runner-up in the canon of New York emcees. Her sound is quintessentially '90s NY— whether she's flipping old Biggie tracks, or cutting up instrumentals with the grimiest of intonations. Maliibu Miitch— whose name was inspired by Mekhi Phifer's character in the movie Paid in Full— harkens back to the space in time where the sonic bossdom of that New York sound was synonymous with hip-hop.
Her tracks "4AM" and "Crush On You" went viral, and since the release of her last mixtape Top 5, the emcee has been working on a new project to be released via Atlantic Records.
Ms Banks
Hailing from South London, rapper Ms Banks caught Nicki's attention last year with her verse on the 2017 "Yu Zimme Rmx" with Lisa Mercedez and Stylo G. Though she's of Nigerian and Ugandan heritage, her Jamaican patois-infused lyrics reflect the Caribbean flair of UK's rap scene. She's known to drop a fire freestyle, like her impressive Fire in the Booth freestyle over Kanye's 30 Hours. Having already collaborated with some well-known international acts like fellow UK rapper Stefflon Don, JME, and grime artist, Stormzy, Banks garnered even more attention after Minaj quoted her lyrics on Twitter last year.
Kash Doll
Rapper Kash Doll made a name for herself in her hometown of Detroit. She was recently featured on fellow Detroiter Big Sean's and Metro Boomin's track "So Good." The proclaimed veteran of "doll" emcees, Kash Doll stepped on the rap scene in 2014, building an internet fan base through humor, glamour, and not shying away from her past as a dancer. She even opened up for Drake in her hometown once.
Asian Doll
Asian Doll is the self-proclaimed "Queen of Teens." The Dallas-born rapper fuses archetypal "Soundcloud rapper" sonics with a Nicki Minaj-inspired harajuku barbie persona. The online world is her playground. Forging a fanbase off social media, her cover of Playboi Carti's song "Lame Niggaz" did rounds on the internet.
Stream Nicki Minaj's new tracks, "Chun-Li" and "Barbie-Tingz" below:
