Nicki Minaj delivered a flurry of collaborations in recent times as fans await the release of her follow-up Queen. She recently teamed up with Ice Spice on the “Princess Diana (Remix)” and this week, unveiled the video for Kim Petras’ “Alone.” Throughout her career, guest appearances have helped her solidify her spot as one of the GOATs. Her versatility and ability to out-bar her collaborators have made her one of the most sought-after features in the industry these days.
With a wide range of guest appearances on her resumé, we have to wonder what her process is like when choosing the right song. “I sleep on it. For weeks usually. Sometimes months. Normally don’t play it after the first day. I let the universe decide. Then 1 day out of the blue I tell Juice to pull it up. That means it came back to me on its own. I lay a few references w/different flows, then sleep on it some more. Then… boom! I’ve made a decision. Written & recorded. Then we wait…for the barbz to give the nod of approval I guess,” she said.
Nicki Minaj Details Creative Process
Although plenty of artists look at features as a quick cash grab, fans praised Nicki for prioritizing her craft above all else. Nicki explained that she often listens to the song as a fan before deciding if she wants to hop on the song. “The verse has to elevate the song or it shouldn’t be on the song. Also, not every song should have a rap verse on it,” she said. She added that actually rapping on different songs requires a passion for the craft, especially when experimenting with various genres.
“Also rap has to rlly be your passion in order to adapt to diff songs, genres, beats, tempos, etc. you can’t go on the court and play the same exact defense with every team…some you’ll have to pull back, some you’ll need to attack harder,” she added. This bit of advice seems like it could be valuable for the artists that are coming under her. Nicki recently announced the launch of her own record label, Heavy On It, as well as her partnership with Ice Spice. Check out Nicki’s tweets below.