"New Body" is one of the most beloved Yandhi-era leaks from Kanye West, both for its hypnotic beat and its topical focus... for better or worse. In addition, it also features a great verse from Nicki Minaj, which only made it all the more disappointing when the track appeared to stay in limbo. However, hype emerged once again when Ye and Ty Dolla $ign announced that the track would be on their upcoming collab album Vultures. In fact, they even played it at their Miami "rave" listening event, with Queen Barb's verse and all. As such, it seemed like we would finally get this song officially in our hands.
But alas, when Friday, December 15th rolled around with no Vultures in sight, and Kanye West posted a screenshot of him asking Nicki Minaj to clear "New Body," we went back to a disappointed state. Later, she addressed his request during an Instagram Live sessions, saying that "that train has left the station." In other words, the 41-year-old expressed qualms about releasing a song that's over three years old at this point. While that's certainly a valid argument from an artistic standpoint, a lot of fans still expressed sadness that the track is once again in jeopardy.
Kanye West Responds To Nicki Minaj: Watch
What's more is that Kanye West responded to Nicki Minaj's comments during his absurdly combative rant against Jay-Z, Drake, and so many more. This was at his Las Vegas listening party for Vultures. While addressing her refusal to clear the sample, the Chicago artist claimed that he made her rewrite her iconic verse on "Monster" three times. "I supported her career," he said of the "Last Time I Saw You" hitmaker. Most importantly, the 46-year-old seemed to hammer on the point that they're still going to fight to put "New Body" out one way or another.
Meanwhile, that listening event was somehow more chaotic than the first, and we're sure the ride's far from over. Maybe these exchanges will continue, too, and we'll either get a compromise, an apology, a reconciliation, or an even stronger divide. When it comes to these two artists, has guessing ever been a consistent game to play? For more news and the latest updates on Kanye West and Nicki Minaj, stay logged into HNHH.