Richardine Bartee
There’s no way Rap lovers could have missed out the reasons why Nicki Minaj and Lil Kim aren’t friendly unless you’re very young. Unfortunately, two of music’s most definitive and adored personalities haven’t made music together—let alone—can sit in a room together without losing their poise for crass and drama with good reason. As a woman and a creative person, I understand what it is to feel underappreciated, slighted, stolen from, and ignored. On the flipside, I know how it feels to mention and champion someone great in public, and people in the business will act like you don’t exist or you didn’t state it. It is not what they’ve gone through, but the feelings surrounded the situation are relatable.
Listen, if Nicki Minaj and Lil Kim were to put aside their differences to make music together, it would be one of the greatest music moments on this planet! Not only would it be emotional for all of their fans, but it would also change how we [in the industry] handle these types of dilemmas. Whether we want to face it or not, both women are influential.
They have both motivated, inspired and empowered women and men all over this planet to live in their truth by way of their lyrics, to embrace their sexuality, and to hold their weight on records with musical giants. As Kim has the right to feel and to be hurt by what she described as theft in several interviews, it would be a dream come true to see them come together. They don’t have to become the best of friends, but for them to appear in the same room and to respect one another would do a lot for the culture, and the future of it.
Because of their footwork, Lil Kim’s iconic style (music and fashion) and Nicki Minaj’s incredible chart-topping hits, we’ve been blessed to have and cherish new young artists like Cardi B, Kash Doll, Leikeli47, Lizzo, Megan thee Stallion (who says she embraces all of her female musical peers in the industry), Rapsody, Rico Nasty, and so many more. I don’t want to be disrespectful and not mention Fox’s name because her deep voice was one of one and Caribbean music-inspired and infused tracks paved the way for Nicki Minaj to fully incorporate her Trinidadian roots into mainstream music as no other rapper or woman has before. I know that Fox and Nick are close, but I hope that doesn’t hinder them all for putting aside their differences.
If it doesn’t happen, that’s cool, but all we can do is wait and hope for the best. I like Ma$e. He had a solution, a timeframe to get it done (artists aren’t encouraged to release new material before official remixes for their current songs fizz out), and you said it publicly for the world to see.
PS: It’s odd for Nicki Minaj to say that the people who cover music and produce news aren’t doers. We are doing every day. We also have our fights, personal and professional. Someone should respectfully sit her and everyone else who believes this down to have a real chat. No matter how big it is, a fight is a fight, and no matter how much your salary is, work is work. A part of me wants her to call people out on Queen Radio, so the generalisation doesn’t extend its cast over the rest of us who enjoy music and what we do, spending our waken moments pushing others, even when the masses don’t believe in them, or they don’t believe in themselves the way we do. It is work!
