Why Nicki Minaj’s Feature Spree Is A Great Decision 


Nicki Minaj’s recent decision to stick to feature spots is a great move for the rapper: here’s why.

Nicki Minaj has molded and maintained her own lane over the past decade. She’s undeniably elevated as Young Money’s First Lady, making a name for herself as the queen New York City and developing a dedicated mass Barbz that will jump at any given opportunity to defend her status. Despite the commentary that’s been circulating about her falling f, and the weird shots she took at Travis Scott and his daughter Stormi for not having the number one album, rap history the 2010s cannot be written without her name. When she announced her retirement ficially in August, after teasing her exit on Chance the Rapper’s “Zanies & Foolies,” Barbz or not, Twitter erupted in shock. But in a recent interview with The Shade Room she doubled back on her sentiments, clarifying that while she won’t be recording a fifth studio album, she’ll still be releasing features. And arguably, that’s where she shines the most.

Why Nicki Minaj's Feature Spree Is A Great Decision 

Nicki Minaj and Lil Wayne attend the Grammys, 2011 – Jason Merritt/Getty s

Nicki Minaj’s music had extraterrestrial life far before Safaree started dancing to it. Circling back to the 2009 release Beam Me Up Scotty, every Funkmaster Flex drop was necessary to emphasize the clean cut bars she packed on each track when she began to flood the radio. As she prevailed in the Mecca hip-hop a decade ago, one key component separated her from every other rapper in the five boroughs: her animation. New York City rap has always been known for its grit, and while Nicki possessed that, her almost pleasantly childish approach created her peak undeniable significance. She called herself a Barbie, and rapped alike with high pitch ad-libs, alter egos, and prep school type delivery. In songs like “Roger That,” the music video is reflected in the style a comic book, demonstrating bars in the form onomatopoeia’s; that’s exactly how Nicki rapped. Aside from Young Money, she easily began to dominate songs with her verses and visuals, rotating fluorescent wigs, snapping her neck in kooky costumes, and scrunching her face like she was sipping on vinegar, seen and heard in Ludacris’ “My Chick Bad.” Almost immediately, she proved that she could hold her own with legends, but 2010 was just the start.

Why Nicki Minaj's Feature Spree Is A Great Decision 

Nicki Minaj and Ludacris performing together, 2010 – Bryan Bedder/Getty s

If you told any hip-hop head back in 2010 that Nicki Minaj would be on a song with Kanye West, JAY-Z, and Rick Ross, and have the best verse, they probably would’ve laughed. But trust, there is no cap in that statement. Nicki’s verse on “Monster” was heroic, symbolizing her rise to the top the rap game but more importantly, proving that she could effortlessly hold her own on a track with music’s biggest names. Her verse was so strong that Kanye West even contemplated leaving it f My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. But this wasn’t the first time she stole the show from her predecessors, and it quickly became something she was known for. In fact, at that point Nicki had already done it twice on Mariah Carey’s “Up Out My Face” and the remix DJ Khaled’s “All I Do Is Win,” which featured Ludacris, Rick Ross, Snoop Dogg, and T-Pain. Around the industry, Kanye West probably wasn’t the only artist to be intimidated by her features. Who wants to get killed on their own song? But this idea transcended way past the realm rap.

Why Nicki Minaj's Feature Spree Is A Great Decision 

Nicki Minaj scrunches up her face as she performs at the 2010 BET Awards – Frederick M. Brown/Getty s

Nicki Minaj continued her reign in the worlds pop and R&B as well, cementing a Nicki Minaj feature as its own genre. She became a switch talent, extending her reach way past rap by teaming up with artists like Justin Beiber on “Beauty and a Beat” and Maroon 5 on “Sugar.” While it was widely known that her features posed as a threat in the rap game for their animation and quality, she began to gain even more fans outside hip-hop by teaming up with the top artists in other genres. Whether she was on a pop radio, techno, or R&B song, the world beyond rap felt the impact Nicki’s features. She eliminated the bar for herself, holding her own with legends in any genre while becoming one, in the same instance. Her solo efforts were a different story though. All four her studio albums went platinum, but from Pink Friday to Queen, the numbers have dwindled down. Despite the fact that she became a rap superstar, it became hard for hip-hop heads to point any her albums out as a certified classic. Her features were known for their intense grit, scrabble game wordplay, and pink polo style Kanye West word rhyming. Her projects as a whole weren’t nearly as consistent as her run features. For someone who’s clearly affected by the charting and criticism her studio albums, she’s fortunate enough to have another lane to lean on that also defines her legacy. If she continues her impressive guest verses, she’ll keep more control than streaming numbers and journalists can dictate.

The key difference between albums and mixtapes are the intentions. While mixtapes typically remain free in terms creativity and price, albums are ten formulated to recoup money fronted by record labels, forcing artists to drop songs that vie for radio play, but may be a disservice to the artist’s true craft. That seems to be the case with Nicki. For sure, she’s got some heaters on her studio projects. But when a song like “Super Bass” starts playing in the middle an album, it disrupts the flow and creates some questionable moments in her discography. With Nicki Minaj continuing to give out guest verses, she’ll keep control what she actually wants to put out as opposed to comprising with industry personnel. She can work with whomever she wants, whether it’s the classic Young Money linkups that have given us gems like “Up All Night” or putting on for artists who are up next like Megan Thee Stallion on “Hot Girl Summer” and 6ix9ine on “Fefe.” She can continue to bounce around music freely, upholding her tradition outdoing people on their own songs while stealing their fans simultaneously. Her run has been nothing short impressive. Realistically, it may even go down as the best in rap history. And considering the quality, it looks like we’re in store for more classic verses. The pressure will be minimized, presenting a hit-making cheat code that’s filled the decade with laughably intriguing lyrics and moments. If she did opt to keep dropping full-lengths, her albums would do numbers regardless, whether or not they debut at number one on the charts. However, with the continuance her features, she’ll uphold the part her legacy that’s nearly flawless.