Nicki Minaj delivered her new “Hard White” video on Thursday (January 31) and fan theories are running wild. Around the 1:32-minute mark, a black scorpion appears and is promptly ripped apart into several pieces.
Considering Drake’s latest album is called Scorpion,many fans are assuming it’s a shot at the 6 God.
THE SCORPIO THE SHADE TO DRAKE !!!!! #HARDWHITE#NICKIMINAJpic.twitter.com/BaiPoL1sKF
— ????? ????? (@NICKILOOKS1) February 1, 2019
Although the scorpion scene is brief, it’s caused quite an uproar on Twitter (naturally). Last December, fans noticed Drake and Nicki — who are both part of the Young Money family — weren’t following each other on social media. Of course, speculation started to swirl around the status of their relationship.
Other theories suggest Black Barbie is also throwing a shot a perceived rival Cardi B with not only the line, “I ain’t ever have to strip to get the pole position” (a reference to Cardi’s stripper past) but also with the Mike Ho-directed video. Fans believe a dead bird falling from the sky is supposed to symbolize Cardi’s fall from grace.
But that’s not all. Toward the beginning of the visual, a Grammy trophy flashes across the screen as Nicki raps, “I’m the trophy of the game/Everybody trying to win me,” which many have concluded is a diss aimed at the Grammy Awards.
“Hard White” is taken from Nicki’s Queen project, one of HipHopDX’s Most Disappointing Albums of 2018.
Check out the “Hard White” video up top and some of the reactions to the imagery in the visual below.
BYE BARDI
BYE GRAMMYS
BYE DRAKE
THE QUEEN STILL REIGNS ? #HardWhite@NICKIMINAJpic.twitter.com/KvA6z0n9Im— Megatron (@nickimegatron) February 1, 2019
Ayo! Did #NickiMinaj just break #Drake Scorpion into pieces!?#HARDWHITEpic.twitter.com/OMAyGEEQIR
— Neo Ndaba (@NeoNdaba_) February 1, 2019
NICKI MINAJ & YOUNG MONEY AIN'T FUCKING WITH DRAKE NO MORE.
Good Form Visual vs Hard White Visual pic.twitter.com/tVIKEg4zmt
— NICKI MINAJ DATA (@MINAJCHARTDATA) February 1, 2019
@NICKIMINAJ you really ended Cardi, Drake & the Grammys with only a music video. I stan foreva! pic.twitter.com/MqiOqLWHoV
— ??? (@fatbeloved) February 1, 2019
? some #Barbz are suggesting that the scorpion being smashed in the #HARDWHITE video signifies the destruction of Nicki Minaj’s relationship with fellow Young Money original, Drake.. ??
thoughts? ? pic.twitter.com/QQyIz7Ydz7
— SLEEZY Minaj ? (@sleezminaj) February 1, 2019
The theory or the message behind this lyrics is about fake friendship with Drake , bird falling down is Cardi's falldown&Telling Grammys she is the https://t.co/54s2k89vrZ all wanted her to be the BadGuy here she is. WIG #HardWhiteVideo#HardWhite#NickiMinaj
?????? pic.twitter.com/7PZ3yBvK65— Edis Krasniqi (@EdisKrasniqi04) February 1, 2019
The symbolism in Nicki Minaj’s video is real and it shows her taking shots at Cardi B and Drake! #DailyPop ???????
— Colin Brinkley (@cb_yellowjacket) February 1, 2019