Nicki Minaj’s new single “Red Ruby Da Sleeze” continues to fuel her long-running rivalry with Cardi B — or Cardi B’s fans, at least.
The latest spat between the Barbz and the Bardi Gang played out on social media on Wednesday (March 15) after Nicki shared a teaser trailer for the song’s forthcoming music video.
AD LOADING...
The sexy, 20-second clip found the Young Money Queen flaunting her curvaceous figure in a black swimsuit while overlooking the ocean from the balcony of a luxury pad.
While the video was met with excitement among Nicki’s die-hard disciples, Cardi B fans poked holes in the footage and claimed the Pinkprint rapper had used Photoshop to edit her figure and make her waist appear smaller.
“I know this lady’s editing team is sick of her,” read one viral tweet that contained screenshots from the video, while another user wrote: “The Photoshop is so Nasty.”
However, many of Nicki’s fans contested the images and claimed that the screenshots themselves had been edited.
“The fact that bardi gang literally takes time out of their day to photoshop nicki looking SKINNIER just so they can drag her is BEYOND pathetic lmaooo,” one person clapped back. “It’s giving obsessed, unemployed and obese sitting behind a keyboard like you guys are so embarrassing hahahahaha.”
Nicki Minaj appeared to respond to the Photoshop claims herself on Twitter, bringing up her lyrical and commercial prowess to silence her critics.
AD LOADING...
“Photoshop them bars,” she wrote, before adding: “Photoshop them sales.”
Her latter tweet mentioned a report that her Queen Radio: Volume 1 compilation had spent 25 weeks on the Billboard 200, extending its run as the longest-charting female rap album released in 2022.
AD LOADING...
The Queens, New York native then fired off another ferocious tweet aimed at her naysayers, dismissing the notion that she’s over the hill simply because she’s now in her 40s.
“2023 not the year to play wit ONIKA TANYA MARAJ PETTY RED RUBY DA MF SLEEZE CHUN-Li NICKI MINAJ NICKI DA NINJA NICK DA HARAJUKU BARBIE,” she snarled. “40. Yup. 40’s wit 30 clips. FN’s wit da switch.”
Nicki Minaj has frequently called other female rappers’ lyrics into question over the years, accusing her peers of relying on ghostwriters to pen their rhymes.
“I’ve been talking about this for 15 years, so I’ma talk about it,” she said during an episode of her Queen Radio show last year. “Everybody that is a ghostwriter right now in Hip Hop that is writing for any female — not just the artist, but the ghostwriter — is a Nick fan.
AD LOADING...
“Before they write that muthafucking verse, they think, ‘What would Nicki Minaj say?’ And if you disagree or dispute that, you’re fucking dumb.’ I’m talking about how many different ways y’all gon’ say them lines, my nigga. Damn!”
Nicki’s own alleged use of ghostwriters, along with her age, was used as ammo by Latto in the pair’s bitter back-and-forth on Twitter last October.
AD LOADING...
The spat was sparked by Nicki’s suggestion that Latto’s “Big Energy” should also be moved into the pop categories at the 2023 Grammys after her hit single “Super Freaky Girl” was denied eligibility in the rap division.
The 777 rookie called Nicki a “40-year-old bully” and “super freaky grandma,” while also claiming: “I heard a few of ur refs before they came out too boo. U forgot WE ALL collab w the same writers?? Difference is I don’t deny it.”
“Age shaming when you look like YOU the one pushing 40,” Minaj fired back. “Age shaming but was BEGGING for a feature. Imagine what dem genes gon do in 10 years[.] Oh so you in your 20’s. Oh ok then. At least it match your album sales. You sold 20K right? Mad u flopped. That’s why u rlly mad.
“Who wanna hear the reference tracks scratch off ghost writers rapping her bars????? she used me & the Barbz in every interview until that album sold double wood[.] now she wiping that spray tan off & being a Karen. They black when it’s beneficial chi.”
AD LOADING...
As for “Red Ruby Da Sleeze,” the music video is expected to debut later this month following the single’s release on March 3. The track samples Lumidee’s 2003 hit “Never Leave You (Uh Oooh).”
While Cardi B remains her fiercest rival, some fans believe Nicki Minaj threw subliminal shots at Megan Thee Stallion on the song.
AD LOADING...
“700 on ’em horses when we fixin’ to leave/ But I don’t fuck with horses since Christopher Reeve,” she rapped, referencing the Superman actor’s 1995 horse-riding accident that left him wheelchair-bound for the rest of his life; ’95 is also the year Megan was born.
