As part of XXL magazine’s 20th anniversary issue, Queens native Nicki Minaj sat down for an interview and rattled off a list of Hip Hop artists who have influenced her the most. Although a majority of the artists she name-dropped (JAY-Z, Foxy Brown, Nas) are East Coast-based, Minaj did touch on a time when she was influenced by the sound coming from the West Coast.
She even recalled channeling Eazy-E’s “Boyz-n-the-Hood” for the 2 Chainz-assisted “Beez In The Trap.”
“I also remember my passion for the West Coast at a certain time in my life, before I started rapping,” Minaj said. “So, I have to say artists like Snoop Dogg and Eazy-E, too. And Ice Cube. I remember when I went in the studio to do ‘Beez In The Trap.’ I didn’t write anything down. I heard the beat and I went in the booth and I was kidding around at first, but I just started channeling some [Eazy-E] ‘Boyz-n-the-Hood.’ And I just started sayin’, ‘Bitches ain’t shit and they ain’t sayin’ nothin.’ It just reminded me of the vibe of, ‘Cause the boys in the hood is always hard.'”
Minaj also commented on Hip Hop’s influence on popular culture, especially fashion.
“Certain designers feel like they’re bigger than rap or Hip Hop, but nothing is bigger than Hip Hop,” she said. “Hip Hop is by far the biggest influence on life [laughs]. I mean, it sounds crazy, but what kids wear, how they speak, the slang, the dances, everything.”
Minaj was one of the artists selected for XXL’s special edition covers. The issue hits stands on October 17.
Check out a clip of Minaj above.
So she got AIDS?
prolly shouldn’t have had the flu shot from (((Jerry Heller)))’s doctor friend 😉
But Eazy-E had talent, nothing about him was fake, plastic or annoying, this ratchet hoodrat will really do anything for fame huh?
Talent? HA! He never wrote a single bar nor made a single second of a beat! Not tryna disrespect but he doesn’t really earn the title of a legend! Y’all only appreciate cause he’s dead!
true but he had the voice and swagger and hey at least he signed BTNH so one could say he could spot talent / had vision. unless that was Jerry’s idea, i don’t remember the whole Ruthless story details
True tbh… About Bone Thugs! His voice was too squeaky for me…
GTFO…Eazy = LEGEND…Godfather of Gangsta Rap
No no no! It’s not 1989 no more! You should be listening to YG rather than hating on my opinion!
Wrong, Eazy wrote parts of his own songs after N.W.A. fell apart. Granted, I doubt he’d be able to actually write a good full song singlehandedly. I like Eazy, but he’s by no means a legend. All he really had going for him was his voice, attitude, and he signed BTnH.
Support black owned brands then. That simple you dumb girl
Most FOH headline I’ve read all day.
And DX BEEN deleting comments out here! Guess they don’t like anyone thrashing their favorite rapper Young Thug.