Nicki Minaj has transformed into Professor Roman and given fans a peek into her creative process when it comes to songwriting.
The Young Money hitmaker commanded the attention of the Barbz in an Instagram Live on Sunday (January 7), which saw her break down what goes through her mind when writing rhymes and crafting songs like Pink Friday 2‘s “FTCU.”
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“This is not a 10,” she said in front of an imaginary classroom full of students while referring to a lyric written on a whiteboard. “It’s a filler. I wouldn’t say it’s as bad as being a filler, I would say it’s not yet a 10. It’s definitely not an opening line. Correct? But see how simple it was?”
She continued lecturing her 31,000-plus viewers on IG Live, saying: “There’s no chewing in my class! What happens with lines that are a 7.5? You can do what you do at the airport, bitch. You can upgrade, ya dumb ho. Everyone’s a ho in this class.
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“Why would you dare use the same cadence on an already iconic verse? I mean, the same cadence on the same song. No, you switch it. When you that bitch you switch your flows.”
Watch a portion of Nicki’s class below.
While Nicki Minaj took on the role of professor for the night, colleges have taught classes with a curriculum surrounding her artistry and illustrious career in the past.
Back in the spring of 2023, UC Berkeley in California offered students a course called “Nicki Minaj: The Black Barbie Femcee & Hip Hop Feminisms.”
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The course examined Nicki’s record-breaking career while also delving into “broader historical-social structures and Hip Hop feminisms.”
There have also been plenty of artists and producers in Hip Hop who have made the transition from the music industry to higher education.
9th Wonder, Lupe Fiasco, Tay Keith and Mickey Factz have all played the role of college professor in one way or another.
Lupe was appointed an MLK Visiting Professor at MIT in 2022. His placement at the university was announced alongside associate professor of theater Eunice Ferreira and documentary filmmaker Louis Massiah, with all three being deemed experts in arts and humanities.
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Described as “an exploration into the underlying fundamental functions, structures, and principles of rap,” the introductory class found Lupe delving into the concept of “shapes and details” when it comes to writing rhymes and the power of “surprises,” among other topics.
Professor Lu also broke down lyrics from Eminem’s “Stan,” Kendrick Lamar’s “Sing About Me, I’m Dying of Thirst” and his own song “Jonylah Forever,” from 2018’s DROGAS Wave.
