Nicki Minaj fans have gotten an answer as to why the rapper was excluded from Spotify’s “The Gold Standard Exhibition” in celebration of women in Hip Hop.
Spotify unveiled the New York City activation on Thursday (August 1), taking to Instagram to share footage of Latto, Flo Milli and Sexyy Red all seeing their “fine art portraits” for the first time.
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According to the streaming platform’s caption, The Gold Standard Exhibition pays homage to “the ladies setting the bar for hip-hop.” The footage shared also spotlighted portraits of Cardi B, the City Girls, Doja Cat, Meghan Thee Stallion, and others.
It didn’t take long, however, for fans — including Summer Walker — to take note of the ladies who had been left out of the special gallery; namely Nicki Minaj.
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According to HotNewHipHop, Walker reportedly commented on a post about the exhibit, writing: “I don’t even listen to hella Nicki cause I’m a r&b lover. But where is the Queen.. or Lil Kim at least or Missy Elliott… this mad disrespectful. This why I make my music n go home the industry weird.”
Another fan wrote: “Kim, Nicki, Foxy, Lauryn, Eve, Trina, Missy, Da Brat, Left Eye, MC Lyte, Roxanne Shonte, Queen Latifah, YoYo. I’m sure I’m missing more but the disrespect.”
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Others commented directly on Spotify’s original post with statements like, “This can’t be serious….Foxy Brown. Missy Elliot. Lil Kim. Nicki Minaj. Lauryn Hill. HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND,” and “now come on @spotify NICKI MINAJ IS STILL THERE SELLING BETTER THAN ALL OF THEM WHERE IS SHE ????”
However, according to Manon Biernacki, the artist commissioned to create the portraits, the “FTCU” rapper is the one who made the decision not to be included in the collection.
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Biernacki shared a video of her own on Friday (August 2), documenting her journey and explaining a bit of the process behind the creation of The Gold Standard Exhibition, which was also her first solo art show.
She closed out the caption on the post with a message that seemed directed at the Barbz, writing: “Ps: don’t come after me in my DMs, Nicki didn’t want to be part of the show.”
While many would agree that Nicki Minaj’s influence on the Rap game is undeniable, another female rapper recently shared that she doesn’t believe it’s been for the best.
Lil Mama shared her thoughts beneath an Instagram post that the always outspoken Dee-1 shared in July.
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The New Orleans native posted a montage of Sexyy Red, GloRilla, Latto, Ice Spice and Megan Thee Stallion performing at the BET Awards, juxtaposed with his own song “Purify My Eyes.”
On the track, Dee-1 laments the oversexualization of female rappers, spitting: “I turned on the awards show and the things I’ve seen on the screen/ Will make me cause a scene ’cause it’s so obscene/ We call women queens but we celebrate the prostitution of their bodies.”
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He added in his caption: “We can do better as a ‘culture’ @bet + @betawards i mean this sincerely […] Deep down, most executives, fans, and artists know we can do better. We just gotta have the courage to do it.”
In the comments section, Lil Mama echoed this sentiment and took aim at a specific artist who isn’t featured in the video but whose influence, she claims, looms large.
“Then gave Nicki an award for leading this pack. Corporate ‘BARS’ be going over our head. They laughing at us for sure!” she wrote.
In response to another user, Mama added: “key word… THIS Pack. These young women are not influenced by Kim. Nicki is influenced by Kim. These women are 23. What major musical prostitutes do you remember from the last 15years.”
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She continued: “Who do you think they watched corporate give a platform and flowers for slitting out. Be forreal. Like I said they are laughing at us and the award was a ‘thanks to you, now we have 7,8, 9 of em.’
“God Is the Greatest and these women are gonna wake up and realize that they are worth more than any price tag. Sometimes we can’t see ourselves. We are just living… so I can under[stand] how this can happen and feel normal.”
