Nicki Minaj Calls Out Rappers For Signing With White Record Labels

Nicki Minaj had a bone to pick on Wednesday night. The rapper decided to hop on social media and air out her frustrations with the upcoming generation of artists. She initially made headlines for unfollowing the likes of JT and Ice Spice on Instagram, but Minaj had bigger fish to fry. The Young Money icon had a serious issue with the fact that so many African American artists are choosing to sign with record labels owned by white people. Minaj went on to contrast this pattern with the label she owns, Heavy On It.

“Motherf*cker tell somebody they don’t want to sign with Heavy On It,” she noted. “But then they’ll go and sign with the white peoples. And guess who the white peoples finna call?” Nicki Minaj then names herself. “They always get the attention of the Barbz.” The rapper took things a step further by claiming that the upcoming version of her album, Pink Friday 2, will be limited to Heavy On It signees. The names she considers worth spotlighting. “You will be surprised,” Minaj noted. “And I’m not talking about doing ad-libs on any songs. If your name is not on Pink Friday 2, they’re not a Heavy On It artist.”

The Heavy On It connection seems somewhat connected to Nicki Minaj’s problems with Ice Spice. It was widely speculated that Ice Spice was signed with Heavy On it in 2023. It was later confirmed, though, that the “Munch” rapper had inked a deal with Virgin Records. Spice’s debut album, Y2K, was just put out through Virgin. Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice experienced joint success with their single “Princess Diana.” That said, there has been nothing but tension between the two since. The fact that Minaj unfollowed Ice Spice on IG is further proof that things are not friendly between them.

It’s worth zooming out and looking at Nicki Minaj’s record deal. The rapper signed to Young Money in 2009. Lil Wayne and Birdman were the figureheads of Young Money, but the label is part of Universal Music Group. Who owns UMG? Lucian Grainge. The same Lucian Grainge Kanye West ranted about when he was dissing Drake on the “Like That” remix. Nicki Minaj may be frustrated with the decisions that younger artists have made, but she’s technically guilty of the same sin she’s accusing them of.