Nicki Minaj Rejected Several Songs She ‘Didn’t Love’ Before Choosing ‘Barbie World’ With Ice Spice
Of course, OG Barb Nicki Minaj was going to be a part of the new Barbie movie, but that doesn’t mean that she was going to hop on just any song that came her way. As she graced the pink carpet for the world premiere of Barbie on Sunday (July 9), Minaj spilled some tea about the process behind her and Ice Spice’s collaboration for the film’s soundtrack.
“There were a couple songs that I didn’t love,” Minaj revealed to Entertainment Tonight. “This ‘Barbie’ sample, I loved it. I just wanted it to have a dope drum, and so the one that they sent me, I loved! And I jumped on it right away.” The song in question was “Barbie World,” a collaboration with New York rapper Ice Spice that featured production contributions from RiotUSA and a sample of AQUA’s seminal “Barbie Girl.”
The rapper also called her inclusion in the project a “very full circle moment.” “I’ve been saying ‘Barbie’ my whole career,” she told ET.
“Barbie World” is currently the highest charting song from the Barbie soundtrack. The song debuted at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Minaj’s 23rd top 10 hit and Ice Spice’s fourth. The soundtrack single also marks the second collaboration between the two artists; the pair linked up earlier this year for a remix of Ice’s “Princess Diana,” which peaked at No. 4 on the Hot 100.
In addition to Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice, the soundtrack for the Greta Gerwig-helmed film also boasts a slew of pop music’s biggest and brightest stars. Executive produced by Grammy and Oscar winner Mark Ronson, Barbie The Album is set to feature contributions from Dua Lipa, Ryan Gosling, Billie Eilish, Karol G, Lizzo, Khalid, Gayle, Fifty Fifty, Kaliii, Haim, Tame Impala, Charli XCX and more.
Check out a clip of Nicki’s pink carpet interview below:
Kyle-Brandon Denis
Billboard
