Queen of Hip Hop Nicki Minaj, who is currently in Trinidad, announced via Instagram that she is coming to Jamaica Carnival.
Making her first public appearance since her MTV Video Music Awards appearance where she hosted and collected the Michael Jackson video Vanguard award.
Minaj announced her trip to Jamaica in an engagement with DJ Foota Hype where he said: “happy to see you back in full effect queen, I am reviewing ur new song tomorrow a chubble lol.” to which she answered, “need you to go Crazy when you playing it. We need a next Trini Carnival. Im going to Jamaica Carnival.”
Nicki Minaj coming for Ja Carnival pic.twitter.com/0W1BDyvdAK
— Zj Sparks 🇯🇲 🕉 OUT NOW Island Waves 🌊 (@Sparkiebaby) February 21, 2023
The song she speaks about is “Shake the Place” with Machel Montana and Destra which is currently at a new peak of No. 6 on the U.S. reggae iTunes chart.
Nicki shared in her instagram story on Monday videos dancehall star Skeng, and images of her in her “dress down” day gear.
On Tuesday she posted a video with the caption: “S/o to @skeng.don for reppin us. 2nd video by @grizzleearts 📸 Last video shot by @emanuelambi#ShakeThePlace @machelmontano @destragarcia & me. Sweet sweet T& T 🇹🇹.”
She posted on Monday, “I am on my way. I know today is dress down today. Machel, I’m headed to the truck now.”
She continued, “Tmrow (tomorrow) I’ll have my wings on. Lewee go nah man.”
Jamaican social media influencer Rush Cam snapped a video of the Queen riding the truck with a huge Trinidadian flag during the road march which has since gone viral with Skeng in the background.
NICKI MINAJ in TRINIDAD pic.twitter.com/DH6rj1bf4C
— RUSHCAM (@RushCam) February 21, 2023
The Likkle Miss singer posted another video on her instagram on Monday with Destra, Patrice Roberts, Machel Montana.
Destra said in the video “She is not just the queen of rap she is the Queen.” to which Minaj replied “Queen tings King tings, that’s all that comes out of Trinidad.” followed by sounds effects of gun shots promoted by Montana.
Nicki Minaj was born in Port of Spain Trinidad in 1982 and grew up with 11 cousins. She got her green card at age 24 and let the the twin Island republic for the Bronx New York where she pursued a music career.
During her acceptance speech at the MTV VMAs as she received the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard, Nicki thanked a slew of people who ‘inspired her flow’ and ‘gave her huge opportunities.” Among them she thanked “Beenie Man and all of Jamaica.” After which she said “I have to thank Drizzy for always saying the things I need to hear to get me back in the game.”
Drake has always stayed close to Jamaican culture and the artists from the island have embraced him since the beginning of his career. One of the Toronto artist’s first song Find Your Love was filmed on location in Jamaica and featured Mavado in the music video. For the intro, Drake got advice from a Rasta man about leaving a girl alone and focusing on his music and his album. He has since used the dancehall culture and artist to fuel his singles and albums. Dancehall deejay Popcaan has also been signed to his OVO label since 2018.
Nicki Minaj herself has done a few dancehall collabs, most notably with Gyptian, Mavado, Beenie Man and Skillibeng. If she comes to Jamaica to film it would be her first time filming a music video on the island.
The last time the Young Money Queen was in Jamaica, she headlined Reggae Sumfest in 2011. She was approached by Jamaican police soon after she left the stage and told she had violated the Towns and Communities Act, which is a British colonial law that fines persons for “obscenity in a public place”. She was issued a court summons for 28 July.
Minaj however left the island and never appeared. Instead, a local lawyer attended court and entered a guilty plea on her behalf. The singer was ordered to pay a fine of 1,000 Jamaican dollars. On Twitter, Minaj joked about the incident: “I swear I just had the time of my life,” she wrote.
In 2019, she compared the situation to Saudi Arabia women’s rights laws saying, “I could make one mistake and got to jail in a different country where women have no rights.”
I performed in Jamaica before & when i got off the stage I was surrounded by police with guns drawn. They were ready 2 take me to jail b/c they said I forgot to bleep a couple curses…. I could make one mistake & go to jail in a diff country where women have no rights. #FreeAsap
— Nicki Minaj (@NICKIMINAJ) July 10, 2019
Meanwhile Shenseea’s former manager Romeich Major posted a long quote on his instagram giving kudos to the organizers of the Trinidadian Carnival and the government
“TRINDAD #CARNIVAL!!!!!
all I can say it’s crazy,it’s fun, it’s amazing but most of all everyone comes together especially all artist,promoters and in my view even the government and trust me this help and benefit the country so much,
Sometime it’s not about comparing but sharing knowledge,” he posted.
He outlined that Jamaica has a product similar to Trinidad’s Carnival called dancehall an it needs the same kind of support from the authorities.
“We have a PRODUCT call dancehall that’s so powerful we the country of jamaica just not utilizing it the right way and we need more proper investment from the persons who can!!!
Trinidad have like 300 parties in like 3 weeks non-stop 24/7 no lock off,
None stop security for the people them,beautiful set up in the events,food all over,yoo I am amazed no lie!!!! 2024 me a forward again!!!”
He closed his statement by saying,
The #caribbean is one of the most amazing place to live so all we need to do is make use of our cultures and spread the beauty of our countries stop making media and news show the negativity only 😢 we as people have way more power than them so show the beauty of each of your countries!!!
If you from the Caribbean drop your flag!!!
Have a great week my ig peeps!!!
Also special big up the @voicetheartiste and his team
