Xodus Carnival band says they are ready to roll out the red carpet for Nicki Minaj at Jamaica Carnival.
Managing director of Dream Entertainment Scott says he is delighted to have Queen Of Rap in Jamaica in his band Xodus.
“We are excited that she’s coming and Xodus Carnival would love the opportunity to have her on the road with the biggest band in Jamaica,” he told WMV on Tuesday shortly after Minaj made the announcement that she will be in the island the the festivities.
Jamaica Carnival road march takes place on Sunday April 16, 2023 but Minaj, real name Tonya Miraj is currently in her home country of Trinidad and announced via Instagram that she is coming to Jamaica Carnival.
EDM DJ and director of Dream Entertainment also said, “If she is coming we will rill out the Pink Carpet,” alluding to Minaj’s pink themed “Barbie” centered career.
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.”
