Nicki Minaj's bars, Barbz and beefs; plus, why 2023 was the year of the cowboy

It's Been a Minute

NPR

News Commentary, Society & Culture, News, Spirituality, Religion & Spirituality

4.6 • 8.8K Ratings

🗓️ 8 December 2023

⏱️ 52 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Nicki Minaj just released her first album in half a decade, Pink Friday 2. The self-proclaimed 'Queen of Rap' has an unparalleled career, but the rap game - and women's position within it - has changed dramatically during her hiatus. While Nicki helped shape rap today, the artist has also faced a slew of controversies and an erratic album rollout that all have us asking: is Nicki still the verified 'Queen of Rap'? Host Brittany Luse sits down with NPR Music Editor and Louder Than A Riot host Sidney Madden to discuss.

Then, we're breaking down one of the most powerful symbols in America: the cowboy. Brittany is joined by New York Times culture critic J Wortham, and Museum of Contemporary Art Denver director Nora Burnett Abrams to unpack the history of the symbol and explain why it continues to lasso Americans.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Support for this podcast and the following message come from the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation,
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0:08.7	100% of your donation funds groundbreaking research. Donate
0:12.9	donate today at Damon Runyon.org slash donate.
0:17.0	Hey hey I'm Brittany Loose you're listening to It's Been a Minute from NPR, a show about what's going on in culture and why it doesn't happen by accident.
0:29.0	And a warning to listeners, this episode contains mentions of drug abuse, sexual abuse, and
0:34.6	language that might not be suitable for everyone.
0:39.9	This week we're talking about rap royalty and what it takes to hold on to the
0:43.8	crown. In case you didn't know it is a rap Queen's big birthday weekend.
0:49.2	Nicki Minage is getting another year older and to celebrate she has gifted all her loyal subjects
0:56.4	an album they've waited half a decade for.
1:00.1	Pink Friday too.
1:01.9	Her fans, The Barb's, have been so excited for this drop because it means
1:06.1	Nicky is back. And while they've loyally defended her crown over the last few years, the landscape of the rap kingdom has changed dramatically. From Cardi B to Doja Cat
1:25.0	countless women have walked through the doors that Nicki flung open for female
1:29.3	rappers and the Queendom is a little more crowded than it was in 2018.
1:34.0	Today I want to talk about Nicky's rise to the top
1:38.0	and how threats to the Queen's legacy may shape her return to the throne. To break it all down with me I've got NPR
1:45.4	music editor and host of Louder than a Riot, Sydney Madden.
1:51.4	Sydney, welcome to it's been a minute.
1:53.0	Thank you so much, Brittany. It really has been a minute.
1:56.0	It has been a minute. I am so excited to have you here today because when our producer
	...

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