Nicki Minaj Inna Dancehall Style: Five Of Her Caribbean Collabs
Nicki Minaj has already solidified her place properly among the thrones of hip hop, breaking records, making history and opening doors for many women in the game today while paying homage to the women before her.
However, it’s her Caribbean collaborations that have inspired us the most here at DancehallMag.
Born Onika Miraj in Port of Spain, Trinidad, and raised in Jamaica, Queens (NYC), the Pinkprint queen has been known to flaunt her West Indian heritage with pride and at times, complete flamboyance.
From her early collaborations with Gyptian (Hold Yuh [Remix]) and Sean Kingston (Letting Go” [Dutty Love]) in 2010 to the Carnival-inspired visuals for Pound The Alarm (2012) to her interpolation of the Filthy Riddim for 2019’s MEGATRON, Nicki has been letting it known that she is a true island gyal. She tends to feature Caribbean and Caribbean-American artists on her albums, too.
There was the Beenie Man collaboration (Gunshot) on Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded and the Lunch Money Lewis link up on The Pinkprint with Trini Dem Girls, just to name a few.
Other noteworthy moments include her headlining performance at Reggae Sumfest in 2011, her My Time Now MTV documentary which found her visiting family in West Trinidad and the hilarious (and slightly enticing) viral video of her drunkenly slurring Jamaican-inspired patois while backstage with her entourage.
In honor of Nicki’s most recent feature on the remix of Skillibeng’s already scorching “Crocodile Teeth,” which appears on the digital release of her Beam Me Up Scotty mixtape, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite dancehall collaborations with the Top Barbie.
Touch Down (Remix) – Stylo G. featuring Nicki Minaj & Vybz Kartel
“Just touch down inna da G5 // You know I’m buzzing like a bee hive.” This collab has to be mentioned first because of a) KARTEL and b) the massive grip this track had on the Dancehall and mainstream music scene. Before the lockdown, there was “Touch Down” taking over everywhere. Plus, we have to admit, it was fun to hear Kartel brag about how “Nicki pum-pum fatter.” Jah know. Big chune.
Give It All To Me – Mavado featuring Nicki Minaj
This track proves that Nicki floats just as easily across Jamaican patois as she does her own native Trini dialect and Queens cadence. Her and Mavado previously waxed the remix to “Freaks,” but this was her first time appearing on a juggling riddim. She holds her own with the Gully God while delivering a timeless, classic dancehall groove.
Twerk It – Busta Rhymes featuring Nicki Minaj & Tosh Alexander
Nicki is known for high-energy raps and so is Busta, so naturally a collab was in order. However, they switched up their flow entirely, giving the dance floors something to twerk, tick and wine to, amping it back up for the chorus with Tosh Alexander chatting up nicely in the background. This track is a win/win for Trinidad, Jamaica and waistlines everywhere.
Coco Chanel – Nicki Minaj featuring Foxy Brown
Long time we a wait fi dis one. Despite the fact that they are both legendary in their own rights, it was dope seeing the Trinidad-repping empresses link up for Nicki’s Queen album. Nicki brought the new-school Queens fire and Foxy brought the classic Brooklyn flow that made her an inspiration to Ms. Minaj and countless women in the game. They mix everything from hard-body patois to sultry Spanish on a track that lives up to it’s title – luxurious, hoodglam, flyness. “Whole lotta gang sh*t”, indeed.
Run Up – Major Lazer featuring Nicki Minaj & PARTYNEXTDOOR
Major Lazer and Nicki together is enough to excite anyone, but add in PARTYNEXTDOOR and it’s a movie. Run Up dominated radio, dances and hearts the entire year of his release and still bangs to this day. Nicki delivers for the West Indian Barbs with lines like “True mi have di game pon lock, dem wah code // Just link wit some hot gyal out ah road.” Road!
These are just a few of our favorite Dancehall and Dancehall-inspired tracks by the Trini-American bad gyal. What are some of yours?
