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

the Great Australian Cattle Drive, and Nicki Minaj Quinn Rooney/Getty Images, Frazer Harrison/Getty Images hide caption

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It's Been a Minute

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

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.

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

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Nicki Minaj paints hip-hop pink — and changes the game

Nicki Minaj attends the 2017 MTV Video Music Awards at The Forum on August 27, 2017 in Inglewood, Calif. Frazer Harrison/Getty Images hide caption

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Music

Nicki Minaj paints hip-hop pink — and changes the game

The 2010 Nicki Minaj album Pink Friday brought vibrant new shades to hip-hop.

Nicki Minaj paints hip-hop pink — and changes the game

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Grammy voting in controversy as Nicki Minaj claims her hit was wrongly categorized

Nicki Minaj, performing onstage at the 2022 MTV VMAs at Prudential Center on Aug. 28, 2022 in Newark, N.J. Theo Wargo/Getty Images for MTV/Paramount G hide caption

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Music News

Grammy voting in controversy as Nicki Minaj claims her hit was wrongly categorized

Nicki Minaj complained on social media that her hit had been deemed pop rather than rap.

Grammy voting in controversy as Nicki Minaj claims her hit was wrongly categorized

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The driver in a hit-and-run that killed Nicki Minaj's father is sentenced to one year

Charles Polevich at the Nassau County Courthouse for sentencing on Wednesday in Mineola, N.Y. Polevich, the driver in a hit-and-run crash that killed the father of rapper Nicki Minaj last year has been sentenced to a year in jail. Howard Schnapp/AP hide caption

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Howard Schnapp/AP

National

The driver in a hit-and-run that killed Nicki Minaj's father is sentenced to one year

Charles Polevich pleaded guilty to leaving the scene and tampering with evidence in the crash on New York's Long Island that killed Robert Maraj.

Busy Friday, But Is It Good? Looking At New Releases From Bieber, Carly Rae And More

Justin Bieber, photographed during the 2018 NBA All-Star Celebrity Game at Los Angeles Convention Center on February 16, 2018. Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images hide caption

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Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images

New Music

Busy Friday, But Is It Good? Looking At New Releases From Bieber, Carly Rae And More

The end of the workweek always brings with it a lot of music, but for whatever reason today is particularly jam-packed, with releases from Carly Rae Jepsen, Lil Nas X, David Bowie and many others.

The 2010s: The Globalization Of Music

The K-Pop Group BTS visits The Empire State Building on May 21, 2019 Steven Ferdman/Getty Images for ESB hide caption

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Steven Ferdman/Getty Images for ESB

All Songs Considered

The 2010s: The Globalization Of Music

Our look back at the past decade in music continues as we examine the ways musical borders have fallen and why global sounds are more prevalent and popular than ever.

The 2010s: The Globalization Of Music

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The 2010s: Social Media And The Birth Of Stan Culture

Drake performing at the 2015 OVO Festival at Molson Canadian Amphitheatre in Toronto, Canada. His now legendary beef that year with the rapper Meek Mill was waged over social media, fed in part by memes made by super fans or stans. George Pimentel/Getty Images hide caption

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All Songs Considered

The 2010s: Social Media And The Birth Of Stan Culture

Our series looking back at the past decade in music continues with a conversation about social media and how it's allowed (for better or worse) the rise of super fans, otherwise known as stans.

The 2010s: Social Media And The Birth Of Stan Culture

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Nicki Minaj Cancels Saudi Arabia Performance, Citing Human Rights Concerns

Nicki Minaj has cancelled her performance in Saudi Arabia due to pressure from human rights activists. Angela Weiss/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

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Music News

Nicki Minaj Cancels Saudi Arabia Performance, Citing Human Rights Concerns

Following heated criticism from human rights groups, Nicki Minaj has pulled out of a music festival in Saudi Arabia that she was scheduled to headline on July 18.

Nicki Minaj Cancels Saudi Arabia Performance, Citing Human Rights Concerns

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Turning the Tables: Your List Of The 21st Century's Most Influential Women Musicians

Beyoncé performs onstage during Coachella on April 14, 2018. Larry Busacca/Getty Images for Coachella hide caption

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The 200 Greatest Songs By 21st Century Women+

Turning the Tables: Your List Of The 21st Century's Most Influential Women Musicians

The results are in for our reader poll of the most influential women and non-binary musicians of this century. Your picks help us consider and question what "influence" can mean in new ways.

Nicki Minaj Is The 21st Century's Insatiable Hip-Hop Monarch

Nicki Minaj performs during the 2015 Billboard Music Awards. Photo Illustration: Ethan Miller/Getty Images and Angela Hsieh/NPR hide caption

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Photo Illustration: Ethan Miller/Getty Images and Angela Hsieh/NPR

The 200 Greatest Songs By 21st Century Women+

Nicki Minaj Is The 21st Century's Insatiable Hip-Hop Monarch

Minaj indelibly changed the hip-hop landscape in the past decade. She wanted the throne. Now that she has it, she isn't going to relinquish it to anyone — male or female — gunning for that title.

A Conversation On The Greatest Songs By 21st Century Women+

Clockwise from upper left: Mitski, Jenny Lewis, ANOHNI, Kali Uchis Courtesy of the artists hide caption

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Courtesy of the artists

All Songs Considered

A Conversation On The Greatest Songs By 21st Century Women+

All Songs Considered's Robin Hilton talks with Ann Powers, Marissa Lorusso and Sidney Madden about some of the greatest songs released by women and non-binary artists in the past 18 years.

A Conversation On The Greatest Songs By 21st Century Women+

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