Friday, Nicki Minaj and Lil Baby dropped their first of two collaborations, “Do We Have A Problem?” On The Late Late Show with James Corden, Minaj said her new album “will be out before the summertime.”
Nicki Minaj and the Music Industry
Since the rerelease of her 2009 year-end-listed mixtape, “Beam Me Up Scotty,” Nicki took a hiatus from music to focus on her growing family. The “Nicki hate-train” may be the cause of some much-needed peace as well. The term refers to people who flip loyalties and harm her name and image with lies. The “Nicki hate-train” reached new heights in 2018 with comparisons to emerging rapper Cardi B. And, in this clip from Joe Budden’s podcast in 2021, it’s clear how upset she was with the situation.
Now, to promote her new single, “Do We Have A Problem?” Minaj clears the air on past beef. For example, on The Morning Hustle, the rapper discussed how she wouldn’t work with rap-duo City Girls because they don’t like her. In general, she seems to be in a more positive space and answers tough questions with grace.
Nicki & Lil Baby Are Detectives On “Do We Have A Problem?”
“Do We Have A Problem?” is one of two collaborations with Lil Baby. The music video for DWHAP showcases Nicki’s acting chops alongside Lil Baby playing detectives. With the song’s announcement, the 39-year-old presented a hotline (213-523-7762), asking fans to vent any problems they were facing.
The second single, “Bussin,” will be released on February 11th. A snippet of the song played at the end of the nine-minute music video for “Do We Have A Problem?”.
“Do We Have A Problem?” Analysis
After Nicki’s spoken intro, she jumps into the chorus. She raps, “Tell ’em my niña, my b*tch, she a rider / I got a shooter and I got a driver.” Before she finishes the introduction chorus, she finishes with, “Beef, we ’bout to resolve, yo / Pull up on a opp, do we have a problem?” In the background, trap beats and heavy synths guide her flow. In just the introduction and delivery, Nicki puts out a warning not to mess with her crew.
Nicki jumps into the first verse with bars, “That one a opp, that one a lick / This one for Pop, this one for Juice /I am the one, b*tch, you a deuce (Brr).” She pays respect to the late rappers Pop Smoke and Juice WRLD in this bit. Still, she continues, “She’s still spyin’ on my flicks (Flicks) / He admirin’ my drip (Drip) / Check what I do, the check will clear, too.” It’s not too hard to understand why she’s the Queen.
In the next verse, Lil Baby pulls his weight next to Nicki. The ringing beat doesn’t change, and, of course, he rides it. Lil Baby raps, “I’m not by myself, my whole crew lit / Next year Chanel, I put her in that new print / It is what it is, I can’t make no excuses.” Though, once he finds his groove, he really delivers. As he closes his verse, he punches, “You can’t run with my gang, they gon’ bully you / Been had switches, I know what them fullies do / I’m a vibe, let me know what you wanna do.”
What’s Next For Nicki Minaj?
We can see Nicki’s next single, “Bussin,” out on February 11th. Between collaborating with Jessy Nelson, BIA, and Drake, Nicki Minaj has been filming an HBO Max documentary series.
What do you think of Nicki Minaj’s new single? Let us know in the comments!
