The latest rap fight is involving two of the biggest women in the genre: Nicki Minaj and Lil Kim
The rap and hip hop community is no stranger to feuding artists. It seems every time you turn around there are two competing artists ripping each other to shreds with their lyrics. And sometimes that violence overflows into real life with artists getting into fights or being shot at. But the latest rap fight is a bit different in that it involves two of the biggest women in the genre:
NickiMinaj and Lil Kim.
It could almost be looked at as the fight between old school rap and new school rap. Lil Kim is the best of the best when it comes to female rappers and Nicki Minaj – the new girl on the block - seems to be giving her a run for her money. But instead of being happy for each other or even working together, the two have decided to engage in a feud that sees them dissing each other in the media and in their music.
When and why the feud started is a little blurry. Some reports say that Lil Kim was upset that Nicki not only seemed to steal her look and her swagger, but that she refused to pay her respects to Lil Kim in her music. Others say that Nicki herself started it by imitating Lil Kim and not giving the rapper her proper dues. While the fight seemed to be simmering, it exploded recently with the release of Minaj`s Pink Friday and the single Roman`s Revenge in which she raps;
“Look at my show footage, how these girls be spazzin’ / So f—I look like gettin’ back to a has-been? / Yeah, I said it, has-been /Hang it up, flatscreen /Haha plasma”The whole song, and these lyrics in particular, were taken by some to be a direct slap in the face to Lil Kim, who took no time in retaliating with her own lyrical slam Black Friday.
It’ll be a murder scene, I’m turning Pink Friday to Friday the 13th. I hate you Lil’ Kim clone/clown, all this buffonery, the sh– stops now … We all know your last name is what got you your job, you’s a put-together gimmick, something like a collage…..That’s cool, I was the first one wit’ it / You’se a Lil Kim wannabe you just hate to admit it / I’m the blueprint you ain’t nothin’ brand new / Check your posters and videos / You’ll always be number two.And it`s not just the two female rappers who are getting involved. Drake, Nicki`s label mate, has spoken out against Lil Kim at recent concerts. And as the feud continues there is more potential for other artist to get dragged into the fight as sides are taken.
While fights like this seem to be the norm in the rap/hip-hop community, there is the risk that the feud could become larger and more important than the artists involved, with people paying more attention to what they are saying about each other rather than their music. And this can ricochet into other artists’ lives and careers, also. In a recent interview with Vibe, Ciara was asked her opinion on the ongoing feud between the two rappers. Hip hop artists are being drawn into the drama whether they want to be or not. On the flip side, the two artists are probably getting more publicity than either would have if they weren’t involved in the fight.
While this feud most likely won’t have any long-lasting effects on the music industry, it’s safe to say that it will be providing fans with entertainment for a little while longer.
So according to you, who is copying who? Which of these two rappers is more talented?
Diane Ferraro is a writer for an
mp3 ringtones company. When she is not writing or blogging, she loves to spend time at concerts!
