Nicki Minaj Calls Out Travis Scott After 'Queen' Debuts at No. 2
Travis Scott’s Astroworld will remain No. 1 for a second week on the Billboard 200, edging Nicki Minaj’s Queen out of the top spot.
The Houston rapper sold 205,000 equivalent album units, with 78,000 in traditional sales. Meanwhile, Queen debuted at No. 2 with 185,000 units, of which 78,000 were traditional sales.
But the Queen is not having it. Taking to Twitter, she called out Travis for inflating his numbers by selling “season pass” bundles for his upcoming “Astroworld: Wish You Were Here” tour. “Travis sold over 50K of these,” tweeted Nicki along with a photo of Travis’ tour pass. “With no requirement of redeeming the album! With no dates for a tour, etc. I spoke to him. He knows he doesn’t have the #1 album this week.”
She also acknowledged Kylie Jenner’s influence in helping boost Travis’ numbers. “I put my blood sweat & tears in writing a dope album only for Travis Scott to have Kylie Jenner post a tour pass telling ppl to come see her & Stormi. lol. Im actually laughing. #Queen broke the record of being number 1 in 86 countries. Thank Jesus & thank you to my fans.”
During the series of tweets, Nicki also addressed Spotify’s big push for Drake’s Scorpion and claimed that she was being punished for debuting her album during her Queen Radio show on Apple Music. “Spotify had to teach me a lesson but rewarded the man who has had an Apple radio show the longest; inadvertently helping the Apple platform the most,” she said. “My label didn’t want to defend me for fear of Spotify trying to teach Ariana a ‘lesson’ too.”
Travis sold over 50K of these. With no requirement of redeeming the album! With no dates for a tour, etc. I spoke to him. He knows he doesn’t have the #1 album this week. I love my fans for the #1 album in AMERICA! I’ll explain on #QueenRadio 4 albums in, #1 in 86 countries ♥️ pic.twitter.com/CiYEuczgm3
— QUEEN (@NICKIMINAJ) August 19, 2018
I put my blood sweat & tears in writing a dope album only for Travis Scott to have Kylie Jenner post a tour pass telling ppl to come see her & Stormi. lol. Im actually laughing. #Queen broke the record of being number 1 in 86 countries. Thank Jesus & thank you to my fans.
— QUEEN (@NICKIMINAJ) August 19, 2018
Spotify put drake’s face on every playlist but told me they’d have to teach me a lesson for playing my music 10 mins early on #QueenRadio. Even tho they’ve been giving away my music for free for years & I am one of the top Spotify artists of all time.
— QUEEN (@NICKIMINAJ) August 19, 2018
Spotify had to teach me a lesson but rewarded the man who has had an Apple radio show the longest; inadvertently helping the Apple platform the most. Oh I can’t wait for #QueenRadio on Tuesday. They took away my promotion they had promised for the 1st cpl days b/c of this. #Queen
— QUEEN (@NICKIMINAJ) August 19, 2018
My label didn’t want to defend me for fear of Spotify trying to teach Ariana a “lesson” too! https://t.co/1dAdbcbWVd
— QUEEN (@NICKIMINAJ) August 19, 2018
But despite the serious nature of her tweets, Nicki was quick to point out that she was not upset. “People are calling me thinking I’m huffing & puffing,” she tweeted. “Omg y’all this is sarcasm/dry humor. Yikes. I’m having the most iconNIC time. Come let me kiss you.”
People are calling me thinking I’m huffing & puffing. Omg y’all this is sarcasm/dry humor. Yikes. I’m having the most iconNIC time. Come let me kiss you. 😩😘😘😘 Who’s coming to the secret show? When people call me & hear me crackin up laughing they seem so puzzled. Loosen up 😅
— QUEEN (@NICKIMINAJ) August 19, 2018
Following the release of Queen, Nicki added her platinum 6ix9ine and Murda Beatz collaboration “FEFE” as a bonus track to the project. Queen becomes her fourth album to debut at No. 1 or No. 2 on the Billboard 200, extending her reign for the most of any female hip-hop artist. She previously hit No. 2 with 2015’s The Pinkprint, while both 2012’s Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded and 2011’s Pink Friday debuted at No. 1.