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Nicki Minaj Sets Record As Female Rapper With The Most No. 1 Albums in History
Nicki Minaj reclaimed her spot at the top of the music industry with her latest LP, Pink Friday 2, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.
It sold 228,000 album-equivalent units in its first week, of which 92,000 were pure sales. Pink Friday 2 also marked Minaj’s third No. 1 on the 200, setting her apart from Foxy Brown as the female rapper with the most chart-topping projects.
Additionally, the “Big Difference” artist became the first woman in hip hop to have No. 1 albums in two separate decades.
Notably, the achievement came on the heels of Minaj expressing frustration with Billboard. She alleged the publication was sabotaging her project sales due to a fan contest she organized.
“[I’ve] been discussing my 100 Barbz contest for months. They said Billboard reached out to say they’re gonna take away sales [due to] me telling y’all about the 100 Barbz thing,” she wrote in a since-deleted tweet. A separate post read, “They [are] so mad. They said [170,000 to 190,000 album-equivalent units] knowing it was 200,000 already.”
228K 😛#Barbz 🥹
— Nicki Minaj (@NICKIMINAJ) December 17, 2023
Pink Friday 2 came out on Minaj’s 41st birthday (Dec. 8). The 22-song offering boasted a number of high-profile features, including Drake, Lil Wayne, J. Cole, and Lil Uzi Vert. Her collaboration with the Philadelphia native, “Everybody,” went viral on TikTok with over 101,000 video creations.
Last Friday (Dec. 15), the deluxe edition dropped with two additional tracks: “Beep Beep (Remix)” featuring 50 Cent and the Monica and Keyshia Cole-assisted “Love Me Enough.”
Interestingly, Minaj was also rumored to appear on Kanye West and Ty Dolla Sign’s “New Body” that day. However, she rejected the clearance request, and Vultures was ultimately pushed back.
During an Instagram Live, Minaj explained her decision. She stated, “Now, regarding Kanye, that train has left the station, okay? No disrespect in any way. I just put out a brand-new album. Why would I put out a song that’s been out for three years? Come on, guys.”