Nicki Minaj Returns to Trinidad for Carnival

Barbie is back.

Nicki Minaj touched down in Trinidad and Tobago for the 2023 Carnival, which returned after being canceled for the past two years due to the pandemic. The rap queen was given a royal welcome as thousands of carnivalgoers lined the streets to witness her homecoming on Tuesday.

In her first appearance since 2020, she donned a stunning purple bodysuit with feathery pink and purple wings while parading through Port of Spain and waving the flag of Trinidad and Tobago.

At one point, she even got on the mic and performed her newly-released remix to Machel Montano and Destra’s “Shake the Place” and fans sang along to every word.

“Trinidad my country, the greatest carnival of all time,” Nicki raps on the track. “I’m reppin’ that red, that white, that black / I’m reppin’ my real flag.”

The local Trinidad & Tobago Guardian praised Nicki’s appearance, calling it “a gift…that gives our Carnival a major boost.” “This is the type of marketing we cannot afford as a small country and for which we must be grateful,” said the newspaper.

After taking some time away from social media, Nicki appears to be gearing up for a comeback. She announced that Queen Radio will return to the airwaves on March 3 at 3 p.m. PST as fans continue to await her new album.

“The fifth album. I’m not gonna say when it’s gonna come out, but the album will be out soon,” she told i-D magazine in November.