NFL
By: Mark T. Wilson
Both Nicki Minaj and Cardi B are missing the bigger picture here. While their beef may look like a Nas and Jay Z clone, it’s more of a Lil Kim and Foxy Brown take.
Back in the 90s, Hip Hop was blessed with two up-and-coming female MCs who would more than just make a name for themselves in what was considered a male-dominated field at the time. Nevertheless, both female MCs held center stage and at one point even appeared on tracks together. However, be it personal or industry-related issues, they could never get on the same page, and a rivalry ensued that robbed Hip Hop of a classic album. History is now repeating itself.
Nicki and Cardi had a chance to create something legendary, hell, to be honest, the door is not fully closed, but this is so personal that there may be no coming back from their insults to one another. But imagine what could have been if they were not in their feelings.
Cardi has collaborated with other female artists, and the same holds for Nicki. However, the rivalry between these two gets worse each year. It’s good to have a competitive fire inside you, especially in Hip Hop. But at the same time, it’s also a point where it should fade out for the greater good of the community.
As fans of the ’90s, we wish we could have witnessed a truce between Biggie and Pac. Luckily, we did get to witness the end of a feud between Jay and Nas. However, the female scene has mostly featured ladies getting along, but this Nicki and Cardi B nonsense has reached a point that even Lil Kim and Foxy avoided.
Yes, they traded shots. One of the best beefs in Hip Hop, and it’s still somewhere going on, but not at this level.
Just recently, after Cardi dropped her sophomore album, she and Nicki were right back at it. This was not just about the music; the shots were personal. While it is public knowledge, it still doesn’t need to be addressed in such a social scene.
Imagine where the game could have gone if we had received that much-talked-about Thelma and Louise album from Lil Kim and Foxy Brown. It’s clear that at this point in their careers and personal lives, Nicki and Cardi will not be featured on any tracks together. But if Jay and Nas or even Young Jeezy and Gucci Mane can put shit under the rug, what can’t these two women?
Hip Hop is still Hip Hop. These are the two biggest female rappers in the game, and we’ll never see their full potential because we’ll never get that ‘Ladoes Night’, ‘Ladies First’, or even the classic remix like ‘No One Else’.
Beefing on Twitter is cool and brings engagement and may even sell some streams and concert tickets. But as a Hip Hop fan, it’s hurting the brand more than anything. Foxy Brown and Lil Kim will always be Hip Hop icons, but it’s also clear that Cardi B and Nicki Minaj have not learned a thing from their rivalry.
