Nicki Minaj has said no to Kanye West‘s request to clear her “New Body” lyrics for his Vulture album.
As part of the roll out for her Pink Friday 2 album, her first album in five years, the 41-year-old Minaj took to Instagram Live where she fielded questions from the Barbz on an array of topics. One fan queried about a December 15, 2023 Ye tweet in which he copied and pasted a text he had sent Minaj asking if he could call her “about clearing new body on the album.”
Minaj told her fans, “Now regarding Kanye, chile, that train has left the station. Okay? No disrespect in any way, Why would I put out a song that’s been out for three years. I just put out a brand new album. Now why would I put out a song that’s been out for three years? Come on guys.”
As to why Ye, took to X to communicate with her, the two music creatives have been on rocky ground as of late and Minaj’s green-colored text box (assuming they’re both iPhone users) seemed to indicate she had blocked his number.
Minaj said, “The thing about ‘New Body,’ ‘New Body’ is already out. And you know y’all damn well you play and you illegally got it. Why y’all you asking for something you already out?”
The History Of “New Body”
“New Body” was originally planned for inclusion on Ye’s Yandhi album, which was slated for 2018 release but was ultimately shelved. Originally featuring Ty Dolla $ign and themed on the impact of plastic surgery, Ye’s then wife, Kim Kardashian, reached out to Minaj to contribute to the song.
On Instagram Live, Minaj went on to explain that Ye ask her to clean up her lyrics so he could include it on his gospel album Jesus Is King” Said Minaj, “And y’all when he was more into his gospel era, he asked me to change that iconic, immaculate verse into a gospel verse.”
Minaj told the Shaderoom in 2019 that she attempted to rewrite the song, but the two artists couldn’t find common ground. “I done wrote three different verses chile, and I don’t know. We ain’t seeing eye to eye on it. I don’t know, but of course, I love and respect Kanye and Kim, we’ll see what happens with that,” she said.
“New Body” was previewed at a Jesus Is King listening party at The Forum in Los Angeles two days before the album’s release date, but was removed from the final track listing the following day.
Check out Nicki Minaj discussing Ye’s request to clear “New Body” below.
