It took a little over a decade, but Nicki Minaj, the Queen of the Barbz herself, is finally rapping over AQUA’s iconic “Barbie Girl.” At long last, “Barbie World,” the new collaboration between Minaj and Ice Spice, has arrived.
The latest single from the Mark Ronson-produced Barbie soundtrack marks the reunion of Minaj, Ice Spice, and RiotUSA. The trio first linked up on the remix of Ice Spice’s “Princess Diana,” which debuted and peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100. Combining elements of drill and Jersey club, the new track is a sleek fusion of hip-hop’s most popular sounds and the individual styles of Minaj and Ice Spice. The track also features a prominent sample of AQUA’s “Barbie Girl,” a welcome treat for fans after initial reports seemed to indicate that the song would not appear in the Greta Gerwig-helmed film. “Barbie Girl” peaked at No. 7 on the Hot 100 back in 1997, AQUA’s sole top ten hit.
Minaj first announced the song on June 10 with a Tweet reading, “It’s Barbie, b—h, if you still in doubt.” The iconic doll has long been a part of Minaj’s artistry and image; she even posed as one on the cover for her 2010 Billboard 200-topping debut album Pink Friday. In a recent episode of her Queen Radio Amp show, Minaj opened up about why she decided to accept Ice Spice’s invitation and join her on “Barbie World.” “This is the first time that someone had put this sample in a way that didn’t make me uncomfortable or gimmicky,” the “Super Freaky Girl” rapper said. “I figured out that it needed to be a beat that would still give Barbie & Nicki.”
Barbie: The Album will be available on all streaming and digital download platforms on July 21. The soundtrack is set to feature contributions from Khalid, Gayle, Kali, Fifty Fifty, Charli XCX, Dua Lipa, PinkPantheress, Lizzo, and more.
Stream “Barbie World” below:
