Few hip hop artists came into the game with as much energy and controversy as did Nicki Minaj back in 2009-2010. She hit the game hard and she has not let up in the time since then. Nicki Minaj came out so strong at a time when New York’s hip hop scene needed it the most.
With so much energy behind her, Hip Hop Vibe asked if Nicki Minaj was the King of New York. Nicki Minaj definitely brought an energy that was missed and her explosion onto the scene led to the spotlight returning to New York hip hop. Yet and still, there is a lot of energy in New York, but there is no clear “king.”
Kendrick Lamar boastfully took that title while being based in Compton on Big Sean’s new record, “Control.” On the record, Kendrick Lamar called out all the top rappers in the game and only Meek Mill has responded. A lot of people have promised to deliver diss records.
Fabolous tweeted about working on something, it has yet to come, meanwhile Joe Budden has released artwork for a response that also has yet to come. Since it’s looking like the only people stepping up are the artists who were on the come up five years ago, maybe it’s time to look for someone else to step up. There is no current artist from New York making moves like Nicki Minaj is and in spite of her commercial appeal, she isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty.
Off top, it’s hard to think of any New York artist as bold as Nicki Minaj, she does what the others won’t do. Even though she travels all over the world, Nicki Minaj got her hip hop start in Queens and this is where her roots are. With that in mind and with the big New York rappers apparently unwilling to put Kendrick Lamar in his place, should Nicki Minaj live up to the title Hip Hop Vibe gave her in 2010 and diss Kendrick? This is something no other female emcee has done, as in stepping into such a controversial topic.
