When you think “Queens of Rap,” Nicki Minaj has got to be in your top five. The Trinidadian-born rapper has been giving the world “Boss A*s B***h” energy since 2007 when she switched the rap game all the way up through her flow versatility, eclectic personality and multiple alter-egos. As one of the best selling music artists of this generation with over 100 million records sold, she sets the standard as the first female rapper to achieve this feat.
From Pink Friday to Queen, Nicki is one of the best artists to listen to if you’re in need of a pick me up, a reminder that you’re all that and a bag of chips or just simply need some motivation. She’s that girl. Dubbed as one of the greatest rappers of all time by Billboard, you’d be doing yourself a favor by checking out some of her best bars below that keep you motivated through whatever.
1. Moment for Life: “I get what I desire, it’s my empire.”
It’s called manifestation, ladies and gentlemen. This track, released in 2010, is all about manifesting the life you want. You get what you desire; this is your empire. You’ve got to declare the lifestyle you want. This iconic bar should really be a staple mantra. Remember this life that you’re living is yours and you have and go after whatever it is you want.
2. Chun Li: “You played checkers couldn’t beat me playing chess.”
Ms. Onika was coming for the girls’ necks with this one. Have you ever had a run-in with someone who really tried to put you down despite all that you did for them? Did they try to discredit your accomplishments? Well next time it happens, it may be time to humble said person. That’s exactly the place Nicki was coming from with this track.
3. I’m the Best: “I ain’t gotta get a plaque, I ain’t gotta get awards.”
Rapping about her rise to fame, Nicki divulged the ups and downs as her career began to take off. But, more importantly, the track reaffirmed that regardless of the good or bad criticism she may have received or the lack of recognition, she knew she was the best.
She doesn’t need outside validation for her to know she’s doing the damn thing. And that’s important to remember because people won’t always give you the props you deserve.
4. Up All Night: “I’m a bad b***h, I ain’t never been a mixed breed.”
Standing on the fact that she knows she looks good in her flawless verse on Drake’s “Up All Night,” the girls can take a few notes. Again with the affirmations, while you’re reading this article, you should be writing these down to remember to say to yourself every morning, “I’m a bad b***h.” Period.
5. Monster: “If I’m fake, I ain’t notice ’cause my money ain’t.”
On arguably one of her best features, the Queen Barb told y’all that y’all can say whatever you want about her, but she’s in her bag and there’s a lesson there. People will always find something to say about you, but when you’re focused on your own lane and locked in, you’re likely to funnel out that negative outside talk.
6. Did It On’em: “All these bit**es is my sons.”
As the third song off of her debut album, Pink Friday, she delivered an abundance of confidence by declaring her power over any competition and that’s really how you should be living life. Like no one can compete with what you have going on.
7. No Frauds: “I don’t need no drama when you call.”
People who are focused on doing their own thing and handling business don’t have time for the trivial matters of drama. When you’re trying to be your best boss self, you have got to cut out all things that don’t serve your purpose.
8. Make Me Proud: “Ain’t got time to talk, just hi and bye.”
Whether it be friendships or family, those elements can all too often become serious distractions and Nicki knew that. In “Make Me Proud,” Drake raps about a girl with a “future and a past” that he is so proud of.
9. Starships: “Bad bit**es, like me, is hard to come by.”
It’s giving carefree, good vibes and living your best life, all of which are portrayed in this song right down to the music video. This particular lyric is especially motivating because as mentioned earlier, it’s important to know that you’re all that, but also that you’re one of one. There will never be another you and that’s what makes you so special.
10. Marilyn Monroe: “Truth is, we mess up ’til we get it right.”
A softer side of Nicki, she opens up and is very transparent about her character flaws. In a world where perfection is so sought after, it’s funny— because we all know that no one on this earth is perfect, yet we try so hard to showcase/maintain those images. But, it’s imperative we learn to move on from our imperfections and mistakes. Like Nicki said, “We mess up ‘til we get it right.”
11. Win Again: “Not that I don’t got good vision, but I don’t see competition.”
If it’s one thing about Nicki, she’s going to let the world know that she’s in her own lane and she’s always winning. And it’s not to say that you and others can’t be winning at the same time. But, it’s important to focus on you to save yourself from comparison.
12. Only: “These h**s couldn’t test me, even if their name was Pop Quiz.”
Think about it for real. Who is f**king with you? Who can test you? No one. While people may poke fun or make jokes about Nicki, she’s blocking out all of the noise because she thinks so highly of herself. There’s nothing someone could say about her. These girls can’t test her.
13. Flawless: “Tell ’em winning is my motherfu**in’ protocol, ‘Cause I score before I ever throw the ball.”
In a collab with Beyoncé, both artists thrust their confidence and sex appeal. In this particular lyric, Nicki shares how she’s always in a winner’s mindset, hypothetically speaking about achieving things before she’s even started. That type of manifestation is probably what has gotten her so far in her career and notes can definitely be taken.
14. The Night Is Still Young: “I never worry, life is a journey, I just wanna enjoy the ride.”
It’s great to have a laid-back and optimistic attitude toward life, while you may experience obstacles, knowing that everything will work itself out. Not wallowing in the struggles can really do wonders. Like Nicki, you shouldn’t stress about things out of your control, but instead focus on what life has to offer.
15. HOV Lane: “I’m in my own lane, you ain’t in my category.”
Standing firm on her individuality, Nicki takes pride in knowing there isn’t anyone out there like her, almost as if it’s her superpower. Following trends can be cute and fun, but the real impact comes from forging your own path and holding on to your distinction from others.
16. Want Some More: “You can tell I’m the illest ‘cause my dividends are the biggest.”
Deep in her bag, Nicki shares that a lot of her motivation comes from the mass amount of income she brings in. With rap being her passion, she knows how good she is at it by the money she’s making. She’s inspiring others to find something that they are passionate about to capitalize off of it.
17. Seeing Green: “I am the star in any room that I stand in.”
This is probably one of the most important lyrics out of this entire article. If Nicki knows she’s a star wherever she is, you should too. This verse exudes confidence and the art of not allowing insecurities, doubt or people dim your light. When you know what power you hold, you owe it to yourself to stand on it.