Ever since New York Fashion Week, hostilities between Nicki Minaj and Cardi B seem to have escalated from simmering speculation to all-out rap beef. That was, of course, when Cardi had her fill of what she perceived as waspish remarks from the more established rapper and confronted her at a crowded event, an incident which ended with Cardi using her shoe as a boomerang and Nicki feigning embarrasment on her radio show. Now, it looks like Nicki is ready to respond in earnest — at least, according to some sharp-eared fans who checked out Future and Juice Wrld’s joint album, Wrld On Drugs, last night.
“They ain’t warn her / Now she out here facing karma,” Nicki snarls during her energized verse. “Had a chance, but got at me now she’s a goner / Where my bad bitches? Fuck these n—-s give them trauma / Coulda fixed his life but now that n—a need Iyanla / All his friends tryna kill it, eat it J.A. Dahmer / N—-s snakes but, stupid, I’m the snake charmer.”
While she doesn’t overtly lash out or directly mention Cardi by name, it’s par for the course for fans to read into her raps as snipes on everyone from Remy Ma to Miley Cyrus at this point. The item that lends credence to their theories is an earlier reference to “Milli Vanilli.” That early-90s pop-R&B duo was famously exposed for lip-syncing to their backing tracks during a live performance; later, it turned out the performers billed as Milli Vanilli were nothing more than hired actors, while the group really responsible for their hits remained in the shadows. This is, of course, a reference to the ghostwriter theory that has dogged Cardi B since her friend and collaborator Pardison Fontaine was discovered to have contributed lyrics to her song “Be Careful.” Cardi, for her part, has welcomed the challenge of a battle with Nicki, hinting that her newest music is full of shots at the veteran’s throne.
See below for fan reactions to the track, and feel free to weigh in on whether or not this constitutes a shot at Cardi B.
I see Transformer & Milli Vanilli randomly trending. I ain’t listen to the Future x Juice WRLD tape yet but ima assume on Transformer ft Nicki Minaj she calls Cardi B, Milli Vanilli pic.twitter.com/h4TLh54uDg
— #LLR 💜🕊 (@1JohnnyB_) October 19, 2018
Why Cardi B stans immediately got mad about the Milli Vanilli line in #Transformer ? Apparently yall know already know. pic.twitter.com/mR82NeZn2h
— The Prince Sleeze (@TonyTheStandard) October 19, 2018
Why Cardi B stans immediately got mad about the Milli Vanilli line in #Transformer ? Apparently yall know already know. pic.twitter.com/mR82NeZn2h
— The Prince Sleeze (@TonyTheStandard) October 19, 2018
https://twitter.com/Nick_Li79/status/1053138649859190785
https://twitter.com/Onikastease/status/1053148460352974848
https://twitter.com/niclanzki/status/1053138169393082369
Nicki called that girl Milli Vanilli and I had to do some research. This R&B group was singing songs that weren’t theirs and got their Grammy revoked for being frauds. Revoke that girl career cuz bloody shoes don’t write her raps. We hear you Nicki. 😩😭🗣#Transformer pic.twitter.com/PitSaPpiYl
— ✍🏾🗣 (@writtenbytruth) October 19, 2018
https://twitter.com/niclanzki/status/1053148762774728704
Nicki be RAPPING rapping … she dead just popped all the rap girlies in the mouth … when they gone learn to stop playing with sis ?? 😂#Transformer
— Destinee 💓 (@_onlyydess) October 19, 2018
Cardi B gonna need the ghost of 2pac to help her after #Transformer
— JayMo (@crassiux) October 19, 2018
@NICKIMINAJ can’t make herself relevant anymore without mentioning my girl or throwing low key shade – I’m just saying @iamcardib #Transformer
— ElCompaModelos (@yayoo_is_hot) October 19, 2018
https://twitter.com/singingangel_p/status/1053237369305001986