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OK. It's early. It's Friday. But I think someone needs to say SOMETHING about head-scratching, petty, and quite uninformed reaction to Missy's new project by SOME (not all) Nicki Minaj fans. /1. https://twitter.com/murphdogg29/status/1164869579056787457
I'm seeing a lot of WHATABOUTISM out there. Questions about why Missy "gets away" with calling herself an icon (???) while Nicki catches side-eyes. Or why some critics seemingly never dissect Missy's "lack" of lyricism yet gets at Nicki over a line or two /2.
...basically: WHY DOES MISSY GET TO CALL HERSELF THE QUEEN WHEN NICKI HAS BEEN CROWNED THE BEST SELLING WOMAN RAPPER OF ALL TIME????? /3.
The answers (as usual) are quite nuanced. But let's start with the obvious: Missy as cultivated a strong bond of goodwill with fans, critics, moms, dads, kids, aliens, dogs, cats, unicorns. Nicki has settled for a more in-your-face-F-U approach. She's basically 50 Cent 2.0. /4.
When you point out Missy's so called lack of lyricism in comparison to Nicki spitting bars you are totally missing the point of what made Missy arguably the most important act of her generation /5.
Like P-Funk, Prince, or say Sade record sales are besides the point when it comes to Missy. She's been behind so many big records and classic moments in hip-hop, R&B, and pop that her influence goes behind "best selling this or that". /6
The story of Missy is the story of Jodeci, MC Lyte, Timbaland, Aaliyah, SWV, 702, Total, Ginuwine, ect. It's the story of an artist whose range is so deep that she went from arranging Diddy's It's All About The Benjamins to producing Whitney Houston. /7
Missy's music videos were not just used for promotion. They were "events"....What Missy "raps" about or HOW she raps is besides the point. She's an anomaly, an aberration, a change-agent who was producing records in the hip-hop world when it was still a rarity for women. /8
Basically, Nicki will (and should) go down as an icon who carried hip-hop for women when record companies showed misogynistic disdain. She was damn near out there on an island carrying that flag. She has the numbers, a record-breaking tour, and CLASSIC features. PROPS. /9
But Missy is in another orbit. It's almost limiting to call her a "rapper." She's MC Lyte + George Clinton + MJ (videos) + Patrice Rushen + Moms Mabley. When u see Tierra Whack, Lizzo, Billie Eilish, WondaGurl, Nicki or even Beyonce, u see Missy. That's RANGE. The End /10
