Nicki Minaj had expected to be celebrating not only her new album this week but also the return to her throne at Number 1 on the Billboard charts. Instead, she has unleashed a Twitter tirade condemning Travis Scott and Spotify.
Here are the facts: Travis Scott’s latest album Astroworld has notched another week at No. 1, Billboard reports. Coming in at the No. 2 spot is Nicki Minaj’s latest album Queen. Astroworld sold 205,000 equivalent units, with 78,000 from traditional sales. Queen, in the meantime, sold 185,000 units of which 78,000 were from traditional sales.
Nicki didn’t take this very well and responded to the news in a series of tweets, calling out Travis Scott’s move to sell “season pass” bundles for his upcoming Astroworld tour. “Travis sold over 50K of these, with no requirement of redeeming the album! With no dates for a tour, etc. I spoke to him. He knows he doesn’t have the #1 album this week.”
Travis sold over 50K of these. With no requirement of redeeming the album! With no dates for a tour, etc. I spoke to him. He knows he doesn’t have the #1 album this week. I love my fans for the #1 album in AMERICA! I’ll explain on #QueenRadio 4 albums in, #1 in 86 countries ♥️ pic.twitter.com/CiYEuczgm3
— QUEEN (@NICKIMINAJ) August 19, 2018
She went on to call out Spotify for their recent campaign promoting Drake’s Scorpion and made the claim that she was being punished for playing her record during her Apple-backed radio show.
She wrote, “Spotify had to teach me a lesson but rewarded the man who has had an Apple radio show the longest; inadvertently helping the Apple platform the most.” She goes on, “My label didn’t want to defend me for fear of Spotify trying to teach Ariana a ‘lesson’ too.”
The apparent snub also comes after Nicki retroactively added the inclusion of her 6ix9ine and Murda Beatz collaboration ‘FEFE’ as a bonus track.
See it unfold below.
I put my blood sweat & tears in writing a dope album only for Travis Scott to have Kylie Jenner post a tour pass telling ppl to come see her & Stormi. lol. Im actually laughing. #Queen broke the record of being number 1 in 86 countries. Thank Jesus & thank you to my fans.
— QUEEN (@NICKIMINAJ) August 19, 2018
Spotify put drake’s face on every playlist but told me they’d have to teach me a lesson for playing my music 10 mins early on #QueenRadio. Even tho they’ve been giving away my music for free for years & I am one of the top Spotify artists of all time.
— QUEEN (@NICKIMINAJ) August 19, 2018
Spotify had to teach me a lesson but rewarded the man who has had an Apple radio show the longest; inadvertently helping the Apple platform the most. Oh I can’t wait for #QueenRadio on Tuesday. They took away my promotion they had promised for the 1st cpl days b/c of this. #Queen
— QUEEN (@NICKIMINAJ) August 19, 2018