The queen is stepping down. Rap icon Nicki Minaj announced her retirement from the industry on Sept 5 via Twitter. Minaj quickly deleted the post, later apologizing for the tweet being abrupt and insensitive. Even though the tweet was only up for a short amount of time, it still got the country buzzing and received a lot of backlash from devoted fans. Many flocked to the support of Minaj while others bashed her for giving up on her fans. This news is exciting for some like Bhad Bhabie who is looking to fill the void that Minaj left. The “wanna-be” star will learn the hard way that she can’t even come close to filling Minaj’s shoes. The news is even more exciting for Cardi B who has been living in Minaj’s shadow. Cardi B  stirred up drama to try and become relevant by attacking the true queen of rap: Nicki Minaj. 

Now let us talk about what Minaj’s retirement means to the industry. Minaj broke through the scene with multiple anthems like “My Chick Bad,” “Beez in the Trap,” “Super Bass” and most famously “Anaconda.” These hits united young girls everywhere. It was a wonderful sight to see 13-year-old girls screaming lyrics that they didn’t yet understand. Imagine the joy some parents got when their teenage daughters stood up on a table and belted out “My anaconda don’t want none unless you got buns, hun,” or better yet, “Boy toy named Troy used to live in Detroit.” 

On a more serious note, it truly is sad to see Mianj retire while still being in her prime. She was able to have a lot of success in an industry that was predominantly male. Minaj provided a path for other female artists to follow.and her’s reach extends far beyond hip-hop; her message of do what you want has empowered females everywhere.

Anna Leandri, Co-Editor of the Colonel and Horizons

Senior Anna Leandri is a co-editor for the 2019-2020 Colonel newspaper and Horizons yearbook.  Other than doing that, she is making the high school experience better for everyone by keeping a positive attitude and trying to make everyone around her happy. She also enjoys spending time with Kacy Medas’ dog, Sadie.