Rapper Nicki Minaj has never concealed her respect for dancehall icon Beenie Man, and it was no different when she brought him out on her Pink Friday 2 tour in London, United Kingdom, last month.
The Super Bass hitmaker switched things up for Barbz on Tuesday by featuring a Caribbean segment, bringing out Stylo G for the Touch Down Remix, and going through other dancehall remixes like Gyptian’s Hold Yuh and Skillibeng’s Crocodile Teeth. The last trick up her sleeve was to bring out ‘The Doctor’.
“One person who I have looked up to before I even started knowing that I could do music…” Minaj’s introduction started. “This person has been my muse for so many years. Of all persons, I can’t f**king believe. What I’m gonna do is play a few songs while they’re up here. I’m gonna just play it like a DJ.”
According to the Red Ruby Da Sleeze artist, the agreement was for Beenie to do three songs, but she had other plans.
“They think they’re coming out here to do three songs, but I have a few more because I’m just, like, obsessed with this person, so let’s go.”
And just like that, her main engineer Big Juice dropped Who Am I, and the sold-out venue went wild. Beenie made his grand entrance in an all-black ensemble, deejaying the 1997 record that recently went viral thanks to the ‘Sim Simma’ trend.
Referring to the veteran deejay as “my dancehall king,” Minaj delivered on being a DJ, telling him that she’d altered his set by adding more songs. The near 10-minute set including the rapper’s favourite Beenie records, like Dude (featuring Miss Thing), Girls Dem Sugar (featuring Mya), Romie, Book Shelf, Old Dog, Wickedest Slam, Hmm Hmm and Tear Off Mi Garments.
An exchange of “I love you” and a bow later, Beenie squeezed in Rum and Redbull before exiting the stage.
“I just performed with the KING OF DANCEHALL,” the Trini-born act wrote. “One of the most talented musicians that I looked to for inspiration my entire career. I can’t believe this is my life sometimes. Wow. came to #GAGCITYLONDON yall!!!!!!! One of my heroes. I love this man so much @KingBeenieMan.”
The entertainer’s reverence for the Beenie is longstanding. The tour, named after her fifth and December-released album, interpolates his Wickedest Slam on the Drake collab Needle. The platinum-selling album also features Just the Memories, inspired by Beenie’s Memories (taken from a Johnny Bristol original).
She has also played his music in numerous livestreams and acknowledged him during award shows, the most recent being the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards show.
Beenie has equally been outspoken about his admiration for Minaj’s continued salute to dancehall music.
“Grateful for the opportunity to share the stage with Queen @nickiminaj in the UK 🙏🏾🌟,” he expressed after the show. “Thank you for the love and support, it was an honor to perform alongside you.”
The pair collaborated on Gun Shot in 2012 for Minaj’s Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded album.
