Nicki Minaj has pushed back the release date of her album Pink Friday 2 again.
The queen of rap, 41, took to her Instagram Live on Tuesday night to announce that the highly anticipated follow-up to her 2010 smash hit Pink Friday will be pushed back to her birthday, December 8.
Nicki explained that the choice was partly influenced by her friend and mentor, Lil Wayne, along with 2 Chainz, who released their collaborative album, Welcome 2 Collegrove, on November 17, the previous release date of Pink Friday 2.
However, fans went crazy, speculating that there might be more to the delay than just her rap peers’ album releases. Some suggested that Nicki doesn’t want to compete with Taylor Swift’s 1989 re-recording.
“Taylor Swift got her SHOOK, she knew she would debut at number 2,” one follower wrote, while another tweeted: “scared for Taylor Swift.”
Pushed back: Nicki Minaj has pushed back the release date for her Pink Friday 2 album
Next: The queen of rap, 41, took to her Instagram Live on Tuesday night to announce that the highly anticipated sequel to her 2010 smash hit Pink Friday is being pushed back to her birthday, December 8
Competition: Some suggested that Nicki doesn’t want to compete with Taylor Swift’s 1989 re-recording
The new December release date even saw Mariah Carey’s name thrown into the mix, as the elusive chanteuse rules the holidays with her All I Want For Christmas.
“Pushed back AGAIN because grandma doesn’t want that Taylor Swift/LilWayne match and drops DECEMBER.. Mariah is going to EAT HER!” a fan posted.
Although Taylor’s version of her 1989 album – originally released in 2014 – will hit shelves Friday, it’s expected to be her biggest re-recording yet and sales will continue to flow for weeks to come, per The New York Times.
Back in June, Nicki first announced that Pink Friday 2 would land on October 20.
Later that month, she revealed the record’s title and pushed back the release date to November 17.
She assured her followers at the time that it would be “worth the wait.”
“Due to some very exciting news that I will share with you at a later date, I have pushed back the album date just a little bit,” the 40-year-old rapper announced on her page.
Nicki’s last full-length studio album, Queen, was released in 2018.
“I’ve never been so in love with something I’m working on in my life,” the rapper said.
Speculation: Fans speculated on Twitter that Nicki was worried that Taylor’s album would be released around the same time
Threat: Although Taylor’s version of her 1989 album – originally released in 2014 – will hit shelves Friday, it’s expected to be her biggest re-recording yet and sales will continue to flow for weeks to come
Maria too! The new December release date even threw Mariah Carey’s name into the mix, as the elusive chanteuse rules the holidays with her ‘All I Want For Christmas’
First push: Back in June, Nicki first announced that Pink Friday 2 would land on October 20
She said the interval between albums was partly a result of experiencing writer’s block while pregnant.
Nicki and her husband Kenneth “Zoo” Petty welcomed their baby on Wednesday, September 30, in Los Angeles.
Pink Friday 2 is a reference to her debut album Pink Friday from 2010.
Her first single from Pink Friday 2, Super Freaky Girl, debuted at number one on the Billboard Top 100 in 2022.