Nicki Minaj Thanks Barbz For 2023 Billboard Music Award For Top Female Rap Artist

For the first time in her career, Nicki Minaj took home the Top Female Rap Artist trophy at the Billboard Music Awards on Sunday (November 19). Moreover, the organization created this category in 2018, and she previously took home the general Top Rap Artist accolade back in 2013. As such, it's quite nice to see the Trinidadian MC receive this specific honor five years after the award's inception. Another big winner from this ceremony was her Young Money partner Drake, who won five awards and swept many of the rap categories. In her video accepting the award, she thanked the ever-loyal and ever-present Barbz for their constant support and championing of her.

"Thank you to the Billboard Music Awards for presenting me with the best female rap award of 2023," Nicki Minaj stated in a video. "Barbz, you are amazing. I appreciate you so much. And I can’t wait to share Pink Friday 2 with you on my birthday, December 8," she concluded, blowing a kiss to the camera. The new album is closer than ever, and the die-hards couldn't be more excited for this next long-awaited step in one of the most influential and impactful careers in all of hip-hop.

NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - SEPTEMBER 12: Nicki Minaj attends the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards at Prudential Center on September 12, 2023 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Catherine Powell/Getty Images for MTV)

However, that's not the only thing that the 40-year-old is incredibly excited about when it comes to new releases. She recently gave a shoutout to Sexyy Red, expressing her anticipation for her deluxe version of her breakout project, Hood Hottest Princess. In fact, previous interactions hinted at the St. Louis MC even picking up one of Nicki Minaj's scrapped tracks for herself. With Pink Friday 2 right around the corner, fans are also hoping that we'll get some great features, and hearing a "Skee yee!" on a PF2 beat would be electrifying.

Meanwhile, she also revealed new cover art for her highly anticipated studio offering, adding on to various others. This rollout has been very packed with content, extra material for context, and a whole lot of Internet discussion. Finally, with this award in mind, we can finally start getting ready to see its fulfillment. For more news and the latest updates on Nicki Minaj, check back in with HNHH.

About The Author

Gabriel Bras Nevares is a music and pop culture news writer for HotNewHipHop. He started in 2022 as a weekend writer and, since joining the team full-time, has developed a strong knowledge in hip-hop news and releases. Whether it’s regular coverage or occasional interviews and album reviews, he continues to search for the most relevant news for his audience and find the best new releases in the genre. What excites him the most is finding pop culture stories of interest, as well as a deeper passion for the art form of hip-hop and its contemporary output. Specifically, Gabriel enjoys the fringes of rap music: the experimental, boundary-pushing, and raw alternatives to the mainstream sound. As a proud native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, he also stays up-to-date with the archipelago’s local scene and its biggest musical exponents in reggaetón, salsa, indie, and beyond. Before working at HotNewHipHop, Gabriel produced multiple short documentaries, artist interviews, venue spotlights, and audio podcasts on a variety of genres and musical figures. Hardcore punk and Go-go music defined much of his coverage during his time at the George Washington University in D.C. His favorite hip-hop artists working today are Tyler, The Creator, Boldy James, JPEGMAFIA, and Earl Sweatshirt.

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