The gloves are finally off in the bubbling Lil Kim/Nicki Minaj Cold War that’s simmered for much of 2010.
The Young Money starlet took her most direct jabs at Kim in her recently leaked “Roman’s Revenge,” an Eminem collaboration from Pink Friday: “Look at my show footage, how these girls be spazzin’/Fuck I look like giving back to a has-been/Yeah, I said it, has-been/Hang it up, flat screen.”
While the life-size Barbie shows outright disrespect to her predecessor, the subplot is the song’s title, a nod to Roxanne Shanté’s diss record to UTFO, “Roxanne’s Revenge.”
“I love her delivery,” said the former Juice Crew MC and fellow Queens native moments after listening to the Swizz Beatz-produced cut. “I’m pretty much lost for words. Wow!”
“I’m proud of her,” Shanté continues. “If she named it ‘Roman’s Revenge’ after ‘Roxanne’s Revenge’, then I’m honored. Job very well done.”
Roxanne Shanté says Nicki’s diss track has all the bite of “Roxanne’s Revenge,” but lacks the directness. “[Nicki’s] record was to prove a point, but I was never afraid to say names. Not saying that she’s afraid, but I always wanted people to know who I was talking about.”
She continues: “The similarities are she just doesn’t care. Like, [Kim], this is what I’m saying about you, now what you gonna do? Being a battle rapper that was totally respected by my male counterparts, I understand where she’s coming from.”
While Shanté is a firm supporter of Nicki Minaj, she’s not quite counting out Lil Kim in the brewing battle.
“No one can tell the future. [Lil’ Kim] could come back with something that blows everyone’s mind. Or, she could come back with something and blow her own mind.”
Roxanne Shanté co-hosts on Golden Era Radio on New York station WBLS alongside Marley Marl every Friday from 9-11 p.m. —John Kennedy
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