As promised, Nicki Minaj is back with a new single called “Yikes,” her first single of 2020. The track stirred up controversy earlier this week for a lyric about late civil rights activist Rosa Parks that was perceived by many as disrespectful.
“When we move, tell ’em, “Back up,” click click, clack, duck/Hella bands, pull up, stashed up, super facts up/All you bitches Rosa Parks, uh-oh, get your ass up, uh,” she raps.
Nicki happened to tease the single on Monday (February 3), the eve on what would’ve been Parks’ 107th birthday. Although TMZ ran a story claiming Nicki chalked it up to “bad timing,” the self-proclaimed Queen of Rap quickly set the record straight.
“Never said this,” she wrote on one of her Instagram Stories. “Had no clue anyone was mad. Don’t care. #Yikes”
She included TMZ’s headline, “NICKI MINAJ ALLEGEDLY SAYS ROSA PARKS LYRIC WAS ‘BAD TIMING;’ NOT MEANT TO OFFEND OR DISRESPECT PARKS.”
Listen to the track up top.