Ten of Nicki Minaj's best ever lyrics and verses

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Jochan Embley13 August 2018

After months of hype, rumours, social media teasers and ever-changing release dates, it's finally upon us.

Nicki Minaj has today (August 10) dropped her fourth studio album, Queen.

It's the latest milestone in a groundbreaking career. Her huge commercial success and domination of the pop sphere, alongside her outspoken controversies ("Miley, what's good?"), have sometimes overshadowed something that is undeniable: she's an incredible lyricist.

Her verses are fierce, hilarious, bombastic and deadly serious, often all bundled together in one. If she's not taking aim at other rappers — and, in pretty much every single case, hitting them squarely between the eyes — she's promoting body confidence or providing a commentary on social issues.

Here, we've rounded up 10 of her best verses and one-liners, proving that, when she's on her game, she's one of the best rappers of her generation.

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Killing every other rapper featuring on Monster by Kanye West (2010)...

And I'm all up, all up, all up in the bank with the funny face
And if I'm fake, I ain't notice 'cause my money ain't

...and then doing it again a couple of bars later

"Forget Barbie, f*** Nicki 'cause she's fake"
"She on a diet," but my pockets eating cheesecake

Slamming love rivals on Stupid Hoe (2011)

I get it cracking like a bad back
​B**** talkin’ she the queen when she looking like a lab rat
I’m Angelina, you Jennifer
Come on b**** you see where Brad at?

Proving she's at peace with herself on All Things Go (2014)

Cherish these nights, cherish these people
Life is a movie, but there'll never be a sequel
And I'm good with that
As long as I'm peaceful
As long as seven years from now I'm takin my daughter to preschool

Boasting about her real estate superiority on Shanghai (2014)

All of these b****** in pocket, I’m ‘bout to make a deposit
Tell ‘em to go ‘head and gossip, as long as your house is the size of my closet

Making sure she immortalised a now-deceased social media on She Came to Give It to You by Usher (2014)

And tell your man, play the back, like a spine
He only last six seconds, like a Vine

Infantilising her critics and rivals on Did It On'em (2011)

All these b****** is my sons (my sons)
And I'mma go and get some bibs for 'em
A couple formulas, little pretty lids on 'em
If I had a d***, I would pull it out and p*** on ‘em

Summing things up with succinct brutality on Up All Night by Drake (2010)

F*** I look like, hoe?
I look like "yes" and you like "no"

Proving she can mix it with fashion royalty Anna Wintour on Come on a Cone (2012)

Do a show for Versace, they request me by name
And if they don't get Nicki, it just won't be the same
When I'm sitting with Anna, I'm really sitting with Anna
Ain't a metaphor punchline, I'm really sitting with Anna

Finding rhymes where no-one else could on Get Like Me by Nelly (2013)

Uh! I'm the shizzniyee​
You should follow my example, b****, i.e
Cuz I'm front row, Isaac Mizrahi​
In the truck but I ain't suck diznayee

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