Nicki Minaj goes hard in the paint when it comes to her raps, but her sports fandom is no secret to any ESPN-bingeing Barb or Ken. The Queens-bred rapstress has long been dropping sports references into her lyrics since her 2009 breakout mixtape Beam Me Up Scotty.
For one of her most recent verses on DJ Mustard’s club jam “Don’t Hurt Me,” she also shouted out NBA MVPs Steph Curry and LeBron James, who both balled out in the NBA Finals until James and the Cleveland Cavaliers took home the Larry O’Brien trophy in 2016. Even DJ Mustard explained to Billboard that Minaj wanted the song to be released immediately to keep with the timeliness of the games.
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“I just went to the studio and sat down and [Minaj] was like, ‘I like it. Let’s put it out.’ That was when the [NBA] Finals [were going on] with LeBron [James] and [Stephen] Curry,” DJ Mustard explained. “With the bars she said, she was like, ‘Man, we need to put this out right now.’ I ended up getting my label to put it out the next day.”
As a salute to Minaj’s athletic savvy, here are all the slick sports bars Minaj has placed into her lyrics.
“Itty Bitty Piggy”
Project: Beam Me Up Scotty (2009)
References: New York Yankees, Arizona Cardinals, Pittsburgh Steelers
1. “When you was in New York, you was f—in’ the Yankee/ I was f—in’ with base, I was pitchin’ to Franky”
2. “Step your cookies up ‘fore they crumble/ Don’t be actin’ like the Cardinals ain’t gonna fumble (fumble)/ ‘Cause I’m a Steeler, fresh up out the dealer/ All the dope boys gon’ feel her”
“Roman’s Revenge” (Feat. Eminem)
Project: Pink Friday (2009)
References: Football, New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning
3. “I’m a bad bitch, I’m a c—/ And I’ll kick that ho, punt”
4. “These bitches calling me Manning Eli”
“Moment 4 Life”
Project: Pink Friday (2009)
Reference: Baseball
5. “I get what I desire, it’s my empire/ And yes I call the shots, I am the umpire”
“Blazin”
Project: Pink Friday (2009)
Reference: Soccer
6. “Soccer mom needs to organize a pep rall’/ You game over, bitch, Gatorade, wet towel”
“Last Chance”
Project: Pink Friday (2009)
References: Basketball, football
7. “I could’ve been had fame, jump shot with a stupid ass aim/ ‘Cause you couldn’t get around the last name, so my cross-over wins the last game”
8. “You could bring it any day, natural badass, NBA/ That’s my initials; that’s why officials/ Don’t blow the whistle, bang, bang, the pistol”
9. “Yeah this is my last chance/ And shoot, I’m ready to shoot”
10. “I get it in though, no sexual innuendo/ Nobody that I could just depend on, until I touch down in the end zone”
“I Am Your Leader”
Project: Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded (2012)
References: Baseball player Alex Rodriguez, WWE
11. “Heartbreak Hotel, I’m in the A-Rod suite/ Rolls-Royce wood, I’m talking playoff seat”
12. “Know that boy busy ’cause he balling, I like to play all week/ Monday night with the ‘RAW,’ I’m Vince McMahon with a beat”
“Beez in the Trap” (feat. 2 Chainz & Rick Ross)
Project: Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded (2012)
References: Retired professional wrestler Hulk Hogan
13. “Rip it off no joking, like your name Hulk Hogan/ N—as move weight in the South but live in Hoboken”
“Right By My Side” (feat. Chris Brown)
Project: Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded (2012)
References: Los Angeles Lakers
14. “It ain’t your spit game, it’s your dick game/ That got me walkin’ round ready to wear your big chain/ I only argue with him when the Lakers on/ Other than that, I’m gettin’ my Marc Jacobs on”
“Roman Reloaded”
Project: Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded – The Re-Up (2012)
Reference: Miami Heat player Chris Bosh
15. “I hear the slick shit, bitch, you washed/ All you hoes cryin’ — Christopher Bosh”
“Up In Flames”
Project: Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded – The Re-Up (2012)
Reference: Brooklyn Nets
16. “Meetings with the president of every network/ That is what the f— I call how to network/ My net worth, that net works/ Keep my shooters out in Brooklyn where the Nets work”
“I’m Legit” (Feat. Ciara)
Project: Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded – The Re-Up (2012)
Reference: Professional boxer Manny Pacquiao
17. “I said dude, yo dude, you packing dough/He said he want a good box like Pacquiao”
“The Boys” (Feat. Cassie)
Project: Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded – The Re-Up (2012)
References: Boxing, basketball legend Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen
18. “?P-p-p-p-punch line Queen, no boxer though”
19. “Told ’em Nicki be chilling, I’mma keep hurting they feelings/Because you’ll never be Jordan you couldn’t even be Pippen”
“Feeling Myself” (Feat. Beyonce)
Project: The Pinkprint (2014)
Reference: Dallas Mavericks
20. “Got a black card that’ll let Saks have it, these Chanel bags is a bad habit/I-I do balls, Dal Mavericks, my Maybach, black matted”
“Only”
Project: The Pinkprint (2014)
Reference: New Orleans Pelicans player Lance Stephenson
21. “I don’t f— with them chickens, unless they last name is Cutlet/Let it soak in like seasoning/And tell them bitches blow me: Lance Stephenson”
“Want Some More” (Feat. Jeremih)
Project: The Pinkprint (2014)
References: Football, Chicago Bulls player Dwyane Wade
22. “Why the f— I gotta say it? Oh, you n—as don’t know it yet?/Football touchdown, on the Boeing jet”
23. “These bitches suck, so I Nick’, name (nick-name) these bitches BJ/They want that union, they want that D-Wade/I tell a ho, just be happy they getting leeway”
“Four Door Aventador”
Project: The Pinkprint (2014)
Reference: Football
24. “I’mma keep a linebacker, tell ’em tackle for me/Yo, you seen my last pic, go double-tap that for me”
“Trini Dem Girls”
Project: The Pinkprint (2014)
Reference: Los Angeles Lakers player Metta World Peace
25. “Yo, he in love with a ghetto girl/He said he want a piece like Metta World”
“Anaconda”
Project: The Pinkprint (2014)
Reference: Boxer Floyd Mayweather
26. “He say he don’t like ’em boney, he want something he can grab/So I pulled up in the Jag, Mayweather with the jab”
“Big Daddy” (Feat. Meek Mill)
Project: The Pinkprint (2014)
References: San Antonio Spurs, San Antonio Spurs player Manu Ginóbili, New York Knicks
27, “Spur of the moment, I ball like Ginóbili, you bitches get D’ed up on/You mad at me? Go get mad at your n—a ‘fore I put my sneakers on”
28. “He copped me this wrist game, now it’s just us at the Knicks game/I might have to take him on tour just to f— in Australia, Brisbane”
“Shanghai”
Project: The Pinkprint (2014)
Reference: Boxer Floyd Mayweather
29. “‘Cause them boys out, and them toys out, still banging that noise out/You could get it in the winter-time, or that May-weather, like Floyd’s out”
“Win Again”
Project: The Pinkprint (2014)
Reference: Boxing legend Muhammad Ali
30. “Soon as I came in, I told them that I would become the greatest/Muhammad Ali of these bitches, and that can’t be debated”
“Truffle Butter” (Feat. Drake & Lil Wayne)
Project: The Pinkprint (2014)
References: Basketball
31. “I ain’t gotta compete with a single soul/I’m good with the ballpoint game, finger roll”
Bebe Rexha “Broken Hearts” (Feat. Nicki Minaj)
Reference: Dallas Mavericks player Dirk Nowitzki
32. “They be sweatin’ me, headbands and gym tees/Like bad knees on Dirk Nowitzki’s, it is going down like M. Lewinsky’s”
Drake “Up All Night” (Feat. Nicki Minaj)
Project: Thank Me Later (2010)
Reference: Atlanta Hawks
33. “That was just a keepsake, bought the president/The Louis presidential briefcase, never been a cheapskate/We got the Hawks, I ain’t talkin’ about the peach state”
Drake “Make Me Proud” (Feat. Nicki Minaj)
Project: Take Care (2011)
Reference: Basketball
34. “What’s the point? If I’m guardin’/Double D up hoes, Dolly Parton”
Ludacris “My Chick Bad” (Feat. Nicki Minaj)
Project: Battle of the Sexes (2010)
Reference: WNBA legend Lisa Leslie
35. “Trash talk to em then I put em in a hefty/Running down the court I’m dunkin on ’em Lisa Leslie”
Chris Brown “Love More” (Feat. Nicki Minaj)
Project: X (2014)
Reference: NBA legend John Salley
36. “I hope your pockets got a mutha—-in’ pot belly/Or is it that you never ball? John Salley”
Rae Sremmurd “No Flex Zone (Remix)” (Feat. Nicki Minaj)
Reference: New York Knicks
37. “You ain’t know this the no rip zone/This the “You can’t beat Nick” zone/Madison Square when the Knicks home”
DJ Mustard “Don’t Hurt Me” (Feat. Nicki Minaj & Jeremih)
References: Golden State Warriors player Steph Curry, Cleveland Cavaliers player LeBron James, NBA legend Michael Jordan
38. “Even if you was Curry, bitch, there’s still a LeBron/But let’s face it, I’m Curry, with rings like LeBron/Added my rings up, that’s Mike Jordan”
Ariana Grande “Side to Side” (Feat. Nicki Minaj)
Project: Dangerous Woman (2016)
Reference: Golden State Warriors player Steph Curry
39. “I give zero f—s and I got zero chill in me/Kissing me, copped the blue box that say Tiffany/Curry with the shot, just tell ’em to call me Stephanie”
DJ Khaled “Do You Mind” (Feat. Nicki Minaj, Jeremih, August Alsina, Chris Brown & Future)
References: Basketball, Golden State Warriors player Andre Iguodala, Cleveland Cavaliers player LeBron James, baseball, New York Mets
40. “Yo, he ain’t messing with no average chick, pop, pop/He got Nicki, he know that he hit the jackpot/Every baller tryna score, check them shot clocks/ But I hit ’em with them ‘Bron-Iguodala blocks”
41. “Eat the cake and he suck on my toes, yes/Hitting them home runs, I’ll be like “Go Mets!””
“The Pinkprint Freestyle”
Reference: ESPY Awards
42. “They know I ball like the n—as at the ES-PYs”