Tue 27 Mar 2012
Nicki Minaj on Working with Madonna: “That’s the Epitome of Who I Want to Be”
Posted by Mr.North under Interviews , Quotes[8] Comments
With seven days left until Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded arrives, here’s an out-take from Miss Info’s conversation with Nicki Minaj for Complex’s current cover story. In this piece the two speak on the song “Marilyn Monroe” off Nicki’s new album, the theme that tied into filming Madonna’s “Give Me All Your Lovin” video, and the overall experience first meeting and working in studio with the pop icon. Below Nicki explains the surreal moment on set of “Give Me All Your Lovin” with the Covergirl.
It was kinda trippy ’cause I didn’t know that was the plan. I definitely didn’t realize all of us were going to be dressing up as Marilyn… Madonna kept on calling it the bar scene… I just didn’t think it was that shot with us three dressed as Marilyn, like I didn’t mentally prepare for that.
When I walked on set and saw Madonna, I literally gasped because I felt like I was looking at Marilyn Monroe and I’m so obsessed with Marilyn Monroe… Like, I have Marilyn Monroe pictures all over my house.
When I saw Madonna, she really to me was Marilyn Monroe and it was very surreal because it’s like, I almost felt like I was doing a video with my two idols at the same time. It was like, very very strange.
She had these distant, sort of like very dreamy eyes like Marilyn, like kind of distant but very there and very in charge—but almost like in their own world. And it was just so surreal, you know, just to walk downstairs and see her standing there. I was just like, Wow.
via Complex
After the jump Nicki talks about her studio experience, how much involvement Madonna had, and things she’s learned from her time around her….
Did you learn anything else from working with Madonna?
I think that when she started, she was mentally where I am now. Feeling like, “if people would just leave me alone and let me do me, they’ll see the great things that I have to offer.” Right before I met her, I watched her documentary Truth or Dare, and because of that, I felt so connected to her when we got in the studio. Madonna’s the only humongous artist I ever worked with that actually sat with me in the studio.
Everything else these days, all these big collaborations are all done via email… No face time, right?
Yeah! Madonna, she’s so hands-on and she’s so… confident. She knows what she wants but she does it with this crazy poise. She will diss you with poise. [Laughs]. We were drinking this champagne that I really love and she was like, “No, sweetheart, that’s dessert wine… In that glass? No.” We’re cracking up laughing because, “Wow, I’m being schooled by Madonna on what champagne to drink and what to drink it in.” But we had so much fun.
Madonna had me in the studio writing my rap, and she really listened to it and said, “Hmmm, you know what, is there a way you can incorporate such and such and such?” And I really changed it, and she loved it.
It’s not on “Gimme All Your Luvin,” this is on another song for her album. We’re like toasting to it, and I’m just looking at her like, “Yo, this lady is freaking amazing,” I mean outside of her being an icon. I’m talking about how…
Involved she was? And present?
100,000 percent involved. Did not leave the studio until it was done. I mean her children even came by after school. I was just like, that’s the epitome of who I want to be. If I can balance family and career then I win. Because I love children so much—I can’t hide that.
I used to think, how do people go through life and they’re like 50 years old and they didn’t have children but they’re still pursuing, they’re still trying to tour? So I saw that and I’m in awe of her.
OH MY f’ingggg Gahhhh!!!!! MADONNA jus kissed me!!!!! On the lips!!!!!!! It felt sooooo good. Soooo soft!!!! *passes out* aaahhhhh!!!!!!!!!
Remember Nicki tweeting that she received a special gift kiss from Madonna on her birthday last December? Well finally footage has surfaced of the moment. You can catch the two lip-locking above.
Previously:
Nicki Minaj x Miss Info for Complex Magazine: “Labels Think They Can Re-Create This. They Can’t”
Nas on Upcoming Nicki Minaj Collaboration: “I Heard the Track, I Felt It, I Loved It.”
Nicki Minaj Gets Chris Brown, Nas, Cam’Ron For ‘Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded’ (Tracklisting)
Nicki Minaj Travels to Hawaii for “Starships” (Photos)
Nicki Minaj Says Her ‘Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded’ Album “Has No Boundaries”
Nicki Minaj & Mary J. Blige Open The 2012 NBA All-Star Game (Video)
VIBE Asks: Is Nicki Minaj the Notorious K.I.N.G.?
March 27th, 2012 at 9:01 pm
I understand how Madonna’s a legend and Nickki might feel honored to work with her but damn she’s always kissing white people’s ass. Like pay respect and keep it moving. She did the same thing to Taylor swift after super bass blew up.
March 27th, 2012 at 9:31 pm
Commercially? Sure. As an artist? Dream bigger kiddo.
March 27th, 2012 at 10:18 pm
this bitch soled out hard body. madonna tellin her to change her shit n u tellin me she changes it cuz madonna tells her ? u gettin straight herbed nicki sorry.
March 28th, 2012 at 6:32 am
“OH MY f’ingggg Gahhhh!!!!! MADONNA jus kissed me!!!!! On the lips!!!!!!! It felt sooooo good. Soooo soft!!!! *passes out* aaahhhhh!!!!!!!!!”
Her idolatry of white culture is sickening. “She had these distant, sort of like very dreamy eyes…” It’s one thing to admire another artist’s accomplishments and achievements, but she was simply in awe of Marilyn Monroe and Madonna’s whiteness. “Wow, I’m being schooled by Madonna on what champagne to drink and what to drink it in.” Whoopee Madonna taught her “uncultured” *ss what wine to drink.
I am so embarrassed as a Black man to see a self-loathing black woman gushing over whiteness like this. “I’m so obsessed with Marilyn Monroe… Like, I have Marilyn Monroe pictures all over my house.” Really??? This is who young girls of color are looking at as an icon?
You can’t knock any of Madonna’s accomplishments and her trendsetting, but this slave-ish worship is so disturbing and explains why Nicki’s so artistically bipolar and culturally confused. If you have a young, impressionable daughter or sister please DO NOT let this twisted “sista” destroy her self-esteem any further.
March 28th, 2012 at 2:35 pm
if she’s stupid enough to act like this, i’m smart enough to laugh at her.
p.s. watch she sammy sosa her skin and make all types of justifications for it.
March 28th, 2012 at 2:44 pm
nicki you sellout, bamboozled biatch..
March 28th, 2012 at 4:15 pm
First off you will NEVER be like Madonna. I dont think I need to say more.
March 31st, 2012 at 11:45 am
So would it have been better if Madonna were black? LMFAO! Come on T Dot really? You obviously are aware that Madonna is a legend and you understand why Nicki would feel honored to work with her so why turn around and make it a race issue? Showing appreciation to an Icon and a new top selling artist in the music industry who embraced her is not a bad thing. The fact that a country singer like Taylor Swift enjoyed Nicki’s song and introduced it to a much wider pop audience by singing it during an interview is something that Nicki should be thankful for. People really need to stop trying to segregate the music industry and accept the fact our music is now a part of the mainstream. There is no such thing as the black music charts anymore and when today’s artist strive for success it’s usually on a global scale not just one particular community or group of people.