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Nicki Minaj released her latest album, Pink Friday 2, last Friday (December 8), and it has a good chance at debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart; The most noteworthy album that also released on the same day would be Tate McRae’s Think Later. It appears Minaj’s album may not end up with as many first-week sales as the rapper was counting on, though.

As Stereogum notes, in a now deleted post, Minaj announced a contest for her fans, writing, “Show the PROOF of your 4 vinyls OR 4 DIGITAL DOWNLOADS (each cover) & you can win what he just did. A Change to help me pick the next 3 songs for the #GagCity2 edition that comes out in 5 days. In person ;).”

Then, in also-deleted tweets shared yesterday, December 14, Minaj claimed that Billboard was removing 100,000 sales from the tracking week for Pink Friday 2 due to the contest. She wrote, “been discussing my 100 barbz contest for months. they said billboard reached out to say they gon take away sales for me telling y’all about the 100 barbz thing. Can’t wait until these next 6 hours are up so I can tell y’all some sh*t. You can give out millions in cashapp money tho. Lol. So barbz, me asking you to show PROOF of something that was already DELIVERED OR PURCHASED IS AGAINST THE RULES. SO pls disregard. Apologies.”

She added in another tweet:

“They so mad

They said 170-190 knowing it was 200k alrdy.

Then they said 199 just so that 2 wouldn’t leave they moof chi

It’s at 300 but once they filter out 100K, you’ll be none the fking wiser.

I’m being punished for:

Not signing a 360

Making great music

Having great fans

And for not leaving the game so that their new Nicki’s (who signed 360 deals) can be propped up to look as tho they are a lot more successful than they rlly are.

Having too much power

#PinkFriday2.”

On a related note, Billboard reported this past May:

“Limited combinations of merchandise and physical albums will be counted on Billboard‘s album charts starting this summer, but with new rules to prevent the issues that led to the elimination of such ‘bundles’ three years ago.

The new combinations of merch and albums, dubbed ‘fan packs,’ will allow fans to support their favorite artists on the charts in a way that research suggests that many would like to. However, the packs will be restricted to just two options per album release — a sweatshirt with an LP and a t-shirt with a CD, for example — with the requirement that each individual item must also be sold separately in the same web store. Fan packs will include only merch — not tickets, meet-and-greet opportunities, virtual items or non-tangible benefits — and they must also contain a physical copy of an album: Combinations of digital downloads and merch will not count towards the charts. In addition, fan pack offerings must be approved in advance of their on-sale date by Luminate and Billboard. […]

The new rules allowing fan packs will take effect during the tracking week that runs from June 30 to July 6, 2023, for charts dated July 15.”

As James Gunn prepares his DC Universe reboot starting with Superman: Legacy, the writer/director is drawing a line in the sand when it comes to “cameo porn.” The practice was particularly egregious in the recent DC Comics film, The Flash, where a scene in the film featured several brief cameos including both Nicolas Cage’s Superman and Christopher Reeve’s.

While engaging with fans on Threads, Gunn responded to a commenter who was getting tired of superhero movies where a “character appear on screen for 10 seconds to mark a checkbox.” Gunn agreed.

Via Deadline:

“I call that ‘Cameo Porn’ and it has been one of the worst elements of recent superhero films,” replied Gunn. “If a character is in film, they have to have a reason to be there story-wise.”

That said, Gunn is not entirely adverse to a fun cameo here and there. “That’s fine if it doesn’t disrupt the story,” Gunn wrote to another commenter. “It’s the plot contrivances that develop from a cameo, not the cameo itself.”

The writer/director also pushed back against accusations that his upcoming Superman: Legacy has a “large cast” filled with cameos like Metamorpho (Anthony Carrigan), Hawkgirl (Isabel Merced), Mister Terrific (Edi Gathegi), Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion) and possibly even Jason Momoa as Lobo.

“The whole point was it’s NOT a large film – I mean, not in terms of cast. It’s normal for single protagonist films to have other characters – much more unusual for them not to,” Gunn wrote. “None of those roles [in Legacy] are cameos.”

Superman: Legacy flies into theaters on July 11, 2025.

(Via Deadline)

As James Gunn prepares his DC Universe reboot starting with Superman: Legacy, the writer/director is drawing a line in the sand when it comes to “cameo porn.” The practice was particularly egregious in the recent DC Comics film, The Flash, where a scene in the film featured several brief cameos including both Nicolas Cage’s Superman and Christopher Reeve’s.

While engaging with fans on Threads, Gunn responded to a commenter who was getting tired of superhero movies where a “character appear on screen for 10 seconds to mark a checkbox.” Gunn agreed.

Via Deadline:

“I call that ‘Cameo Porn’ and it has been one of the worst elements of recent superhero films,” replied Gunn. “If a character is in film, they have to have a reason to be there story-wise.”

That said, Gunn is not entirely adverse to a fun cameo here and there. “That’s fine if it doesn’t disrupt the story,” Gunn wrote to another commenter. “It’s the plot contrivances that develop from a cameo, not the cameo itself.”

The writer/director also pushed back against accusations that his upcoming Superman: Legacy has a “large cast” filled with cameos like Metamorpho (Anthony Carrigan), Hawkgirl (Isabel Merced), Mister Terrific (Edi Gathegi), Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion) and possibly even Jason Momoa as Lobo.

“The whole point was it’s NOT a large film – I mean, not in terms of cast. It’s normal for single protagonist films to have other characters – much more unusual for them not to,” Gunn wrote. “None of those roles [in Legacy] are cameos.”

Superman: Legacy flies into theaters on July 11, 2025.

(Via Deadline)

According to Doja Cat, she lives for all of the public’s attention, whether good or bad. On her album Scarlet, she used several verses across tracks like “Agora Hills,” “97,” and “F*ck The Girls” to address some of the online chatter. While it was clear for most of her bars who she was aiming at, “F*ck The Girls” was intentionally vague.

What’s The Meaning Behind Doja Cat’s “F*ck The Girls?”

Yesterday (December 14), during a sit-down with Apple Music’s Ebro Darden, the rapper revealed that despite rumors that the track was a subtle shot at frenemy Nicki Minaj or any other musician, it was actually about stan culture (an ongoing feud for her).

“It’s me saying f*ck Stan Twitter,” she said. “There’s that obsessiveness behind it, all the malice towards women in stan culture. The condescending-ness of people being like, ‘Mother, oh my god, queen, mother,’ and expecting them to give and deliver and serve for the purpose of serving and not just expressing themselves. And in the same breath, they’ll insult that person as well as call them ‘mother.’ None of that sh*t is real, that’s where ‘F*ck The Girls’ comes from.”

Here’s Doja Cat’s spicy second verse for “F*ck The Girls.”

“Said suck my d*ck, clit, tits, I’m yellin’ “666” / I can’t believe how bold you think the line’s that thin / I’m gettin’ rich-rich-rich, how many lick-lick-licks / Is it gon’ take to feel the barrel of my / Now what the heck, darn, frick? Y’all want attention / Since when was y’all my bastard children? Go ‘head and raise y’all self / Come get ya badass kids, no need to mention / I been sittin’ on that thought for a minute, now I got time for a min / I’m never poppin’ no sh*t, I focus most on my craft / I stay on top of my sh*t, but y’all done got me convinced / That I’m the popularist, that’s why you watchin’ my moves / So check the time on ya wrist, that’s why my mama said.”

Watch Doja’s full Apple Music interview above.

According to Doja Cat, she lives for all of the public’s attention, whether good or bad. On her album Scarlet, she used several verses across tracks like “Agora Hills,” “97,” and “F*ck The Girls” to address some of the online chatter. While it was clear for most of her bars who she was aiming at, “F*ck The Girls” was intentionally vague.

What’s The Meaning Behind Doja Cat’s “F*ck The Girls?”

Yesterday (December 14), during a sit-down with Apple Music’s Ebro Darden, the rapper revealed that despite rumors that the track was a subtle shot at frenemy Nicki Minaj or any other musician, it was actually about stan culture (an ongoing feud for her).

“It’s me saying f*ck Stan Twitter,” she said. “There’s that obsessiveness behind it, all the malice towards women in stan culture. The condescending-ness of people being like, ‘Mother, oh my god, queen, mother,’ and expecting them to give and deliver and serve for the purpose of serving and not just expressing themselves. And in the same breath, they’ll insult that person as well as call them ‘mother.’ None of that sh*t is real, that’s where ‘F*ck The Girls’ comes from.”

Here’s Doja Cat’s spicy second verse for “F*ck The Girls.”

“Said suck my d*ck, clit, tits, I’m yellin’ “666” / I can’t believe how bold you think the line’s that thin / I’m gettin’ rich-rich-rich, how many lick-lick-licks / Is it gon’ take to feel the barrel of my / Now what the heck, darn, frick? Y’all want attention / Since when was y’all my bastard children? Go ‘head and raise y’all self / Come get ya badass kids, no need to mention / I been sittin’ on that thought for a minute, now I got time for a min / I’m never poppin’ no sh*t, I focus most on my craft / I stay on top of my sh*t, but y’all done got me convinced / That I’m the popularist, that’s why you watchin’ my moves / So check the time on ya wrist, that’s why my mama said.”

Watch Doja’s full Apple Music interview above.

In recent times, there has been some tension between Kanye West and Kid Cudi, who released the collaborative album Kids See Ghosts in 2018. In April 2022, after he and Kanye both appeared on the same song from Pusha T’s It’s Almost Dry, Cudi tweeted, “Hey! So I know some of you heard about the song I got w Pusha. I did this song a year ago when I was still cool w Kanye. I am not cool w that man. He’s not my friend and I only cleared the song for Pusha cuz thats my guy. This is the last song u will hear me on w Kanye.”

Did Kanye West and Kid Cudi end their beef?

Now, though, it looks like the two are on better terms.

Kanye and Ty Dolla Sign had a listening event for their upcoming album Vultures last night (December 14), and videos from the event show that Cudi was in attendance. One fan-shot video shows Cudi and Kanye happily sharing a hug. Another shows that during the event, Kanye and Ty played a new song featuring vocals from Cudi. So, at some point between Cudi’s tweet and yesterday, it appears Kanye and Cudi worked through their differences and got back on the same page.

In recent times, there has been some tension between Kanye West and Kid Cudi, who released the collaborative album Kids See Ghosts in 2018. In April 2022, after he and Kanye both appeared on the same song from Pusha T’s It’s Almost Dry, Cudi tweeted, “Hey! So I know some of you heard about the song I got w Pusha. I did this song a year ago when I was still cool w Kanye. I am not cool w that man. He’s not my friend and I only cleared the song for Pusha cuz thats my guy. This is the last song u will hear me on w Kanye.”

Did Kanye West and Kid Cudi end their beef?

Now, though, it looks like the two are on better terms.

Kanye and Ty Dolla Sign had a listening event for their upcoming album Vultures last night (December 14), and videos from the event show that Cudi was in attendance. One fan-shot video shows Cudi and Kanye happily sharing a hug. Another shows that during the event, Kanye and Ty played a new song featuring vocals from Cudi. So, at some point between Cudi’s tweet and yesterday, it appears Kanye and Cudi worked through their differences and got back on the same page.

“Let Me Calm Down” rapper Nicki Minaj is having a ball with her Barb fans in Gag City. With the release of her long-awaited album, Pink Friday 2, and the supporting world tour slated to launch soon, she’s been swamped with press obligations. Nicki even recounted with streamer Kai Cenat for a broadcast party where she and the crew jammed out to her new songs.

Whether out of pure coincidence or planned timing, Kanye West is looking to tap into the hype surrounding Nicki by releasing their past collaboration “New Body” on his Vultures album with Ty Dolla Sign.

Did Nicki Minaj Clear Her Verse For Kanye West’s ‘New Body?’

Based on her latest livestream, the answer appears to be no.

In a screenshot captured and shared by West, he reached out to Nicki via text message with his request but did not receive a response. So, he took to social media to tag the rapper, hoping fans would speed up the process.

However, when followers asked Nicki about clearing the record during a broadcast, she expressed no interest in doing so. She said, “Child, that train has left the station, OK? No disrespect in any way. I just put out a brand new album. Now why would I put out a song that has been out for three years? Come on, guys. You know?”

According to rumors, that’s not the only uncleared contribution on West’s forthcoming album. The Backstreet Boys also reportedly did not give authorization to West on the record in which he sampled their 1997 song “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back).”

As we near the end of 2023, the time has come for Steven and Ian to revive their most sacred annual tradition: The Indiecasties! Like the Oscars, the Indiecasties goes long every year, so we actually are splitting it up into two episodes. (Part two drops next week.) Before that, however, the guys do a quick Sportscast about a wild week in Wisconsin-based athletics, including a Packers loss to Tommy DeVito and Giannis losing his cool against the Indiana Pacers over a lost game ball. Steven and Ian also address the viral TikTok video by Bethany Cosentino about her disappointment over the reception to her 2023 solo debut album, Natural Disaster, and the long tail of Peak Indie disappointment.

Then it’s on to the Indiecasties! There are five categories in this episode: Most Valuable Annoying Music Story, The Album Cycle Of The Year, The Feel-Good Story Of The Year, The Most 2023 Album Of 2023, and the Most Hyped Album That Turned Out To Be Actually Good. Who won? And who “won” (since winning some of these categories doesn’t feel like a victory)? Listen and find out!

New episodes of Indiecast drop every Friday. Listen to Episode 168 here and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. You can submit questions for Steve and Ian at [email protected], and make sure to follow us on Instagram and Twitter for all the latest news. We also recently launched a visualizer for our favorite Indiecast moments. Check those out here.

Rudy Giuliani is doing what anyone who might soon owe $43 million (money he doesn’t have) in damages to a pair of Georgia poll workers he defamed: feud with The Daily Show. “Yikes. This show hasn’t been funny in years. I didn’t even realize it was still running. I don’t even recognize the host other than to say he looks like a slob,” the slobbish former mayor wrote on X, referring to guest host Kal Penn. “…and what are you hoping for when you say, ‘the end of Rudy Giuliani?’ Sick people, and definitely not funny!”

Giuliani was replying to a Daily Show segment about his litany of legal woes, including his lawyer claiming that “if you award them what they are asking for, it will be the end of Mr. Giuliani.” Penn won’t be shedding any tears for the alleged groper. “The end of Rudy Giuliani? Oh no, that sounds… awesome,” he rejoiced this week. “The end of Rudy Giuliani is, like, the best-case scenario. Why is Rudy’s lawyer threatening the jury with a good time?”

Penn then imaged a scenario where Giuliani is “broke and sobbing like a little bitch” and “crying so hard, he pees his pants, and that pee gets all over the floor.” If only he could afford a new car to cry (and fart) in.

You can watch The Daily Show segment below.