The rap superstar, who stole the show on the 2010 hit, said she had to change her lyrics to fit into Kanye's vision for the song.
Nicki Minaj and Kanye West on the set of "Monster". (Image: YouTube)
Nicki Minaj has opened up about the creative process behind her iconic verse on Kanye West's "Monster", which also featured Jay-Z, Rick Ross and Bon Iver.
The rap superstar, who delivered one of the most memorable guest appearances of the decade on the 2010 track, said she had to rewrite her verse three times to please Kanye, who had a specific idea for the song.
Speaking on her Queen Radio show on Apple Music, Nicki said: "Kanye made me rewrite my verse on 'Monster' three times. He was very specific about what he wanted me to say and how he wanted me to say it." ¹
She added: "He was very hands-on with that song. He was very involved in the production, the mixing, everything. He's a perfectionist. He wanted it to be a certain way."
Nicki said she was initially frustrated by Kanye's demands, but she eventually understood his vision and appreciated his feedback.
She said: "At first I was like, 'Why does he keep making me change it?' But then I realized that he had a bigger picture in mind. He wanted the song to be a certain way. He wanted it to be epic. He wanted it to be a moment in hip-hop history. And I think he achieved that." ¹
Nicki also revealed that Kanye wasn't sure whether to include "Monster" on his album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, because he felt that her verse would overshadow the rest of the project.
She said: "He called me and told me that Jay-Z had put a verse on the song and that he was still deciding if he would put it on his album. He said he felt like my verse would be the talk of the album and he didn't know if he wanted that. He said he wanted his album to be cohesive and he didn't want one song to stand out so much." ²
She continued: "I was like, 'You're Kanye West. You're the best rapper in the world. You can do whatever you want. Don't be afraid of your own greatness.' I tried to convince him to let the song stay on his album. I'm glad he did, because it became a classic." ²
Nicki said she was proud of her verse on "Monster" and how it showcased her skills and versatility as a rapper.
She said: "I think I did a good job on that song. I think I showed people that I can rap with the best of them. I think I showed people that I can switch up my flow and my voice and my characters. I think I showed people that I'm not just a pop star, I'm a rap star." ¹
Nicki's verse on "Monster" has been widely praised by fans and critics alike, and has been ranked as one of the best rap verses of all time by various publications. ³⁴
Nicki and Kanye have collaborated on several other songs, such as "Blazin'", "Dark Fantasy" and "New Body". ⁵
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