In news that can only be described as “I totally didn’t see this one coming,” rapper Nicki Minaj and popular rock singer Linda Perry are taking over the timelines. And when we tell you why, you’re sure to simultaneously scratch your head and reach for your phone to partake.
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If you’ve spent any time on TikTok lately, then you may have noticed a new music mashup taking over every other video. This particular one, originally posted on the “clock app” at the top of August by an Ohio-based, college senior “DJ Auxlord,” sees Perry’s iconic 1993 song “What’s Up?” remixed with Minaj’s 2012 rap song “Beez in the Trap.”
While the unorthodox song dropped a couple months ago, this “Beez in the Trap” trend has captured thousands by their eardrums recently and has led to one person after the other hopping onboard to make their own version. The breakdown goes like this: two people are standing back to back with one side of the camera only showing the first person. Once the music starts, the first person lip-syncs Perry’s vocals as the camera slowly pans to the person on the other side. That’s when the second person begins lip-syncing the chorus to Minaj’s song.
Peep an example here.
And while this seems like just another fun, viral moment, what makes this one stand out is exactly how unexpected it is. Like, who would’ve thought to put together a rock song and mix it with banging rap song? And sure, you could make the argument that Cardi B and Lizzo did it first on the rapper’s latest album “Am I the Drama” for their song “What’s Goin On” (which samples “What’s Up” with Lizzo singing Perry’s part)— but still. It’s not like Minaj’s verse and Perry’s vocal sync up or match in any sort of traditionally, sonically pleasing way. And yet, at the same time, it’s an addicting earworm that you just can’t help but like.
It’s also just legendary because you don’t just casually become a viral moment with somebody like Linda Perry every day. That’s some lowkey, high-key impressive stuff!
In fact, the song/trend is so catchy and so stellar that Perry and Minaj both gave it their respective cosigns. For the New York rapper, she recently posted a carousel of selfies on TikTok, telling her beloved “Barbz” fanbase to hype up all the people who were doing the “Beez in the Trap” trend.
“Barbz, show love to the ppl doing the trend. Love you, you’re cute. Or whatever,” she wrote.
However, she expressed more excitement over on her official Twitter page where she’s been reposting numerous videos of celebs doing it. From people like the Kardashians to Gordon Ramsey, to the Ice Spice and Jermaine Dupri– Minaj has made sure to thank all the famous folks tapping in.
For Perry, she decided to join in on the fun herself and recorded one video doing the trend with R&B/Latin singer Sophia Treadaway. But then she decided to turn it up a couple more notches and tapped none other than Jennifer Lopez for another hella cool video.
As an added bonus, Perry is also now open to getting in the studio with Minaj for an in-real-life (IRL) collaboration to capitalize on this truly random but truly captivating moment.
“I think everyone is trying to get Nicki and me to do one together. It would be fun, and the best part is? I love Nicki Minaj!” Perry told Rolling Stone in a recent interview.
If that happens, then this will be yet another musical infinity stone for Minaj to collect and yet another thing for people to use in their argument for her being the overall, still reigning, undefeated “Queen of Rap.”
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