Sabrina Carpenter is turning up the heat on the charts and giving a shoutout to none other than Nicki Minaj as she battles for the top spot with her new album Short n Sweet. Released on August 23, the album has quickly gained traction, putting Sabrina in a fierce race for the coveted No. 1 position on the Billboard 200. But what’s got fans buzzing is Sabrina’s unexpected nod to Nicki Minaj, and there’s a good reason behind it.
The 25-year-old pop sensation is currently neck-and-neck with Travis Scott, who dropped an anniversary edition of his mixtape Days Before Rodeo. Both artists have been pulling out all the stops, offering multiple versions of their projects in a bid to secure the top spot.
As the race intensified, Sabrina took to social media to dedicate her efforts to Nicki Minaj, a move that sparked even more interest in the already heated competition. “This one’s for Nicki,” Sabrina wrote on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday, August 29, sending fans into a frenzy. The message quickly caught Nicki’s attention, and the rap queen responded with love and support during an Instagram Live session.
For those wondering why Sabrina chose to shout out Nicki, it’s all about the history between Nicki and Travis Scott. Back in 2018, Nicki found herself in a similar situation when her album Queen debuted at No. 2 on the charts, just behind Travis Scott’s Astroworld. The competition was fierce, and Nicki didn’t hold back in expressing her frustration with Travis’s marketing tactics, which included bundling his album with merchandise to boost sales.
On her radio show at the time, Nicki didn’t mince words: “It’s because Travis Scott is out here selling f–king clothes, and got y’all thinking he’s selling f–king music,” she said, venting her displeasure. “What we’re not going to do is have this Auto-Tune man coming up here selling f–king sweaters and telling y’all he sold half a million f–king albums, ’cause he didn’t,” she continued. The feud even saw one of Nicki’s other musical friends joining in, throwing shade at Travis during the heated exchange.
Sabrina’s shoutout to Nicki is more than just a casual mention; it’s a clever nod to the parallels between their situations. Both artists faced off against Travis Scott in their pursuit of chart dominance, with Nicki’s 2018 experience serving as a backdrop to Sabrina’s current battle. By dedicating her efforts to Nicki, Sabrina is not only acknowledging the challenges of the music industry but also paying homage to an artist who has been through a similar struggle.
