Nicki Minaj is back with another banger as she released her first single for 2023, “Red Ruby Da Sleeze,” and an accompanying lyric video.
The song was released at midnight on March 3 and within an hour reached No. 1 on the U.S and U.K iTunes hip hop charts, extending her record as the rapper with the most No. 1 songs in U.S iTunes history (33), Chart Data reported.
Excited Barbs worldwide also ensured that the song is charting across 32 countries globally on Apple Music, and in 18 of those countries, the song was No. 1 in Romania, Qatar, and Antigua & Barbuda, a Nicki Minaj fan page reported on Friday morning.
The song also entered the Top 100 on Apple Music USA at No. 87, and the fan page claims that the piece reportedly broke the record for the fastest song to go No. 1 on U.S iTunes in 2023 at just 49 minutes after release.
The song features aspects of “Never Leave You (Uh Oooh, Uh Oooh)” by Lumidee featuring Busta Rhymes, Fabolous was released in 2003, but Minaj rides the riddim with the flow and solid lyrics that reminds of 2010s Nicki with the lyrics and punchline that reminds new rappers of why she’s still the Queen of Rap. The song also samples the iconic 2002 dancehall project, Diwali Riddim, produced by Steven “Lenky” Marsden.
Minaj also released a lyric video on her YouTube, which featured an island-inspired animated video featuring scenes of the beach and even Carnival. The video appears to be paying homage to her homeland Trinidad which the rapper recently visited for Carnival 2023. Some scenes also included an animated version of Minaj and a collage of women of different complexions and ethnicities, similar to the ethnic makeup of Trinidad.
Fans reacted to the track on Friday with compliments to the rapper.
“Expectations: exceeded you really showed us once again why you are the standard,” one fan wrote in her Instagram comments. “Your wordplay is UNMATCHEDDDD,” one said while another added, “Nicki they will never be able to touch you when it comes to lyrics or anything for that matter.”
The rapper also reshared the song’s progression to the top of charts around the world and extended gratitude to fans. “In only one hour. #1 and #5. Love my babies so much. Thank you,” she wrote on Instagram Stories.
