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Why is Nicki Minaj not in ‘Ladies First: A Story of Women in Hip-Hop’? Rapper’s snub from Netflix documentary sparks controversy

The trailer for the documentary featured commentaries a vast group of popular female rappers as well as young rappers and newcomers

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Netflix is celebrating hip-hop's 50th anniversary with a documentary dedicated to all the women of the culture. However, one sensational artist was excluded from the trailer. In the recently released trailer of Netflix's upcoming documentary, 'Ladies First: A Story of Women in Hip-Hop', Nicki Minaj was not there and fans began to question her absence.

Minaj is the highest-selling female rapper of all time by several miles with well over 100 million records sold, which should be enough for a prominent spot in the documentary. Yet the rapper was nowhere seen in the documentary. Notably, the trailer opens up with a shot of Cardi B.

Why did Netflix snub Nicki Minaj from 'Ladies First: A Story of Women in Hip-Hop'?

Netflix's Strong Black Lead released the first look for 'Ladies First: A Story of Women in Hip-Hop', which appears to be a gripping depiction of several female rappers' rise to stardom. The trailer for the documentary features commentaries from a vast group of women spanning multiple generations including Queen Latifah, Roxanne Shante, MC Lyte, Coi Leray, and Kash Doll. It also highlights content from young rappers Ice Spice, Young M.A., Latto, Saweetie and others. However, the preview had no sign of Minaj. Although Netflix has not yet commented on Minaj's snub, podcaster Shawn Allen, who is involved with the project, said that Minaj and rap icon Missy Elliott "didn’t allow their music and videos to be licensed for use" in the documentary. Shawn tweeted, "Nicki didn’t let us license her music & videos." In a separate tweet, Shawn noted, "I think bc Nicki is working on her own doc… I don’t understand why Missy didn’t agree."

'How is THE Nicki Minaj nowhere to be seen in this…like…??'

Minaj's fans were left furious over the rapper's snub and accused Netflix of intentionally trying to erase her from the history books. A social media user wrote, "We’re not watching. @NICKIMINAJ is NOT featured. @netflix you messed up this time." Another Twitter user said, "@netflix I’m seeing a bunch of artist who don’t write thier raps & gets told how to do their flow. i’m seeing old b***hs who haven’t charted since BC… i’m seeing artists who got fame from the tiktok app.. but not THE nicki minaj? that’s pretty odd." Another critic noted, "No @NICKIMINAJ in the trailer I won’t watch it . The most important female rapper in our culture for the 50 years of hiphop y’all don’t praise her . Fuck Netflix." "A documentary about female rap, and Netflix wouldn’t have thought to put the most influential, awarded and credited female rapper Nicki Minaj in the documentary? Hmm," said another person. Another internet user stated, "Netflix definitely has a evil vendetta against Nicki Minaj they got all her sons in attendance."

What is 'Ladies First: A Story of Women in Hip-Hop' about?

'Ladies First: A Story of Women in Hip-Hop' documentary is all set to be released under Netflix's Strong Black Lead banner. According to Netflix's synopsis, the four-episode series "recontextualizes the role the irrepressible women of hip hop played throughout the revolutionary genre's 50 years by reinserting them into the canon where they belong: at the centre, from day one to present day." Each of the four installments features the journey of iconic rappers like MC Lyte, Queen Latifah, and Rah Digga, up-and-comers, and artists currently at the top of the charts like Latto, and Tierra Whack alongside key figures from record labels, stylists, and journalists. The upcoming documentary contextualizes the history of the music that changed the world within the wider social, racial, and political landscape of the times and, crucially, through a female lens.

'Ladies First: A Story of Women in Hip-Hop' debuts on August 9 on Netflix.