After what has felt like a lifetime for many of her die-hard fans, Nicki Minaj has finally announced when her next album will be released. The rapper took to Twitter on Monday (June 5) to reveal that her upcoming full-length is slated to drop on October 20. That news was enough to get fans thrilled and to immediately get her name trending, even if much is still unknown.
While she revealed the album’s release date, Minaj didn’t share any additional information. Fans still don’t know what it will be called or when the rapper will begin doling out singles from the album…or if she already has. It’s also unclear what songs of Minaj’s will be featured on the set. As she has released dozens since her last album came out, she may bundle them all into a new compilation-style project or she may leave many of her recent wins as standalone cuts and write and record all new material.
Minaj’s last album, Queen, was released in August 2018. It peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and spun off several major hits, such as “Good Form,” “Chun-Li,” “Barbie Dreams,” and “Barbie Dreams” with Ariana Grande. Since then, Minaj has released one compilation, Queen Radio: Volume 1, which broke into the top 10 on the Billboard 200 in summer 2022.
While she hasn’t released a new album in five years, Minaj has been very busy musically. She has charted all three of her Hot 100 No. 1s since then, with “Say So” (with Doja Cat), “Trollz” (with 6ix9ine), and her own “Super Freaky Girl” reaching the top spot in that timeframe. She has also sent about two dozen other tracks to the Hot 100, an incredible sum for someone who wasn’t actively promoting a full-length.
The as-yet-untitled project will be Minaj’s fourth proper album and is already one of the most highly-anticipated releases of the year from the moment it was announced. It is something rap fans will look forward to, and it could easily not only become another chart-topper on the Billboard 200 for the star but will likely produce at least a handful of new hits, if not at least one more No. 1 on the Hot 100.
