Nicki Minaj - Starships (explicit) Apr 2026

: Minaj has publicly called "Starships" a "stupid song," stating in 2020 and 2024 interviews that she "cringes" at the sound of it and simply doesn't like it anymore.

: Released in early 2012 after being recorded in November 2011 at Conway Recording Studios. Nicki Minaj - Starships (Explicit)

: It has amassed over 1.5 billion streams on Spotify and debuted in the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100. Lyrical Content (Explicit Version) : Minaj has publicly called "Starships" a "stupid

The Official Music Video , directed by Anthony Mandler, was filmed in Oahu, Hawaii. It features Minaj as a pink-haired extraterrestrial who arrives on a beach, joining a vibrant, neon-colored party that reflects the song's "let's go to the beach" opening line. Lyrical Content (Explicit Version) The Official Music Video

The explicit version of "Starships" is a high-tempo party anthem centered on themes of hedonism, financial freedom, and living in the moment.

: Built around the infectious refrain, "Starships were meant to fly / Hands up and touch the sky," which encourages a carefree, "high" state of mind.

: At a 2023 New Year’s Eve show in Miami, she stopped the track after the intro, telling the crowd, "I don't perform that song no more, y'all. I don't like it, what y'all want me to do?". Music Video