Why Nicki Minaj Does Not Perform “Starships”

Nicki Minaj surprised fans during her New Year’s Eve performance at Miami nightclub E11EVEN by announcing that she would no longer be performing her hit track “Starships.”

The Pink Friday 2 artist addressed the crowd when the familiar tune started playing, abruptly stopping the music and declaring, “Psyche, psyche, psyche. I don’t perform that song no more, y’all.”

Why Nicki Minaj Does Not Perform “Starships”

Despite facing some jeers from the audience, Minaj stood firm in her decision, responding to the crowd’s reaction with, “I don’t like it, what y’all want me to do?” While the rapper did not provide a direct explanation for her choice to exclude “Starships” from her setlist, she did share a series of photos and videos from the performance on her Instagram account.

Nicki Minaj stops her hit ‘Starships’ early at a New Year’s Eve event.

“I don’t perform that song no more.” pic.twitter.com/7Pu7fIFTUR

— Pop Base (@PopBase) January 1, 2024

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In her New Year’s message to fans, Minaj expressed well-wishes for blessings, prosperity, peace, joy, great health, and wisdom. She acknowledged the challenges of the past year and encouraged her followers to embrace the new opportunities in 2024.

“It’s ok. You can breathe. 🎀 2024 is your time. Show TF OUT!!! DONT WASTE ANOTHER MINUTE!!!!! It’s GO SZN!!!! LETS GO!!!!!!” she captioned the post.

While artists occasionally retire certain tracks from live performances, Minaj’s decision to skip “Starships” has historical context. The pop anthem, which reached No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100, previously sparked controversy in 2012 when Hot 97 host Peter Rosenberg criticized it. Despite past drama, Minaj’s latest album, Pink Friday 2, leans toward a more hip-hop-oriented sound, aligning with her current artistic direction.