4 Reasons Nicki Minaj's Visit To South Africa Is Way Overdue

Once upon the time when Kenny "Sushi King" Kunene was still relevant, he claimed that he would be bringing Nicki Minaj to Mzansi but that never happened. Since then barbies, random fans and closet barbs have been eagerly waiting the day Minaj would come down to our shores. However, it would appear Nicki has also had a thing for our beautiful country and I have the evidence...

It may have taken a while for Nicki Minaj to come to South Africa but now thanks to Tribe One Festival in the capital which will be happening in September, the YMCM hip-hop star will be in Mzansi. 

She has however been showing us some love lately in her music ... 

• In her album Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded, she mentions South Africa as one of the countries she is idoled in;

Press rewind, press rewind

Einstein, I'm looking for that Einstein

Wales, London, Ireland, Scotland, I get idoled in South Africa and Brazil...

• She also mentions our country in another track on the same album called, Beautiful Sinner.

 South Africa is where I come from

Get me my banjo, get me my drum

Kidnap Korea and don't take ransom

Don't let me come out of my dungeon

• On the very same album in the third track in counting -- Champion, she mentions an Nguni name that is very common here in South Africa; THEMBI. The name is a zulu-xhosa-ndebele name which is short version derived from Thembelihle, Thembekile, etc.

This is for the hood, this is for the kids

This is for the single mothers, niggas doing biz

This one is for TT, Tweety, Viola, Sharika

Candice, Thembi, Lauren, Iesha.

• Nicki is featured on Sean Kingston's 2011 single; Born To Be Wild.
  
  The track borrows from The Tokens’ 1961 hit “The Lion Sleeps Tonight,” also known as "Wimba Way" or "Wimoweh" (and originally as "Mbube"). The original version was written and recorded by Solomon Linda originally with the Evening Birds originally titled just "Mbube" for the South African Gallo Record Company in 1939. Originally composed only in Zulu, it was adapted and covered internationally by many 1950s pop and folk revival artists, including Miriam Makeba, and the Kingston Trio. In 1961The Token version became a number one hit in the U.S. and earned at least $15 million in royalties from covers and film licensing.

Yeah we got the hints Nicki! Thanks to Tribe One Fest you can now come over to our beautiful country and give us another shout-out on your next album!!