The saga of Kanye West‘s “New Body” continues, and it just took a sharp turn left. After years of anticipation and fan hype, it appears Nicki Minaj has slammed the brakes on the song’s official release.
Early Friday morning, hours after “Vultures” was scheduled to drop, Kanye reached out to the Barbz leader seeking permission to clear her verse for his upcoming album. In a screenshot shared online, Kanye’s message to Minaj reads, “Hi it’s Ye. May I Call you about clearing New Body on the album.”
While it’s unclear whether Kanye received a direct reply, Minaj left no doubt about her stance during an Instagram Live session. In response to West’s message, Minaj stated, “That train has left the station… No disrespect in any way… I just put out a brand-new album… Why would I put out a song that has been out for 3 years? Over it.”
“Why y’all asking that something that y’all got? Kanye made me write three verses for New Body. When he was more into his gospel era, he asked me to change that iconic, immaculate verse, into a gospel verse,” she continued. “I should’ve been said ‘No,’ but I didn’t, out of my respect for him. And he still didn’t love the verse, but I was in the middle of trying to work on my album. So, respectfully, I’m not doing another verse, I’m not writing another verse. I’m not thinking about it ever again… the ship has sailed.”
Watch the clip below.
Originally slated for Kanye’s scrapped 2019 album “Yandhi,” “New Body” quickly became a fan favorite. Its infectious sound and the raw energy from both West and Minaj ignited a fervent desire for its official release. However, Kanye’s creative pivot towards the gospel-inspired “Jesus Is King” threw a wrench in the plans. Seeking to align the song with the new album’s theme, he reportedly requested Minaj to re-record her verse with religious imagery. This, according to Minaj, led to creative clashes, ultimately stalling the song’s progress.
Despite the impasse, hope flickered back in 2020 when Minaj expressed interest in revisiting the track. Last month, Kanye teased the song’s release further by leaking its official video on his YouTube page before quickly taking it down. He further fueled speculation by including “New Body” on the official “Vultures” tracklist and performing it during his recent Miami listening party.
With Nicki’s definitive rejection, “New Body’s” fate remains uncertain. Will Kanye respect her decision and move on? Or will he try to resurrect the song in another form? Let us know what you think in the comments.
