Nicki Minaj Credits Herself and the Barbz for Shaping Stan Culture in Hip Hop

Nicki Minaj has attributed the rise of stan culture in Hip Hop to herself and her devoted fanbase, the Barbz. During Vogue’s Forces of Fashion event in New York City on October 16, the rap icon discussed her influence on fan culture within the industry.

“Before I even had a record deal, my fans were creating their own moment on Twitter. I had already named them the Barbz,” Nicki recalled. “At that time, no rappers were giving their fans names. It was just Justin Bieber’s Beliebers and Lady Gaga’s Monsters.”

Nicki Minaj speaks at Vogue’s ‘Forces of Fashion’ event about Stan Culture, and states that Justin Bieber’s ‘Beliebers’, Lady Gaga’s ‘Little Monsters’ and Minaj’s own Barbz helped spearhead modern stan culture. pic.twitter.com/iLkC0g8jJo— Pop Flop (@PopFlopHQ) October 16, 2024

She continued,

“Now, every artist, even internationally, gives their fans a name. I didn’t expect it to spread to Hip Hop, but the Barbz remain the blueprint.”

Nicki also spoke about her Pink Friday 2 Tour, which recently became the highest-grossing tour for any female rapper.

“I’m so grateful for the Barbz. Their passion has been healing for me. I wasn’t expecting any records to be broken, but this journey with them has been incredible.”

Minaj’s bond with the Barbz goes beyond typical fan-artist relationships. On X (formerly Twitter), she shared how the Barbz are unmatched in loyalty, saying they “never forget” and always “finish what they start.”

As the Pink Friday 2 World Tour kicks off soon, Nicki continues to celebrate her fans’ unwavering support, reminding everyone that the Barbz are “family, not just fans.”