Nicki Minaj has a thing for controversial cover art.
The rapper, who recently made waves with some racy and very revealing art on the cover of her “Anaconda” single, covered up for the art on her latest single but is still causing controversy.
On the cover for her new single “Only,” a cartoon version of Nicki Minaj is seen wearing a skin tight body suit while cartoon Drake stands next to her wearing what looks to be the Pope’s hat and a priest’s collar.
Nicki Minaj released the provocative cover on her Instagram page Sunday, and it already generated quite a response. The Wrap noted that the cover art is risking a backlash from the Catholic community.
Whatever reaction Nicki might get for the “Only” cover, it will likely pale in comparison to the reaction for “Anaconda,” which showed a just-barely-clothed Minaj squatting down to show off her backside.
Many spoke out against the cover, saying it was inappropriate and showed a lack of taste. Nicki Minaj apparently didn’t agree, and decided to point out some double standards in action.
Minaj reposted the “Anaconda” artwork with the caption “unacceptable,” then posted pictures of this year’s Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue cover featuring an array of bare behinds just like her’s, all of which were dubbed “acceptable.”
That post itself got a somewhat bemused response from model Chrissy Teigen, one of the women featured in Nicki’s “acceptable” photo.
“I just landed and I have a Nicki Minaj fans[sic] going absolutely bats**t on me. No idea why,” Teigen said.
But Nicki Minaj may have avoided even more controversy with the cover for “Only.” While she was able to squeeze in cartoon versions of herself, Drake, and Lil Wayne, she left out perhaps the most polarizing collaborator on the song — Chris Brown. Nicki didn’t explain why his likeness wasn’t included on the cover but the immediate controversy for her choices in cover art may have something to do with it.
[Image via Instagram]