Nicki’s Pink Friday 2 Album Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard 200

Nicki Minaj is officially back on top. The rap queen’s fifth studio album Pink Friday 2 debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart.

Nicki Minaj’s Pink Friday 2 Album Premieres at No. 1

Nick Minaj has notched her third No. 1 album with her latest release, Pink Friday 2. According to a Billboard report, published on Sunday (Dec. 17), the Queens, N.Y. rhymer’s project premiered at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. The collection moved 228,000 album equivalent units in its first week.

An initial report from Hits Daily Double on Sunday reflected Nicki’s first-week sales to be 222,000. However, the 6,000 additional units have since by confirmed by Billboard.

Nicki achieved her first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 with her second project Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded during the the week of April 21, 2012. That LP moved 253,000 copies in its first week of release. The project was the follow-up to her 2010 debut effort, Pink Friday, which also hit No. 1 in 2011. 

The Barbie Queen’s most recent accomplishment finds her achieving the largest sales week for a female rapper so far this decade.

Read More: 30 of the Best Nicki Minaj Songs

Nicki Minaj’s Pink Friday 2 Features A-List Guest Features

Nicki Minaj dropped Pink Friday 2 on Dec. 8, ending a five-year hiatus from releasing a solo project. The collection boasts 22 songs and guest appearances from Drake, Future, Lil Uzi Vert, J. Cole and more. It includes the previously released single “Last Time I Saw You,” along with “Big Difference,” which Nicki debuted in September while hosting and performing at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards.

The Drizzy-assisted tune “Needle” is a melodic affair with the Toronto rap star delivering his trademark crooning over a smooth Afrobeats groove.

“If these diamonds in my head can’t weigh me down/What makes you think that you could weigh me down?/Stop it right now/Friends were pessimistic ’bout our love, heard they tired now/We both know they’re miserable at home, f**k ’em all,” Drake sings on the track.

As for Nicki, she adds her sing-songy rhymes to the song. “I could stay back, I could take that/Come and lay back, on our way back/Make a movie, watch the playback/Nah, don’t save that, I don’t play that,” she spits.

This past Friday (Dec. 15), Nicki unleashed Pink Friday 2 (Gag City Deluxe). The extended edition features two additional two tracks including “Love Me Enough” featuring Monica and Keyshia Cole as well as a new version “Beep Beep” along with 50 Cent.

XXL has reached out to Nicki Minaj for an official statement on her latest accomplishment.

Read More: 20 of the Best Nicki Minaj Verses

Listen to Nicki Minaj’s Pink Friday 2 album, including “Everybody” featuring Lil Uzi Vert, which is a universally praised fan favorite.

Stream Nicki Minaj’s Pink Friday 2 Album

Here’s a Look at First-Week Sales for Every Nicki Minaj Album