Nicki Minaj’s QUEEN album was in a battle with Travis Scott’s ASTROWORLD for the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 this week. Leading up to the final numbers being revealed by Billboard, Minaj was already skeptical about the legitimacy of the results, at one point calling out the projections and telling fans to wait until Sunday (Aug. 19).
On Sunday, Billboard officially announced that Scott’s album went No. 1 for a second straight week with 205,000 equivalent album units moved (78,000 in traditional album sales). Minaj QUEEN debuts at No. 2, moving 185,000 equivalent album units (78,000 in traditional album sales). Shortly after the news broke, Minaj reacted stating that she indeed has the No. 1 album in the country and Scott’s method of selling merchandise and tour tickets with his album has holes in it and should not count towards sales.
https://twitter.com/NICKIMINAJ/status/1031278618561921025
My first album sold 400K. No one is doing that with debut albums now. So I’m so grateful. I lost out on 12 hours of sales and did 200K in one week after I was supposedly cancelled. I bit my tongue last #QueenRadio but I won’t On Tuesday. I love you guys so much
— Nicki Minaj (@NICKIMINAJ) August 19, 2018
I looked at the numbers the Carters, Kanye, Nas, etc recently did. Travis sold 200K in his first week of clothes alone. I spoke to him last night & he said he’s been selling clothes b4 the music. Billboard says they’ll change the rules cuz of this, so it should be changed now!
— Nicki Minaj (@NICKIMINAJ) August 19, 2018
I put my blood sweat & tears in writing a dope album only for Travis Scott to have Kylie Jenner post a tour pass telling ppl to come see her & Stormi. lol. Im actually laughing. #Queen broke the record of being number 1 in 86 countries. Thank Jesus & thank you to my fans.
— Nicki Minaj (@NICKIMINAJ) August 19, 2018
Spotify put drake’s face on every playlist but told me they’d have to teach me a lesson for playing my music 10 mins early on #QueenRadio. Even tho they’ve been giving away my music for free for years & I am one of the top Spotify artists of all time.
— Nicki Minaj (@NICKIMINAJ) August 19, 2018
Spotify had to teach me a lesson but rewarded the man who has had an Apple radio show the longest; inadvertently helping the Apple platform the most. Oh I can’t wait for #QueenRadio on Tuesday. They took away my promotion they had promised for the 1st cpl days b/c of this. #Queen
— Nicki Minaj (@NICKIMINAJ) August 19, 2018
