Nicki Minaj got a bevy of reactions when she released the cover artwork for "Anaconda," her new single. Some loved it and some thought it was inappropriate.
Chatting with Ryan Seacrest this week, Minaj said she went with the cover because she's inspired by people like Madonna, who's never stopped pushing the envelope.
She also did it because she didn't want to lose who she was prior to success with hits like "Super Bass" and shows like "American Idol."
"He (my manager) was thinking that it may be too over the top, and I said, ‘Well you know, in the beginning of my career, I did pictures like that, I did photo shoots like that. And I didn’t want to lose that sense of who I am. I feel like one of the people I look up to the most was Madonna, and she’s never stopped pushing the envelope. She’s never stopped taking risks, and I don’t ever want to stop doing that either," Minaj told Seacrest.
According to Minaj, who is featured on a recently released remix of Beyonce's "Flawless," her manager, Gee Roberson, thought the cover was too controversial.
Even though she took his thoughts into consideration, she decided to go with the cover and stay true to the brand that she wanted.
"Anaconda" is to be featured on her forthcoming third studio album, "The Pink Print."
