We Go Up
by Nicki Minaj (featuring Fivio Foreign)

Album: Queen Radio: Volume 1 (2022)
Charted: 58
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • "We Go Up" finds Nicki Minaj showcasing her drill skills with Brooklyn drill rapper Fivio Foreign. The pair start off the fiery track by taking their places as New York City royalty.

    It's only one king, it's only one queen, there's two crowns

    Fivio has form for proclaiming his sovereignty. On his Kanye West collaboration "City Of Gods," the rapper flexed about taking over Pop Smoke's mantle of "The King of New York."
  • Minaj aims her two verses at female rivals who call her out. The rap queen doesn't name names, but there are plenty of competitors (Lil Kim, cough) who she has a history of beefing with.
  • Fivio Foreign adds his own aggressive verse, where he warns others of his and Minaj's violent behavior.
  • The song title does not appear in the lyric. There are plenty of boasts by the two rappers about their wealth and place in the game, so "We Go Up" likely refers to their ascension in the rap hierarchy.
  • The drill beat incorporates eerie vocal samples and frantic drums. It comes courtesy of Haitian-American producer Papi Yerr and Polish producers Szamz and Swizzy. Minaj fans will recognize Pai Yerr as the beatmaker of her hit single "Do We Have A Problem?"
  • Minaj released "We Go Up" on March 25, 2022 alongside an instrumental and an extended version. The Queen Barbz dropped it as a standalone single; Minaj tweeted that when she told her former manager, Big Fendi, she'd scrapped it from the album, they had an hour-long argument.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Chris Fehn of Slipknot

Chris Fehn of SlipknotSongwriter Interviews

A drummer for one of the most successful metal bands of the last decade, Chris talks about what it's like writing and performing with Slipknot. Metal-neck is a factor.

Todd Rundgren

Todd RundgrenSongwriter Interviews

Todd Rundgren explains why he avoids "Hello It's Me," and what it was like producing Meat Loaf's Bat Out of Hell album.

Steve Cropper (Booker T & the MG's, Blues Brothers)

Steve Cropper (Booker T & the MG's, Blues Brothers)Songwriter Interviews

Steve Cropper on the making of "In the Midnight Hour," the chicken-wire scene in The Blues Brothers, and his 2021 album, Fire It Up.

Corey Hart

Corey HartSongwriter Interviews

The Canadian superstar talks about his sudden rise to fame, and tells the stories behind his hits "Sunglasses At Night," "Boy In The Box" and "Never Surrender."

Have Mercy! It's Wolfman Jack

Have Mercy! It's Wolfman JackSong Writing

The story of the legendary lupine DJ through the songs he inspired.

Producer Ron Nevison

Producer Ron NevisonSong Writing

Ron Nevison explains in very clear terms the Quadrophenia concept and how Heart staged their resurgence after being dropped by their record company.