Last week saw the release of Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice’s “Barbie World,” a new take on Aqua’s classic “Barbie Girl” recorded for the Barbie movie. It turns out that fans have star Margot Robbie to thank in part for the song’s existence.
In a new feature about the music of the Barbie movie, Rolling Stone notes how outraged fans were when Aqua said last year that their song wouldn’t be in the movie. The publication continued, “Even though it wasn’t in the script, Gerwig’s plan all along was to find a place for it, especially since Robbie and others were begging for it.”
Margot Robbie said, “I was like, ‘Greta, how are we going to incorporate this song? We can’t do a Barbie movie and not have a nod to Aqua’s ‘Barbie Girl.’ It has to be in there.’ And [Greta] was like, ‘Don’t worry, we’re going to find a cool way to incorporate it.’ And then, when she was like, ‘Guess who’s going to do the remix of Aqua’s “Barbie Girl”? Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice.’ I was like, ‘Together? Are you joking?!’ I just knew immediately that all my girlfriends were going to lose their minds.”
Mark Ronson also made note how how natural a fit Minaj was for the song, saying, “I feel like people have been asking Nicki to rhyme over some version of ‘Barbie Girl’ for 15 years now.”
For the upcoming Barbie movie soundtrack, Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice teamed up for “Barbie World,” a new spin on Aqua’s classic “Barbie Girl.” However, Jason Martin (the rapper/songwriter/producer formerly known as Problem who now releases music as JasonMartin) claims that Minaj stole the idea for the track from him.
Last December, Saweetie previewed the Aqua-sampling “Icy Girl, Icy World” during an Instagram Live session. Sharing a clip of that on Twitter on June 18, Martin wrote, “As a writer on this, I can confirm this song and idea was sent to her last year to submit for the Barbie movie. It’s sad to see that the original artist has been pushed off a song that was her idea and was meant for both of them. I have no side in this, but I will be compensated.” He continued in another tweet, “If or when I need to detail the whole way it went down in regards to this Barbie sh*t, you will understand why all writers need to be compensated with day rates and contracts protecting their intellectual properties the day of. Hopefully this gets sorted out quietly. But please no I don’t scare easy.”
As a writer on this, I can confirm this song and idea was sent to her last year to submit for the Barbie movie. It’s sad to see that the original artist has been pushed off a song that was her idea and was meant for both of them. I have no side in this, but I will be compensated.… https://t.co/gbVkItEVmM
If or when I need to detail the whole way it went down in regards to this Barbie shit, you will understand why all writers need to be compensated with day rates and contracts protecting their intellectual properties the day of. Hopefully this gets sorted out quietly. But please…
He spoke about it on Instagram Live, too, claiming he and Saweetie created the song and sent it to Minaj for Barbie movie consideration. She supposedly said she was going to use the song before making her own version without the two involved.
Jason Martin Speaking On How Nicki Minaj Allegedly Stole The “Barbie World” Idea From Him And Took Saweetie Off The Song For Ice Spice. #Barbiepic.twitter.com/oUUrWDqtJP
Using samples by today’s hip-hop stars is a hotly contested topic on social media. Some feel it’s being overdone. It seems Nicki Minaj slightly agrees. During the rapper’s latest Queen Radio show, she discussed the topic and more.
During her appearance, Minaj provided listeners with more details about her upcoming appearance on the Barbie: The Movie soundtrack. She guaranteed fans will be impressed by producer Riot’s reimagined twist on Aqua’s “Barbie Girl.” The sample will be featured on Ice Spice’s “Barbie World,” in which Minaj is featured.
Buzzing Pop shared the quote from the musician on Twitter. “This is the first time that someone had put this sample in a way that didn’t make me uncomfortable or gimmicky. I figured out that it needed to be a beat that would still give Barbie & Nicki,” wrote Minaj.
Minaj has seen a great deal of success with samples throughout her career. Her song “Super Freaky Girl,” which features a sample of the late Rick James’ 1981 song “Super Freak,” earned her her first solo No. 1 on the music charts. Another one of Nicki Minaj’s biggest hits, “Anaconda,” released in 2014, sampled the 1992 song “Baby Got Back” by Sir Mix-a-Lot.
Barbie: The Album is out 7/21 via Atlantic. Find more information here.
The much-hyped Barbie movie is getting closer and closer, and as it does, we’re learning more about the film’s music. A Dua Lipa song for the soundtrack, “Dance The Night,” will be here in a matter of hours. Now, we know who else will be involved with the soundtrack.
As Rolling Stone revealed today, the project will feature Ava Max, Charli XCX, Dominic Fike, Dua Lipa, Fifty Fifty, Gayle, Haim, Ice Spice, Kali, Karol G, Khalid, The Kid Laroi, Lizzo, Nicki Minaj, PinkPantheress, Ryan Gosling, and Tame Impala. That’s not even everybody, as more artists are set to be announced ahead of the project’s release. Mark Ronson is the album’s executive producer.
Gosling on the soundtrack may seem like a surprise to some, but it shouldn’t: Aside from all the singing he did in La La Land, his band Dead Man’s Bones put out a self-titled album in 2009 (and Cat Power covered one of their songs in 2021).
Beyond that, Minaj’s presence is also notable, since she’s long adopted a Barbie persona. Ava Max, meanwhile, previously sampled Aqua’s classic “Barbie Girl” on her own 2017 track, “Not Your Barbie Girl.”
The album is set for release on July 21, the same day the movie premieres.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
John Cena is an incredibly versatile individual. He’s been a professional wrestler since 1999 and made his most recent ring appearance at WrestleMania 39 earlier this month. However, he has had a varied acting career, appearing in everything from Fred: The Movie to Trainwreck to Fast X. He also has a hip hop album, 2005’s You Can’t See Me. Amongst all of this, he even found time to set the world record for most Make-A-Wish visits conducted.
When it comes to acting, it’s very clear that Cena is more than happy to make fun of himself. Whether that’s as Amy Schumer’s gay-innuendo-spewing boyfriend in Trainwreck or as a caveman version of himself as in The Flintstones & WWE: Stone Age SmackDown! Of course, he has had a plethora of action roles too, but he is most memorable when playing comedically. However, his next film role is set to be one of his more bizarre to date.
John Cena Is Mermaid Ken
John Cena plays a merman opposite Dua Lipa’s mermaid in Greta Gerwig’s ‘BARBIE.’ pic.twitter.com/OOzcjxHWkd
We’re still trying to figure out just how the universe of Barbies and Kens works in Greta Gerwig’s upcoming Barbie movie. There is a multiple of Barbies and a multitude of Kens. Some Barbies have a Ken, but some Kens appear unattached. This is how we end up with the apparent situation that Gosling!Ken and Liu!Ken are both vying for the affection of Robbie!Barbie. Even then, Robbie’s Barbie and Gosling’s Ken do appear to be in a pre-existing relationship.
But now we appear to know the extent of one Barbie-Ken pairing in the film. Dua Lipa had been previously announced as “Mermaid Barbie” during the first set of promotional releases for the film. Every Barbie is themed and other Barbies we were made aware of include the likes of Issa Rae’s “President Barbie”. But attendees at CinemaCon, who are getting a first look at Barbie before its July release, have learned that Mermaid Barbie has a Mermaid Ken. Mermaid Ken is set to be played by John Cena. It’s absolutely masterful casting and no matter how small the role is, Cena will almost certainly slay it. Barbie will premiere on July 21.
The latest Barbie trailer was recently released, and it’s given yet another insight into what the movie’s going to be about. Ahead of its July 21 arrival (the same day as Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer in an admittedly bold move), precious few details are out on the movie. Two trailers have been shared. The first was an homage to 2001: A Space Odyssey with shots pulled and recreated from Stanley Kubrick’s sci-fi classic. The second was a showcase of some of the things to expect (namely the type of humor) and the basic premise. Here’s what we know so far.
Barbie 2023: Who’s In The Movie?
While it may not be competing with Nolan’s Oppenheimer in terms of sheer cast size and quality, the ensemble for Greta Gerwig’s third outing as a director is pretty exceptional. It’s led by Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, who will be playing Barbie and Ken, respectively. However, since there were a lot of different Ken dolls as well as the titular female and other characters, there were a lot more actors and actresses involved. Other notable names in the cast include John Cena, Helen Mirren, Will Ferrell, Du aLipa, Michael Cera, and Kate McKinnon.
It’s a pretty deep cast with a wide range of actors. Most of them are playing Kens or Barbies, but Michael Cera will be Allan, the random non-Ken doll that Barbie had briefly. Will Ferrell is the Mattel CEO from the real world. Other characters will likely be played by extras, as that is the extent of the cast on IMDb.
At first glance, the upcoming Barbie movie looks like a bit of a slapstick comedy about a doll trying to navigate the real world. That’s probably going to be true. The trailers indicate that Barbie and Ken are going to the real world, though it remains to be seen if that’s an intentional move or not. However, Greta Gerwig doesn’t make surface level movies. Lady Bird and Little Women are both excellent and deep films that have a lot of themes, motifs and ideas. One can reasonably expect Barbie to be the same.
Ultimately, this will likely shake out to be a bit of a coming of age story. Barbie lives in the Dreamworld where she and her doll counterparts run everything. It’s a true matriarch where the Ken dolls (and presumably Michael Cera’s Allan) are just accessories to Barbie. She’s headed for the real world where everything is patriarchal and she’s a woman that looks like Margot Robbie. She’s in for a big awakening and that’s likely going to be the underlying struggle.
Will Ken Be The Film’s Antagonist?
LOS ANGELES, CA – JUNE 28: Ryan Gosling is seen on the set of the movie ‘Barbie’ on June 28, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Bellocqimages/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)
It’s going to be the same for Ken, though. There’s a distinct possibility that Gosling’s Ken becomes the antagonist or at the very least a foil to Robbie’s Barbie. They could completely butt heads based on their discoveries. Ken will be leaving a world where he has no identity apart from being Barbie’s boyfriend. He’s nothing without her and he’s headed to a world where men are inherently valued more. It will be a big awakening for him, too, and it might reveal some internal conflict he didn’t know was there.
Both characters will be reckoning with the real world where their roles are significantly different. Barbie will be hit with the realization that the real world is much worse for her, but Ken will learn that it’s a lot better for him. Further, count on Gerwig to explore these themes with expert accuracy. She hasn’t missed on a movie yet and Barbie certainly doesn’t look like her first misfire. Her films have been beloved by critics, but this will be the least “artsy” of the three.
Barbie is an interesting lens to view this story through because she has been an important toy for young girls through the years. Can the movie be the same? Gerwig is an excellent choice to at least attempt to do the same. She’ll likely be successful, too. At first glance, the Barbie movie looks like a fun, colorful movie about a toy. While that’s going to remain true, it looks like it will be much deeper than that and will explore a lot of dark subject matter and themes. Nevertheless, it may end up being a popular film come awards season.
The Barbie movie hits theaters July 21, which means early showings will take place on Thursday, July 20. It’s unlikely that any more trailers will be released and the film’s true plot will be kept under wraps until then. That day will be a big one for cinemas everywhere. Will you be heading to see Barbie or Oppenheimer first? Both movies figure to do extremely well and it will be interesting to see which film outperforms the other. Fairly or not, they will be forever linked based on their release date. Based on the recent trailer’s humor, a PG-13 rating or higher is all but assured. However, Gerwig’s first two films were rated R (Lady Bird) and PG (Little Women).
It may be rumored that Dua Lipa is cooking up the official theme song for the forthcoming Barbie movie. But Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame nominee Missy Elliott was living in the beloved doll’s plastic world in the late 1990s. Seeing social media go into a full-on frenzy about the release of the movie, the multi-hyphenated talent took a trip down memory lane.
Sharing a clip from her take on the Barbie-verse on Instagram, Missy wrote, “They say a Barbie movie is coming out. Well, let me bring this back one time,” referring to the official music video for her single, “BeepMe911,” featuring the R&B group 702. The video, which, as Missy proudly points out, was released 26 years ago.
“Back then, some folks clowned me, Timbaland, and Magoo, for doing a Barbie-style video. With our arms painted like joints and Tim and Magoo for having Ken hair styles. I remember crying, but I realized I was just years ahead of the game,” wrote the musician.
Barbie has long since been incorporated into the music industry in several ways, especially in hip-hop. Several artists, including Lil Kim, Missy Elliott, and Nicki Minaj, have all referenced the brand in videos, on track, and in promotional photo shoots.
The Barbie movie is set to hit theaters on 7/21. For more information, click here.
Dua Lipa is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
(@FckYaya) 
