"Iconic isn’t even the word": Fans react to Nicki Minaj bringing out Cyndi Lauper as guest performer during Pink Friday 2 Tour

Nicki Minaj's fans, colloquially referred to as "Barbz", were ecstatic when the Barbie World rapper brought out singer Cyndi Lauper on stage for a special performance of Pink Friday Girls at her Pink Friday 2 World Tour in Brooklyn on May 1.

Minaj is a self-proclaimed Lauper fan and sampled the singer's Girls Just Wanna Have Fun song in her new album, Pink Friday 2, released on December 8, 2023. Cyndi Lauper's appearance at the concert was a welcome surprise as fans cheered on the two performing Pink Friday Girls, with one fan tweeting:

"Iconic isn’t even the word. Cyndi Lauper, we love you and we appreciate you!"

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Barbz celebrate Cyndi Lauper's guest appearance at Nicki Minaj's tour

Nicki Minaj has always been vocal about her admiration and respect for legendary singer and songwriter Cyndi Lauper. The Super Bass rapper dubbed the latter as her style and beauty icon in a "Hello" beauty interview in 2013, saying:

"Cyndi Lauper because she is the first person who used color in a way that made me feel excited. She used it on her face and hair, her clothes, her accessories. She would put different colored shapes and cut outs in her hair, and that made me want to explore the world. I remember thinking, 'I want to get to that part of the word where people dress like that and act like that.'"

Nicki Minaj has also referenced Lauper in her works several times. In 2010, Minaj and Katy Perry covered Lauper's Girls Just Wanna Have Fun at VH1 Divas. According to Rolling Stone, Nicki Minaj and fellow rapper Wiz Khalifa paid tribute to the 70-year-old singer by reinterpreting her classic hit True Colors in 2014.

Recently, Minaj sampled Girls Just Wanna Have Fun for her Pink Friday 2 song, Pink Friday Girls. According to Vulture, Nicki Minaj noted that this was reportedly the first time Lauper had cleared a master recording of her hit song, saying she felt very grateful.

So it stands to reason that her fans were elated to see Nicki Minaj perform on stage with her idol. Barbz tweeted that they were proud of Minaj, calling this a "full circle moment."

"Nicki performing with Cyndi Lauper is such a full circle moment, I'm so proud and happy for her @NICKIMINAJ #GagCityBrooklyn," one fan wrote.

"Thee CYNDI LAUPER in #GagCity iconic legendary omg history. Nicki is the only person she has clear a record for wow the 10 year old Nicki hugging her idol full circle moment #GagCityBrooklyn" another chimed in.

Some Barbz even went so far as to call the feat "legendary", reminiscing about growing up with Lauper and now getting to hear her live on stage.

"#GagCityBrooklyn WOW, I kid you not Cyndi Lauper was my idol as a child. When pink Friday girls was released it took me right back to my childhood and now seeing both my idols sharing a stage together is taking me right back to my childhood all over again and I’m crying genuine happy tears," a fan said.

"Omggggg…look at this f*cking legendary sh*t!!!! Thee Cyndi Lauper in #GagCityBrooklyn??? #PinkFriday2WorldTour," another tweeted.

"@NICKIMINAJ brought out Cyndi Lauper at #GagCityBrooklyn I was GAGGING down," yet another one wrote.

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Nicki Minaj introduced Drake as a special guest on April 30

The Pink Friday 2 World Tour is full of guest performers. The night before Cyndi Lauper came on stage, Nicki Minaj brought out Drake when performing in his hometown Toronto on Tuesday, saying:

"Make some noise for the king of Toronto."

The Young Money duo reunited to debut their collab song Needle from her new album. The two have worked together several times for over a decade now.

Pink Friday 2 World Tour is Nicki Minaj's fourth solo tour to promote her fifth studio album Pink Friday 2. The tour, which began in Oakland on March 1, will conclude in Belgium on July 14.