Friendship hit rock bottom when Ice betrayed both her and Taylor Swift. This fallout occurred after Kanye West exposed Ice for agreeing to replace Nikki on his track “New Body.” This revelation stunned many, especially considering the bitter feud between Nikki and Kanye over the song, ultimately resulting in Nikki banning him from releasing it with her verse. Adding to the shock, Ice had been cozying up to Taylor Swift in recent months, making it surprising that she would collaborate with Kanye, given his long-standing enmity with Taylor spanning over a decade. Ice’s misstep has cost her dearly, seemingly alienating the industry support she once enjoyed from Nikki and Taylor.
As many of you are likely aware, Ice Spice has been dominating social media discussions lately due to her sudden ascent to stardom and her connections with some major celebrities. Notably, she has formed close bonds with figures like Nicki Minaj and Taylor Swift. Nicki was the first big-name star to endorse Ice when she collaborated on the remix of Ice Spice’s track “Princess Diana”. Prior to Nicki’s involvement, the original version struggled to make an impact on the Billboard charts. However, with Nicki on board, the remix soared to the top five, significantly boosting Ice’s album sales. Adding to the excitement, Nicki also featured Ice on her own hit “Barbie World”, further cementing Ice’s place in the industry. Following suit, Taylor Swift also gave her approval by joining Ice on the remix of her song “Karma”, which also enjoyed success, reaching the top five. Taylor even invited Ice to perform with her on tour, and the two were recently spotted together at the Super Bowl. Despite facing criticism from some quarters, Ice found unwavering support from Nicki and Taylor, who stood by her side and showed genuine affection.
Imagine the surprise rippling through everyone when Kanye dropped the bombshell that Ice had sent over a verse to feature on his latest track, “New Body.” For those unfamiliar with the backstory of “New Body,” it was originally recorded in 2019 for Kanye’s album but remained shelved because Kanye abruptly shifted away from worldly music at the time. He then requested Nicki to modify her verse into a gospel rendition, a request she honored out of profound respect for him. Unfortunately, the song leaked, along with both versions of Nicki’s verse, gaining traction as a popular sound on TikTok and IG reels. Despite Nicki’s persistent pleas over the years for Kanye to release it, he steadfastly refused, even after reverting from his Pro-Christian phase back to worldly music. Adding salt to the wound, Kanye proceeded to collaborate with Cardi B on her new track “HSH” while Nicki and her fans clamored for the release of “New Body.” This proved to be the breaking point for Nicki, prompting her to abandon the song altogether.
In December, just a day after Nikki dropped her latest album “Pink Friday 2,” Kanye surprised everyone by releasing “New Body.” Despite his persistence in getting her to clear the song, Nikki stood firm in her refusal. Kanye even rallied his fans, implying that unless she cleared the verse, he wouldn’t release his album. Nikki took to Instagram to assert her stance: she was done with the song. As for Kanye, well, that ship had sailed. No disrespect intended, but she had just released a fresh album. Why would she put out a track that’s been around for three years? It’s puzzling. Besides, “New Body” is already out there, and let’s be real, many have already listened to it through various means. Kanye had her rewrite three verses for “New Body,” even requesting a gospel twist during his gospel phase. Despite her initial reluctance, she complied out of respect. However, when he asked for yet another verse, she drew the line. She was knee-deep in her own album’s production and had no intention of revisiting “New Body.” The opportunity had passed, and she was moving on.
Since Nikki declined to clear the verse, Kanye opted for a petty move, attempting to enlist DOA and Ice Spice for the song. DOA didn’t end up recording, but Ice Spice, known for her collaborations with Nikki, surprisingly submitted a verse. The revelation came when Yes JWS, Kanye’s former creative director whom he’s suing for $8 million, shared a screenshot of a private message where Kanye mentioned sending the song to Ice and DOA to determine the best verse, hinting at replacing Nikki. Kanye’s message stated, “Sent New Body to Ice Spice and DOA. Let’s see who sounds best.” While it’s understandable why Ice submitted a verse, given Kanye’s stature in hip-hop, it’s a risky PR move. Her verse likely won’t measure up to Nikki’s, and she faces backlash from both the Barbz and the Swifties, two formidable fan bases.
Nikki’s fans weren’t the only ones feeling betrayed by Ice’s actions; Taylor’s fanbase was equally upset. This tension stemmed from the longstanding feud between Taylor and Kanye, dating back to the infamous incident at the 2009 VMAs when Kanye interrupted Taylor’s acceptance speech, claiming Beyoncé should have won instead. This incident plunged Taylor into a deep depression and sparked a backlash against her. Then, in 2016, Kanye’s song “Famous” reignited the conflict with lyrics suggesting he made Taylor famous and implying a sexual relationship. Swifties fiercely defended Taylor on social media, prompting Kanye to claim he had Taylor’s approval for the lyrics—a statement swiftly refuted by Taylor’s team.