Cardi B’s New Single Blocks Nicki Minaj From No. 1 — But There’s A Twist

Nicki Minaj and Cardi B have been embroiled in a public feud for several years. At one point, the two started off on friendly terms and even collaborated on songs that reached various Billboard charts. But throughout the years, the women have exchanged barbs — both real and assumed — in their music and on social media, and they were even involved in a physical altercation.

Fans often compare the success of the two musicians on the charts, and fandoms will occasionally focus their buying and streaming on one track or another in order to best the other woman. This week, Cardi blocks one of Minaj’s more famous tunes from finally hitting No. 1, as her track “Beez in the Trap” returns and reaches a new all-time high on multiple charts.

“Beez in the Trap” Returns to New Highs for Nicki Minaj

“Beez in the Trap,” a collaboration between Minaj and 2 Chainz, reappears on two Billboard rankings this frame. The track blasts back onto the Rap Digital Song Sales list at No. 2 and the R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Song Sales chart at No. 3. Those are new high points for the decade-plus-old cut on both rosters.

Cardi B’s “Safe” Reclaims the Top Spot

Minaj is held back from hitting No. 1 on the Rap Digital Song Sales chart by Cardi. Her current single, “Safe,” featuring Kehlani, rebounds to No. 1 after hitting the summit just a short time ago. It bolts from No. 4, where it fell to in the prior last frame.

“Thriller” by Michael Jackson Tops R&B/Hip-Hop Sales

Over on the R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Song Sales list, both Cardi and Minaj are forced to stay back as Michael Jackson hits No. 1. His timeless classic “Thriller” becomes popular every Halloween, and this frame, the seasonal favorite rockets from No. 13 to No. 1, returning to the peak position.

“Win Again” Recently Pushed “Safe” From the Top

Just last week, the exact opposite of what’s currently happening on the Rap Digital Song Sales chart took place. Minaj replaced Cardi as “Win Again” debuted at No. 1, pushing “Safe” from the top to No. 4. Cardi’s “Magnet,” which launched in the runner-up space just days ago, was forced to settle for No. 2, coming in behind “Win Again,” a years-old cut that Minaj’s superfans began buying in large numbers.

Nicki Minaj’s “Beez in the Trap” Continues Its Revival

While Cardi and Minaj claim the bestselling hip-hop tunes in America this week, their singles differ greatly in one important respect. While “Safe” was only shared a few weeks back, “Beez in the Trap” was originally released in 2012 and served as a promotional cut from her album Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded. Minaj’s cut has spent months in total on the two rankings, while “Safe” is now up to just its third stay on the tallies.

Nicki Minaj Adds to Her Historic Chart Record

While Minaj doesn’t add to her list of No. 1s this week, she already claims one of the most impressive counts on any of Billboard’s purchase-only rankings. The most successful woman in hip-hop history has racked up 25 No. 1s on the Rap Digital Song Sales chart. She has appeared inside the top 10 a total of 104 times, with just under one-quarter of those entries hitting the summit.

“Beez in the Trap” is now matched with 17 other tunes by Minaj that have peaked at No. 2 on the sales roster. That group includes some of her most recognizable titles, such as “Super Bass,” “Make Me Proud” with Drake, “Chun-Li,” and “Truffle Butter” with Lil Wayne and Drake.

“Safe” Continues to Lift Cardi B’s Album Am I the Drama?

“Safe” serves as the most recent single pushed from Cardi’s sophomore album Am I the Drama? The project finally arrived in mid-September, seven years after her introductory full-length Invasion of Privacy turned her into a superstar. Am I the Drama? debuted at No. 1 on various rankings, including the Billboard 200, bringing the Grammy winner back to the summit.

“Safe” has thus far peaked at No. 26 on the Hot 100, but it is being promoted at radio and could continue to climb on various rosters in the coming weeks — though it has nowhere else to go on the Rap Digital Song Sales chart.