Nicki Minaj channels her inner Cleopatra on topless album cover
Nicki Minaj has revealed the cover art for her fourth studio album, Queen, and to say it’s an eye-catching piece of work is an understatement.
The cover is, depending on the observer, either glamorous or raunchy — or perhaps a lot of both. Shot by fashion photographers Mert Ala? and Marcus Piggott, Minaj poses seductively in a scanty Egyptian-style getup against a striking orange background. But it’s admittedly hard to see much at first glance except the fact that she’s totally topless (except for an ornate necklace and crystal pasties).
The sexy photo, of course, garnered lots of opinions on social media, most of them seemingly from fans wiping the sweat off their brows after taking a good look.
Ohhhhhh I needa cool down after seeing that album cover ….. @NICKIMINAJ you look amaze balls on the cover !!#ChunLi #Queen #nicki pic.twitter.com/TNCSbkZ5Td
— DAVID FURR-MARSH (@krieners) June 8, 2018
I wouldn’t mind a big ass picture of Bae like that @NICKIMINAJ cover in my bedroom. That shit is dope AF. #Queen
— KXNG BEEZY (@KingJuggaNott) June 8, 2018
QUEEN LEFT ME SPEECHLESS
— The Minaj Room (@theminajroom) June 8, 2018
@NICKIMINAJ we are not worthy of this #Queen pic.twitter.com/RugCRj7fet
— José Sidney (@jadenmzwakhe) June 8, 2018
@NICKIMINAJ releases cover "art" for her latest project. As a (newly) self proclaimed art aficionado, I will have to "study" this piece thoroughly before I give my opinion. #NickiMinaj #queen #coverart #MertAndMarcus https://t.co/Qk1aDIXz4J
— Jonathan Bernier (@cartoonjon) June 8, 2018
And for those who lifted an eyebrow at the amount of skin and curves revealed? There’s a perfectly good explanation for that, too!
Do y’all know it’s an Egyptian Queen they didn’t wear much it’s going with the theme. Some of you guys are really stupid
— SmoothAsMari (@ekko1904) June 8, 2018
Queen will be released on Aug. 8 and marks Minaj’s first release since the critically acclaimed The Pinkprint in 2014. The rapper claims that the new set is her “greatest work to date.”
Minaj has already released two singles from the album, “Barbie Tingz” and “Chun-Li,” the latter of which has landed as high up as No. 10 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart.
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