"Roman's Revenge" is a song performed by Trinidadian rapper Nicki Minaj from her debut studio album Pink Friday (2010). It was released as the album's promotional single on October 30, 2010, and features guest vocals by American rapper Eminem. The artists co-wrote the song with producer Swizz Beatz, and perform under their respective alter egos Roman Zolanski and Slim Shady. The official remix features Minaj's mentor, Lil Wayne, who replaces Em's verses.
"Roman's Revenge" was perceived as a diss towards fellow female rapper Lil' Kim, whose response was a song called "Black Friday." Although the song was not released as an official single from Pink Friday, it charted within the top 200 on iTunes.
Background[]
Minaj debated on asking Eminem for a collaboration, and asked in 2010 on a whim. She sent him a record, though he didn't like it but didn't say this directly, instead asking "'Can you send me something that's a little more me?'" Minaj thanked him via an email for "having enough respect" to her as a peer and responding.[1]
On October 17, 2016, she wished Em a happy birthday and explained how the song was created: she sent him a verse and he sent one back. She continued, "I got inspired & felt it needed another verse from me. I recorded it & sent it just so he could hear it. When it came back again, he had added yet ANOTHER verse on it PLUS sounds to the beat😩. Couldn't believe it. 🙌🏽. Sending him LOVE. 🎀"[2]
Personnel[]
- Ariel Chobaz – recording
- Chris Gehringer – mastering
- Kasseem "Swizz Beatz" Dean – writing, production
- Lyttleton "Cartwheel" Carter – mixing, recording, second engineering
- Marshall "Eminem" Mathers – featured vocals, writing, mixing
- Mike Strange – engineering, mixing
- Onika "Nicki Minaj" Maraj – lead vocals, writing
- Safaree "SB" Samuels – additional vocals, writing
Lyrics[]
[Verse 1: Nicki Minaj]
I am not Jasmine, I am Aladdin
So far ahead, these bums is laggin'
See me in that new thing, bums is gaggin'
I'm startin' to feel like a dungeon dragon
Rah, rah, like a dungeon dragon
I'm startin' to feel like a dungeon dragon
Look at my show footage, how these girls be spazzin'
So fuck I look like gettin' back to a has-been?
Yeah, I said it, has-been
Hang it up, flatscreen
Plasma
"Hey Nicki, hey Nicki," asthma
I got the pumps, it ain't got medicine
I got bars, sentencin'
I'm a bad bitch, I'm a c***
And I'll kick that ho, punt
Forced trauma, blunt
You play the back, bitch, I'm in the front
You need a job, this ain't cuttin' it
Nicki Minaj is who you ain't fuckin' with
You lil' Fraggle Rock, beat you with a pad-a-lock
I am a movie, camera block
You outta work, I know it's tough
But enough is enough
[Chorus: Nicki Minaj]
Rah, rah, like a dungeon dragon
Rah, rah, rah, like a dungeon dragon
Rah, rah, rah, like a dungeon dragon
Like a dungeon dragon, like a dungeon dragon
Rah, rah, rah, like a dungeon dragon
Rah, rah, rah, like a dungeon dragon
Rah, rah, rah, like a dungeon dragon
Like a dungeon dragon, like a dungeon dragon
[Verse 2: Eminem]
I ain't into S&M, but my whip's off the chain
A little drop of candy paint drips off the frame
Twisted-ass mind, got a pretzel for a brain
An eraser for a head, fuckin' pencil for a frame
You don't like it, then peel off, bitch
Every last woman on Earth I'll kill off
And I still wouldn't fuck you, slut
So wipe the smile on your grill off
I swear to God I'll piss a Happy Meal off
Get the wheels turning, spin, and wheel off
Snap the axle in half, bust the tie-rod
Quit hollering, "Why, God?"
He ain't got shit to do with it
Bygones'll never be bygones
The world ain't finished swallowing my wad
I ain't finished blowing it, nice bra
Hope it'll fit a tough titty, bitch, life's hard
I swear to God life is a dumb blonde white broad
With fake tits and a bad dye job
Who just spit in my fuckin' face and called me a fuckin' tightwad
So finally I broke down and bought her an iPod
And caught her stealing my music
So I tied her arms and legs to the bed
Set up the camera and pissed twice on her
Look, two pees and a tripod
The moral to the story is life's treating you like dry sod?
Kick it back in its face, my God
It's Shady and Nicki Minaj, you might find the sight quite odd
But don't ask why, bitch, ask why not?
The world-world is my punching bag and
If I'm garbage, you're a bunch of maggots
Make that face, go on, scrunch it up at me
Show me the target so I can lunge and attack it
Like a, rah, rah, like a dungeon dragon
You fell off, off, they must've bumped your wagon
You must've went off the back, I'm 'bout to go off the deep end
Told you to stay in your lane, you just jumped in traffic
[Verse 3: Nicki Minaj]
Is this the thanks that I get for puttin' you bitches on?
Is it my fault that all of you bitches gone?
Should've sent a thank-you note, you little ho
Now I'ma wrap your coffin with a bow
"Nicki, she's just mad 'cause you took the spot"
Word, that bitch mad 'cause I took the spot?
Well, bitch, if you ain't shittin', then get off the pot
Got some n****s out in Brooklyn that'll off your top
I hear the mumblin', I hear the cacklin'
I got 'em scared, shook, panickin'
Overseas, church, Vatican
You at a standstill, mannequin
You wanna sleep on me? Overnight?
I'm the motherfuckin' boss, overwrite
And when I pull up, vroom, motorbike
Now all my n****s gettin' buck, overbite
I see them dusty-ass Filas, Levis
Raggedy Anns, holes in your knee-highs
I call the play, now do you see why?
These bitches callin' me Manning, Eli
Manning, Eli, these bitches callin' me Manning, Eli
[Verse 4: Eminem]
All you lil' f*****s can suck it
No homo, but I'ma stick it to 'em like refrigerator magnets
And I'm crooked enough to make straitjackets bend
Yeah, look who's back again, bitch, keep acting as if
You have the same passion I have, yeah, right
Still hungry, my ass, you ass-dicks had gastric bypass
Ain't hot enough to set fire to dry grass
And 'bout as violent as hair on eyelids, but eyelash
Go take a flying leap of faith off a fuckin' balcony
'Fore I shove a falcon wing up your fly ass
You know what time it is, so why ask?
When Shady and Nicki's worlds clash
It's high class meets white trash
[Chorus: Nicki Minaj]
Rah, rah, like a dungeon dragon
Rah, rah, rah, like a dungeon dragon
Rah, rah, rah, like a dungeon dragon
Like a dungeon dragon, like a dungeon dragon
Rah, rah, rah, like a dungeon dragon
Rah, rah, rah, like a dungeon dragon
Rah, rah, rah, like a dungeon dragon
Like a dungeon dragon, like a dungeon dragon
[Outro: Nicki Minaj]
Roman, Roman, stop it, stop it
You've gone mad, mad, I tell you, mad
You and this boy Slim Shady
What's going on? They'll lock you away
They'll put you in a jail cell, I promise
Take your mother's warning, Roman, please
Back to bed, run along, let's go, come on
Wash your mouth out with soap, boys)
Charts[]
| Chart (2010) | Peak position |
|---|---|
 UK R&B Chart
|
29 |
| UK Singles Chart
|
125 |
 US Billboard Hot 100
|
56 |
| US Hot Rap Songs
|
23 |
| US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
|
85 |
Certifications[]
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| [[File:|20px|link=]] Gold | 35,000*** | |
|
*** Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
References[]
- ↑ Enos, Morgan (May 29, 2018). "Here's a Timeline of Eminem & Nicki Minaj's Relationship". Billboard.
- ↑ "Nicki Minaj (@nickiminaj)". Instagram. October 17, 2016.