Princess Diana (with Nicki Minaj)

"Princess Diana" is a bold and unapologetic anthem of female empowerment, self-confidence, and dominance in the hip-hop world. The song's central theme revolves around the artists, Ice Spice and Nicki Minaj, asserting their high status, financial independence, and influence. The title itself is a powerful metaphor; Ice Spice compares her revered status in her neighborhood to that of the late Princess Diana, who was known as "the People's Princess." This comparison signifies being loved, respected, and iconic within one's own sphere. The song is a declaration of their royalty in the rap game, where they command respect and attention.

Lyrically, the track is a braggadocious celebration of their success. They boast about their wealth ("'cause they know I got bands"), their desirability, and their power over men and rivals. The recurring line "Grrah, keep it a stack" serves as a mantra, meaning to always be real and authentic, while also alluding to stacks of money. Nicki Minaj's verse amplifies these themes, defending Ice Spice's position as "the princess" of rap and asserting her own unique, inimitable style that others fail to replicate. Overall, the song is a powerful statement about owning one's value, celebrating success without apology, and establishing a powerful female presence in a male-dominated genre.

The song is a powerful declaration of self-worth, confidence, and dominance, delivered from the perspectives of Ice Spice and Nicki Minaj. It begins with Ice Spice establishing her status and unwavering self-assurance. She introduces the recurring phrase "Grrah, keep it a stack," a motto for staying authentic and real. She observes that others are intimidated or act strangely around her because of her wealth and success ("Bitches move wock' 'cause they know I got bands"). Despite any chatter or hate, she remains focused on her financial success and has a strong sense of her own identity. She dictates the terms of her romantic entanglements, suggesting that a man is smart to treat her like a fan, acknowledging her superior position. She dismisses those who are arrogant or slow to catch on, granting them a "pass" out of a sense of superiority.

Ice Spice then delves into her romantic life, revealing her preference for a "gangsta," someone who will represent her and be loyal. However, she maintains control, keeping her private life separate from their rendezvous. Her fame is escalating, forcing her to dodge cameras, yet she's simultaneously celebrated on banners and billboards. This duality of fame is something she navigates with a cool detachment, ignoring calls and maintaining her mystique. The core of her verse lies in the powerful simile, "In the hood, I'm like Princess Diana," which encapsulates her status as a beloved, respected, and iconic figure within her community, a modern-day "people's princess." She boasts about her physical attributes and her influence, claiming other women try to imitate her signature moves ("she do my emotes"). Her confidence is absolute; she knows she's the woman of men's dreams and leaves a lasting impression wherever she goes, reinforcing her status as the "hottest bitch out."

Nicki Minaj enters the track with her signature commanding presence, amplifying the song's themes of royalty and untouchable status. She opens by declaring her healthy habits ("I be eatin' my spinach") before launching into a verse about her own iconic and inimitable style. She scoffs at those who attempt to copy her ("They tried to clone my image"), suggesting their efforts are futile and ultimately lead to their own downfall ("They burned they London Bridges"). She aligns herself with Ice Spice, officially crowning her "the princess" and dismissing all detractors. Minaj reinforces the theme of being in a relationship with a "gangsta," holding him down and keeping him secure. In a power move, she turns the dynamic around, stating that she is the one who makes him famous. She asserts her ultimate control, not just in her relationship but in the broader game of life and music, comparing her influence to a gamer holding the controller. She playfully borrows Ice Spice's ad-libs, co-signing her and creating a sense of unity. Nicki’s verse is a masterclass in braggadocio, filled with clever wordplay and assertions of her supremacy, culminating in the declaration that her presence with Ice Spice is a major event, a cinematic moment that others can't replicate.

The original version of "Princess Diana" was released by Ice Spice on January 20, 2023, as the second track on her debut EP, Like..? The song's title originated from viral memes on social media in late 2022, where users began comparing Ice Spice to Diana, Princess of Wales, even giving her the nickname "The People's Princess," a title posthumously given to Diana. Ice Spice embraced this comparison, naming a track after the late princess.

The collaboration for the remix began after a period of mutual admiration between the two artists. Ice Spice had publicly declared Nicki Minaj as her idol. This led to online interactions and growing speculation about a future collaboration. The official remix featuring Nicki Minaj was released on April 14, 2023. For Ice Spice, this was a "dream collab" come true. The track was notably the first-ever release on Nicki Minaj's own record label, Heavy On It Records, in a joint release with Ice Spice's labels, 10K Projects and Capitol Records. The song was written by Isis Gaston (Ice Spice), Onika Maraj (Nicki Minaj), and the track's producer, Ephrem Lopez Jr., known as RIOTUSA. An accompanying music video, directed by Edgar Esteves, was released the same day, featuring both rappers in a luxurious, all-pink setting.

The song is rich with symbolism and metaphors that elevate its braggadocious themes.

• Princess Diana: The most significant metaphor is the comparison of Ice Spice to Princess Diana. This isn't about literal royalty but about being a beloved, iconic, and respected figure for the people in her community ("In the hood, I'm like Princess Diana"). It transforms her from a rapper into a modern-day icon, a "People's Princess" of the streets.
• London Bridges: In her verse, Nicki Minaj raps, "They burned they London Bridges." This is a clever play on the nursery rhyme "London Bridge is Falling Down," used here to symbolize the downfall of her imitators and rivals who tried to compete with her. It metaphorically represents the self-destruction of those who attempt to cross her.
• Anchors and Bankers: Both artists use financial and security metaphors to describe their relationships. Nicki Minaj says she holds her man down "like an anchor" and he keeps her safe "like a banker." This imagery equates loyalty and stability in a relationship with financial security and steadfastness.
• Royalty Theme: The entire song serves as a metaphor for being rap royalty. By positioning Ice Spice as the "princess" and, by extension, Minaj as the reigning "queen," they establish a hierarchy in the music industry, dismissing competitors as "lames."

The predominant emotional tone of "Princess Diana" is one of defiant confidence and unapologetic empowerment. The song radiates a bold, assertive energy, establishing a mood of superiority and control. This is created through the combination of a hard-hitting drill beat, the artists' commanding vocal deliveries, and lyrics centered on braggadocio. There is a sense of joyful swagger as both Ice Spice and Nicki Minaj celebrate their success, wealth, and influence.

The atmosphere is confrontational yet playful. Lines like "Bitches slow, so I give 'em a pass" and Nicki's subtle jabs at rivals are delivered with a dismissive and self-assured tone, suggesting they are untouchable. There are no shifts into vulnerability or sadness; the emotional landscape is consistently triumphant and powerful. It’s a celebratory anthem designed to make the listener feel confident and in charge, embodying the artists' own declarations of being modern-day royalty in the rap world.

The remix of "Princess Diana" had a significant cultural impact upon its release, solidifying Ice Spice's position as a breakout star of 2023 and extending Nicki Minaj's legacy. The collaboration was seen as a major co-sign for Ice Spice from an established icon, bridging two generations of New York female rappers.

The song was a commercial success, debuting at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. This marked Ice Spice's second top-ten hit and her highest-charting song as a lead artist at the time, while it became Nicki Minaj's 22nd top-ten entry. The track was also a massive seller, topping the Digital Song Sales chart with nearly 76,000 copies sold in its first week—a figure that outsold the next 13 bestselling songs in the US combined. To boost sales, multiple versions of the song were released, including sped-up, slowed-down, and instrumental renditions.

The song's title and central metaphor became a widely recognized nickname for Ice Spice, "The People's Princess," further cementing her public persona. The collaboration was also the first official release from Nicki Minaj's new record label, Heavy On It Records, marking a new chapter in her career as a label head. The track and its vibrant pink-themed music video were widely discussed online, making it a major trending topic and a staple on playlists and radio in 2023.

The rhyme and rhythm of "Princess Diana" are central to its catchy and assertive feel. The song is set to a tempo of approximately 148 BPM, typical for drill music, which gives it a driving and energetic pulse.

Ice Spice's flow is characterized by a relaxed yet precise rhythm. She often uses a pattern of delivering a line and then leaving a distinct pause before the next, creating a laid-back but confident cadence that has become one of her trademarks. Her rhyme scheme is primarily based on simple, direct couplets (AABB), which makes the lyrics memorable and impactful. For example, "Nowadays, I be duckin' them cameras (A) / And they hype that I'm up on them banners (A)."

Nicki Minaj's section introduces more complex rhythmic variations. She seamlessly shifts her flow and vocal inflection, moving from faster-paced rhyming to more playful, melodic deliveries. Her rhymes are intricate, incorporating internal rhymes and multi-syllable rhymes, as seen in lines like "They tried to clone my image / They burned they London Bridges / None of them bitches British." This complexity demonstrates her technical skill and adds a dynamic contrast to Ice Spice's more straightforward delivery. The interplay between the steady, hypnotic rhythm of the beat and the rappers' distinct lyrical flows creates the song's compelling and confident swagger.

"Princess Diana" employs several literary and musical techniques to create its confident and punchy style.

• Ad-libs: Ice Spice's signature ad-lib "Grrah" is used throughout the song. This onomatopoeic sound, often associated with drill music to mimic a gunshot, acts as a punctuation mark, adding an aggressive and assertive edge to her lines.
• Vocal Delivery: Both artists utilize a distinctive, confident vocal delivery. Ice Spice's flow is often described as relaxed and conversational, with a characteristic pause at the end of her bars that allows each line to land with impact. Nicki Minaj showcases her versatility by employing multiple inflections and flow patterns in her verse, shifting her tone to match the playful yet assertive lyrics.
• Instrumentation: The beat, produced by RIOTUSA, is a minimalist drill and trap production. It is characterized by a prominent, plucky electric guitar melody, heavy 808 bass, and varied drum patterns that switch throughout the song to maintain energy and interest. This sparse arrangement puts the focus squarely on the rappers' lyrical delivery and charismatic performances.
• Wordplay and Allusion: Nicki Minaj's verse is filled with clever wordplay. Her line, "we don't do BAP," is a subtle jab at a rumored movie remake of B.A.P.S. starring her rivals, while also playing on the slang term "bap." Her reference to "London Bridges" is another example of using a well-known phrase in a new, combative context.

What is the meaning of 'Princess Diana' by Ice Spice and Nicki Minaj?

The song uses 'Princess Diana' as a metaphor for being a beloved and iconic figure in one's community, a modern 'People's Princess.' It's an anthem about female empowerment, self-confidence, financial independence, and asserting dominance in the rap industry.

What does 'like grah, keep it a stack' mean in the song?

'Grah' is an ad-lib common in drill music, mimicking a gunshot sound to add an aggressive feel. 'Keep it a stack' is slang for 'keeping it 100' or being completely real and authentic, while also alluding to stacks of money.

When was the 'Princess Diana' remix released?

The remix of 'Princess Diana' by Ice Spice with Nicki Minaj was released on April 14, 2023. The original solo version by Ice Spice was released earlier on her EP 'Like..?' on January 20, 2023.

Who produced 'Princess Diana'?

Both the original version and the remix of 'Princess Diana' were produced by RIOTUSA, who is the son of DJ Enuff of the Heavy Hitters crew.

How did the collaboration between Ice Spice and Nicki Minaj happen?

The collaboration came about after a period of mutual admiration. Ice Spice has long cited Nicki Minaj as her idol, and Minaj showed support for Ice Spice on social media, calling her 'The People's Princess.' This led to them connecting for the remix, which Ice Spice called her 'dream collab.'

What was the significance of the song's release on Nicki Minaj's career?

The 'Princess Diana' remix was the first official release from Nicki Minaj's own record label, Heavy On It Records. It marked her venture into being a label executive and supporting new artists.

How did the song perform on the charts?

The remix was a major commercial success, debuting at number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100. It became Ice Spice's second top 10 hit and Nicki Minaj's 22nd, and it was the top-selling digital song in the U.S. during its first week.