"BAPS" (a backronym for Bad Ass Pretty Sagittarius)[1] is a song by American rapper Trina and Trinidadian rapper Nicki Minaj,[2] released as a single from Trina's sixth studio album, The One (2019).
Background
BAPS is a song from Trina's sixth studio album, The One (2019). It was released on June 19, 2019, as a surprise release two days before Trina's full album came out.[3] The song marks the fourth time Trina and Minaj have collaborated on a track.[4] It was released for digital download and streaming in June 2019.[5][6][7]
Trina discussed its release on the thirteenth episode of Queen Radio and asked Minaj to film a music video with her because they were originally supposed to, but The Nicki Wrld Tour got in the way.[8]
The song become the subject of a public dispute when Reginald Saunders, the head of A&R at Trina's record label Rockstarr Music Group, released a statement regarding Minaj. In a post on his Instagram account, he accused Minaj of being uncooperative and called her a "deceiver and manipulator".[13]
The post also referenced there being no music video produced to promote the record. Two days later, Trina filmed a video discussing the alleged problems. She defended Minaj and blamed herself for the lack of visual for the project.[14] She explained: "I had a 45-minute conversation on the phone with Nicki Minaj about business, about my record, about my song, about everything, It's not about a video, it's bigger than a video. The video is just a portion of what's happening. This is more about making sure the business is right."[14]
Critical reception
The song received positive reviews from music critics. A Rap-Up reporter stated that "it's the Barbie and Da Baddest" and called the track a "boss bitch anthem".[15] Rania Aniftos from Billboard said "Trina and Nicki Minaj have no time for unworthy men in their newest girl gang anthem." They also branded it a "boss gal anthem".[16] Madeleine Marr from the Miami Herald said that the pair "have created a thing of beauty" in recording "BAPS". She noted "The piano-heavy tune references various fellow celebrities from her [Trina's] dating past."[1] A journalist from Vibe said that Trina "enlisted one of the boldest voices in the game" for "BAPS".[17]