Music

Nicki Minaj, Barbie World: the lyrics, meaning & story

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It was kind of obvious: the movie Barbie, set for release in 2023, needed a modern, fancy soundtrack involving a number of popular artists able to create buzz. And who was more destined for it than Nicki Minaj? The American rapper is still one of the biggest artists on the scene, and she used to adopt the nickname “Barbie” and the Pink World related to it in her past. That’s how she was chosen for one of the movie’s central themes, together with her fellow rapper Ice Spice: a cover of a famous 90s song that not everybody remembers. Let’s discover the lyrics, meaning, and the song’s story. You will also find the complete lyrics at the end.

You can find the official video for Barbie World below.

Nicki Minaj & Ice Spice – Barbie World (with Aqua) [Official Music Video]
Watch this video on YouTube.

Barbie World: the lyrics, meaning & story

Barbie World is a song about being a doll, metaphorically. Barbie has been the most famous children’s doll for decades, so a song dedicated to it is a chance to interpret the role of the “plastic girl” in a dream world where everything is pink and perfect. 

The original concept comes from one of the most popular songs of the 90s, Barbie Girl, released by the Danish pop band Aqua in 1997. You can find the original official video here, and you can also hear the first song’s chorus in the background of Nicki Minaj & Ice Spice’s version. The lines inherited from the original song are:

I’m a Barbie girl in the Barbie world
Life in plastic, it’s fantastic
You can brush my hair, undress me everywhere
Imagination, life is your creation

Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice turned the song into a slightly different message, interpreting the bad girl in the plastic world. In the lyrics of Barbie World, the rappers explain that yes, they are dolls, but they still want to party, enjoy luxury (the pink Ferrari or the Corvette), and have a wonderful life with their Ken, the symbol of the perfect man.

I’m a doll, but I still wanna party
Pink ‘Vette like I’m ready to bend
I’m a ten, so I pull in a Ken

All of the Barbies is pretty
All of the Barbies is bad

Therefore, Nicki Minaj introduces her typical rap concepts into her Barbie song. She talks about being on a different level than all other rappers who want to be like her, bragging about her success, her look, and her sexy attitude.

I’m washin’ these bitches, I’m rubbin’ the stain out
Like I’m ready to bend
All the fake Barbies just wanna pretend
Like hold on, let me go find me a pen

In other words, in Barbie’s plastic world, Nicki Minaj is not simply a perfect doll: she’s the best doll, worshipped by an army of other dolls who wish they could be as famous and perfect as her. That’s after all, the real meaning of the lyrics in Barbie World: I’m a doll in a perfect, plastic, pink world, I enjoy every part of my perfect life, and everybody else is jealous of me. Nicki Minaj’s well-known imagination in the context of Barbie’s universe.

Read other popular song lyrics and their meaning on Auralcrave

The complete lyrics

And I’m bad like the Barbie (Barbie)
I’m a doll, but I still wanna party (Party)
Pink ‘Vette like I’m ready to bend (Bend)
I’m a ten, so I pull in a Ken
Like Jazzie, Stacie, Nicki (Grrah)
All of the Barbies is pretty (Damn)
All of the Barbies is bad
It girls (It girls) and we ain’t playin’ tag (Grrah)

Rad, but he spank me when I get bad
I’m in LA, Rodeo Drive
I’m in New York, Madison Ave
I’m a Barbie girl (Girl), Pink Barbie Dreamhouse
The way Ken be killin’ s–t got me yellin’ out like the Scream house (Woo)
Yellin’ out, we ain’t sellin’ out
We got money, but we ain’t lendin’ out

We got bars, but we ain’t bailin’ out
In that pink Ferrari, we peelin’ out
I told Tae bring the Bob Dylan out
That p–y so cold, we just chillin’ out
They be yellin’, yellin’, ye-yellin’ out
It’s Barbie, b- -h, if you still in doubt (Oh)

And I’m bad like the Barbie (Barbie)
I’m a doll, but I still wanna party (Party)
Pink ‘Vette like I’m ready to bend (Bend)
I’m a ten, so I pull in a Ken
Like Jazzie, Stacie, Nicki (Grrah)
All of the Barbies is pretty (Damn)
All of the Barbies is bad
It girls (It girls) and we ain’t playin’ tag (Grrah)

Barbie ain’t nothin’ to play ’bout
He wanna play in the Playhouse (Playhouse)
The f–k they gon’ say now? (Grrah)
I’m washin’ these b- -hes, I’m rubbin’ the stain out
Like I’m ready to bend (Grrah)
All the fake Barbies just wanna pretend (Hey)
Like hold on, let me go find me a pen (Grrah)
Look where it led, now I’ma put it to bed

She a Barbie b- -h with her Barbie clique (Grrah)
I keep draggin’ her, so she bald a bit (Damn)
And I see the bread, I want all of it (Damn)
And I want the green, so I olive it (Grrah)
And I throw it back, so he losin’ it (Like)
And I give the box with no shoes in it (Damn)
Yeah, I know the trick, so I got him bricked (Damn)
Yeah, they know who lit, me and Barbie, b- -h

And I’m bad like the Barbie (Barbie)
I’m a doll, but I still wanna party (Party)
Pink ‘Vette like I’m ready to bend (Bend)
I’m a ten, so I pull in a Ken
Like Jazzie, Stacie, Nicki (Grrah)
All of the Barbies is pretty (Damn)
All of the Barbies is bad
It girls (It girls) and we ain’t playin’ tag (Grrah)

I’m a Barbie girl in the Barbie world
Life in plastic, it’s fantastic
You can brush my hair, undress me everywhere
Imagination, life is your creation

Published by Carlo Affatigato

Carlo has been a web content creator for over 10 years. He founded Auralcrave in 2015, envisioning it as a new space capable of offering different perspectives on topics that passionate all of us. With a scientific background, Carlo developed an interest in music, cinema, literature, and art at a young age, transforming it into a complementary dimension to his professional growth. For years, he was a music journalist specializing in electronic and dance music, writing for the most important Italian magazines (both online and print). Movies and TV series have been a true obsession in many phases of his life: during university, it was not uncommon for him to set the alarm in the middle of the night to watch classic films airing on TV. With the advent of the Internet, Carlo became a keen observer of web and social phenomena, addressing light topics such as advertising, trends, fashion, and general themes. He is the main author of Auralcrave and personally manages its social media, editorial line, book publication, resource management, and business expansion. A former engineer, life coach, husband, and father, he believes that every area of knowledge has interesting stories that deserve to be told and is convinced that doing so makes the world a better place.