Shether

"Shether" (sometimes stylized as shETHER)[1] is a song by American rapper Remy Ma. It is a diss track aimed at Trinidadian-American rapper Nicki Minaj. It was released on February 25, 2017, by Empire Distribution.[2] The song's title and beat is from the diss track "Ether" by Nas.[3]

"Shether"
Song by Remy Ma
ReleasedFebruary 25, 2017 (2017-02-25)
Recorded2017
Genre
Length6:57
LabelEmpire
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Ron Browz

Background and release

Disagreements between Remy Ma and Minaj originated in 2007, when Ma took note of Minaj's freestyle record, nicknamed "Dirty Money", from her mixtape Playtime Is Over (2007).[4] In the record, Minaj recites: "Tell that bitch with the crown to run it like Chris Brown/she won three rounds, I'ma need a hundred thou/like 'Chinatown' — bitches better bow down/oh you ain't know, betcha bitches know now/fuck I got a gun — let her know that I'm the one".[5] Minaj reportedly never confirmed or denied that the song was about Ma,[4] however Ma remarked in a 2010 interview, "To this day I still feel like [the song] is a stab at me; I'm gonna [diss Minaj] back for that one".[6]

Although Ma and Minaj shared words of encouragement in recent years,[7] their relationship soon soured, and they began releasing verses and songs with lyrics aimed at each other, including Ma's "Money Showers" with Fat Joe and Minaj's "Make Love" with Gucci Mane, which was released two days before "Shether".[8]

On February 25, 2017, "Shether" was released on both SoundCloud and online music stores.[9][10] At the time of the track's release, Ma tweeted: "'You wanna see a dead body' (little kid from BoyzNdaHood voice) @nickiminaj"[11] Upon release, the song was widely shared on social media.[12]

The song was later banned from iTunes, SoundCloud and YouTube due to copyright violation,[13] and has since been removed from all radio and online streaming services.[14] According to TMZ, contrary to initial reports, Nas had nothing to do with the ban and that he did approve the use of his beat, and suggested that Universal, which has intellectual ownership of the song, took action to have it removed.[15]

Writing

The lyrics of "Shether" contain a number of accusations and allegations regarding Minaj's personal and professional life and conduct towards others, including fellow music artists; Ma makes several accusations about Minaj's sexual affairs with members of Cash Money Records and other celebrities. The song also accuses Minaj of using plastic surgery on her rear to enhance her appearance, and criticizes Minaj for siding with her brother, who, at the time, was facing trial for the alleged rape of a minor.[16]

Critical reception and response

The song was made as a response record to Minaj after Minaj's two diss records to Remy ("Swalla" and "Make Love").[17] A writer from BET named it an "unapologetically savage" track.[18] Mitchell Peters from Billboard called it a "scathing diss track" that "doesn’t show any mercy for Minaj."[19]

After it was released, Minaj responded with a pair of Instagram posts.[3] Ma claimed she "didn't expect a response" in an interview on the Wendy Williams Show.[20] A week later, in an interview hosted by BuzzFeed News, Ma stated that she had second thoughts about releasing the diss track, and commented on the difficulties of being a woman in the music industry.[21] When asked if she regrets releasing the track, she said:

I don’t regret it, but I’m just not particularly proud of it either ... It just bothers me that, this record that I put out, where it’s literally picking apart a female, went so viral ... We could have done the same thing, working together. I would have liked that so much better that way.[22]

Minaj responded to Ma in her song "No Frauds" which was released on March 10, 2017.[23]

Live performances

Ma performed the song live at Summer Jam on June 11, 2017. During the performance, pictures of Minaj were shown on the stage screen.[24]

Track listing
Explicit digital download[2][25]
No.TitleLength
1."Shether"6:57
Clean digital download[26][27]
No.TitleLength
1."Shether"6:57

Charts
Chart (2017) Peak
position
US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (Billboard)[28] 19
US Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Singles (Billboard)[29] 3

Release history
Region Date Format Version Label Ref.
United States February 25, 2017
  • Clean
  • Explicit
  • RNG
  • EMPIRE
 [2][26]

References
  1. "Remy Ma Performs Nicki Minaj Diss Track 'shETHER' at Hot 97's Summer Jam: Watch". Billboard. Retrieved 2018-02-11.
  2. "Shether – Single by Remy Ma on Apple Music". iTunes Store (US). Retrieved February 25, 2017.
  3. Kreps, Daniel (February 26, 2017). "Hear Remy Ma Fire Back at Nicki Minaj With Vicious Diss Track 'Shether'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved March 1, 2017.
  4. "Nicki Minaj Vs. Remy Ma: Rap Queens' Beef History Explained". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2018-02-11.
  5. "Mariah Carey wasn't the only one! Nicki Minaj presumably threatens fellow rapper Remy Ma with gun violence in 2008 song". The New York Daily News. NYDailyNews.com. October 7, 2012. Retrieved May 14, 2014.
  6. "REMY MA ON NICKI MINAJ & KEYS (GOOD QUALITY)". Street Heat. YouTube. May 9, 2010. Retrieved May 14, 2014.
  7. MINAJ, NICKI (2016-06-27). "Tweets between Minaj and Ma". @nickiminaj. Retrieved 2018-02-11.
  8. "A Prelude to "ShETHER": The History of Beef Between Remy Ma and Nicki Minaj". Complex. Retrieved April 14, 2020.
  9. "Remy Ma "ShETHER" by Remy Ma on SoundCloud". SoundCloud. Retrieved February 25, 2017.
  10. "Remy Ma Unleashes Nicki Minaj Diss Track 'shETHER'". Rap-Up. February 25, 2017. Retrieved February 25, 2017.
  11. ""You wanna see a dead body" (little kid from BoyzNdaHood voice)". Retrieved July 25, 2017.
  12. "A Prelude to "ShETHER": The History of Beef Between Remy Ma and Nicki Minaj". Complex. Retrieved 2018-02-11.
  13. "Universal Bans "shETHER" from the Airwaves Citing Copyright Issues". Retrieved 2018-02-11.
  14. Alexis, Diamond (March 10, 2017). "Plot Twist: Nas Knows Who's Behind Remy Ma's 'shETHER' Ban". BET. Retrieved 25 July 2017.
  15. Berry, Peter (March 10, 2017). "Nas Approves of Remy Ma Using His Beat for "Shether"". XXL. Retrieved 25 July 2017.
  16. Remy Ma – ShETHER, retrieved 2018-02-11
  17. http://www.eonline.com/news/835123/nicki-minaj-responds-to-remy-ma-s-diss-track-and-makes-a-500-00-bet
  18. "Remy Ma Trashes Nicki Minaj in New Diss Track 'shETHER'". BET. February 26, 2017. Retrieved March 1, 2017.
  19. Peters, Mitchell (February 25, 2017). "Remy Ma Drops Nicki Minaj Diss Track 'Shether': Listen". Billboard. Retrieved March 1, 2017.
  20. "Remy Ma Explains Why She Went After Nicki Minaj on Diss Tracks". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2017-03-08.
  21. "Here's Why Remy Ma Now Says She's Not 'Proud' of Her 'shETHER' Diss Track". BET.com. Retrieved 2017-03-08.
  22. Kiefer, Halle. "Remy Ma Has Second Thoughts About Her Nicki Minaj Diss Track 'Shether'". Vulture. Retrieved 2017-03-08.
  23. "Nicki Minaj Fires Back at Remy Ma on "No Frauds"". Complex. March 10, 2017. Retrieved March 10, 2017.
  24. Muhammad, Latifah (June 12, 2017). "Remy Ma Performs Nicki Minaj Diss Track 'shETHER' at Hot 97's Summer Jam: Watch". Billboard. Retrieved June 16, 2017.
  25. "Shether – Single by Remy Ma on Apple Music". iTunes Store (UK). Retrieved February 25, 2017.
  26. "Shether – Single by Remy Ma on Apple Music". iTunes Store (US). Retrieved February 25, 2017.
  27. "Shether – Single by Remy Ma on Apple Music". iTunes Store (UK). Retrieved February 25, 2017.
  28. "Remy Ma Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved March 8, 2017.
  29. "Remy Ma – Chart Search (Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Singles)". Billboard. Retrieved March 8, 2017.
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