Nicki Minaj’s “Anaconda” video was record breaking since the first day it was released on YouTube. Directed by Colin Tilley and filmed within two days in Los Angeles. Nicki shared it at midnight and within 24 hours, it was viewed 19.6 million times solidifying it then as the most watched video ever on the platform.
via: Uproxx
More than six years after the music video’s release, Minaj’s The Pinkprint highlight, “Anaconda,” has reached a billion views on YouTube. The impressive feat makes her the first female rapper to reach the ten-digit number with a solo song on the platform.
“Anaconda” by @NickiMinaj has reached 1 BILLION views on YouTube.
It becomes the first solo female rap song in HISTORY to achieve this. pic.twitter.com/EDSKAPZn8T
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) April 3, 2021
With “Anaconda” surpassing a billion views, Minaj also ties Katy Perry and Rihanna for the most overall music videos with more than a billion views on YouTube, that being six. The other videos from the Pink Friday rapper’s catalog to accomplish this include “Bang. Bang” with Jessie J and Ariana Grande, “Hey Mama” with David Guetta, Bebe Rexha, and Afrojack, and “Swalla,” with Jason Derulo and Ty Dolla Sign.
While the news may be a reason to celebrate for the rapper, it comes a little over a year after she listed “Anaconda” as one of three songs she wished she never recorded. She said this during a Q&A session with entertainment executive Irving Azoff at Beverly Hills’ Pollstar Live Conference and added “Starships” and “Your Love” to the list. “I was like, ‘Why did I do this?’” she joked during the conversation.
Check out the video below one more time:
.@NICKIMINAJ is the first female rapper to have a solo song surpass 1 billion views on YouTube.
— chart data (@chartdata) April 3, 2021
.@NICKIMINAJ's "Anaconda" has now surpassed 1 billion views on YouTube.
— chart data (@chartdata) April 3, 2021
Ok after watching @NICKIMINAJ Anaconda 37times I only have one word to sum up my feelings. DAMNNNNN!!!!!! #AnacondaVideoOnVevo
— Sir Mix-A-Lot (@therealmix) August 20, 2014