The Symbolic Meaning Behind Nicki Minaj’s Red Hot 2018 Met Gala Look

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When Nicki Minaj arrived at the 2018 Met Gala, she did much more than just reveal her stunning, bright red Oscar de la Renta gown — she also disclosed some very important details about her new music.

The Queens rapper, who said that she was wearing Oscar de la Renta to the 2018 Met Gala because she wanted to represent her hometown of New York City, also shared that she was inspired to choose her sultry dress and bejeweled headpiece because she wanted to play the more sinful side of this year’s theme, Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination.

“I’m the bad guy and I wanted to make sure the bad guy was here,” she said, obliquely referencing her latest song, “Chun-Li.”

Minaj also announced that her next album will be dropping on June 15 and will be called Queen.

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Write to Cady Lang at cady.lang@timemagazine.com