"Champion" is a song by Trinidadian rapper and singer

Nicki Minaj Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty (born December 8, 1982), known professionally as Nicki Minaj ( ), is a Trinidadian rapper, singer, and songwriter. Regarded as the "Queen of Rap" and one of the most influential rappers of all time, she is noted for her ...

featuring

Drake Drake may refer to: Animals and creatures * A male duck * Drake (mythology), a term related to and often synonymous with dragon People and fictional characters * Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family ...

Nas Nas (born 1973) is the stage name of American rapper Nasir Jones. Nas, NaS, or NAS may also refer to: Aviation * Nasair, a low-cost airline carrier and subsidiary based in Eritrea * National Air Services, an airline in Saudi Arabia ** Nas Air (S ...

, and

Young Jeezy Jay Wayne Jenkins (born September 28, 1977), known by his stage name Jeezy (or Young Jeezy), is an American rapper. He is credited, alongside fellow Georgia-based rappers T.I. and Gucci Mane, with pioneering the hip hop subgenre trap music fo ...

, taken from her second

studio album An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track cartridge, 8-track or Cassette tape, cassette), or digital distribution, dig ...

, '' Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded'' (2012). "Champion" was written by its performers—Minaj,

Aubrey Graham Aubrey Drake Graham (born October 24, 1986) is a Canadian rapper, singer, and actor. Regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time, he is credited with popularizing R&B sensibilities in hip-hop music. Drake first gained recognition ...

, Jay Jenkins, and Nasir Jones—while the production and additional writing was handled by ''

Pink Friday ''Pink Friday'' is the debut studio album by Trinidadian rapper Nicki Minaj. It was released on November 23, 2010, by Cash Money Records, Young Money Entertainment and Universal Motown Records. Minaj began recording the album after signing a ...

'' (2010) collaborators T-Minus and Nikhil Seetharam. Musically, "Champion" is a

downtempo Downtempo (or downbeat) is a broad label for electronic music that features an atmospheric sound and slower beats than would typically be found in dance music. Closely related to ambient music but with greater emphasis on rhythm, the style may ...

hardcore hip hop Hardcore hip-hop (also known as hardcore rap) is a subgenre of hip hop music that developed through the East Coast hip hop scene in the 1980s. Pioneered by such artists as Run-DMC, Schoolly D, Boogie Down Productions and Public Enemy, it is gen ...

ballad A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and song of Great Britain and Ireland from the Late Middle Ages until the 19th century. They were widely used across Eur ...

that also incorporates elements of R&B, new-age, and

space music Space music, also called spacemusic or space ambient, is a subgenre of ambient music and is described as "tranquil, hypnotic and moving". It is derived from new-age music and is associated with lounge music, easy listening, and elevator music ...

. The lyrics speak of each artist's rise to fame, as well as the trials and tribulations that it carries; it references the death of Minaj's cousin, Nicholas Telemaque, who was murdered near his

Brooklyn Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...

home on July 3, 2011. "Champion" garnered praise from music critics, with the majority declaring it a stand-out track. The song is notable for the return of Minaj's original low-key sound, as well as her tame "gimmick-free" delivery as opposed to her eccentric "Roman" songs. Critics generally praised the song for its serious tone and introspective nature. Minaj performed the song live for the first time on ''

106 & Park ''106 & Park'' is an American hip hop and R&B music video show, set up in a countdown format, that was broadcast on weekdays at 6:00 pm ET/5:00 pm CT on BET; it aired on a one-day delay on BET International. It was the network's highest- rated ...

'' on April 3, 2012, along with " Beez in the Trap", and " Roman Reloaded".

Production

"Champion" was written by Minaj, along with T-Minus, Nikhil S.,

, and

, with production handled by T-Minus and Nikhil S., who had previously worked with Minaj on her debut studio album ''

'' (2010). Minaj had wanted several artists to appear on the song, including fellow

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rapper

. She had stated that she did not think that she could get Nas on the song, saying "He's always been so exclusive. He doesn't work with everybody and I respect people that are like that. They take pride in their craft." Minaj told ''

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'', "I keep saying to be from Queens and to end up having him... We know how picky he is or features He said 'I like the song, I'm a do it, you can wait 'til Monday and I got you' and he kept his word. He murked it, for me to wait for a feature and it be that and murk the song and finish the song that way... I was amazed." After hearing the song, Nas agreed to be on the track, and sent his verse back to Minaj the following Monday. After collaborating, Nas said that he had fallen in love with the song: "Nicki hit us up, I got love, so it was nothin'--I did the record....If I feel it, I can get on it. I heard the track. I felt it. I loved it." Another artist Minaj wanted on "Champion" was long-time idol and fellow female rapper

Lauryn Hill Lauryn Noelle Hill (born May 26, 1975) is an American musician. She is celebrated as one of the most influential musical artists of her generation. Hill is credited with breaking barriers for female rappers, contributing to the popular music, m ...

. "I wanted to get her on 'Champion'... That would have been crazy, right? She was my fave. ..Lauryn to me is the goddess. I'd love to meet her. I'm pretty sure she's heard me talk about her a billion times." Although Minaj vouched for Hill to appear on the track, plans were never finalized and the collaboration ultimately fell through. Recording of "Champion" took place at Conway Studios, in

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, as well as Jungle City Studios in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

. Mixing was handled by Jon Sher and Noel Cadastre at Conway Studios. Minaj was unsure if he would accept her offer to be featured on "Champion", but after sending him the song,

replied back with his verse via e-mail. On March 28, 2012, "Champion" leaked onto the internet six days ahead of its official release. In the following hours after the leak of "Champion", the contents of the entire album were leaked online. On May 24, 2012, a poll was posted on Minaj's official website asking fans to choose the next single(s). The poll was divided into three categories. The second category prompted fans to choose between "Champion", "HOV Lane", and "I Am Your Leader". "Champion" had the most votes and won the poll. "HOV Lane" came in second place and "I Am Your Leader" came in third.

Composition

"Champion" is a relatively slow-paced, retrospective

that draws heavily from

. It is also influenced by other genres, such as R&B, new-age, and

. The "anthemic" and "inspiring" song features a low-key, woozy, and snaky production, accompanied by prominent military-style drums, heavy synths, and rough, hard strewn beats. "Champion" has been described as one of the few songs that Minaj's delivery is "calm and collected" as opposed to her eccentric "Roman" tracks. The rise to fame, the trials and tribulations that ensue, and celebration are prominent themes that are discussed in the lyrics. Minaj also makes reference to her deceased cousin, Nicholas Telemaque, who was shot and killed near his

home on July 3, 2011, in the line "'Cause they killed my little cousin, Nicholas/ But my memories only have happy images." Multiple critics felt the lyrical content of "Champion" was the most sincere on the album. Lewis Corner of

Digital Spy Digital Spy (DS) is a British-based entertainment, television and film website and brand and is the largest digital property at Hearst UK. Since its initial launch in 1999, Digital Spy has focused on entertainment news related to television pro ...

called them "genuinely heartbreaking", and Alex Macpherson of ''

Fact A fact is a truth, true data, datum about one or more aspects of a circumstance. Standard reference works are often used to Fact-checking, check facts. Science, Scientific facts are verified by repeatable careful observation or measurement by ...

'' described them as "undeniably moving".

Critical reception

"Champion" was met with critical acclaim, and was hailed as an album highlight by critics. Andrew Hampp of ''

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'' gave the track a positive review, stating Minaj "Sheds light in her journey from struggle to success." While reviewing the album, Jody Rosen of ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known fo ...

'' declared the song "beamingly triumphant". Global Grind reviewer Brittany Lewis gave the song a very positive review, saying :"This retrospective track explores Nicki's more serious side and details the trials and tribulations of Nicki's now solidified success", and later went on to say that "Champion" will make the listener evaluate their own life. Both the reviewer from ''

The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...

'' and Mesfin Fekadu of the ''

San Francisco Chronicle The ''San Francisco Chronicle'' is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of Northern California. It was founded in 1865 as ''The Daily Dramatic Chronicle'' by teenage brothers Charles de Young and M. H. de Young, Michael H. ...

'' gave the song a positive review, calling it "top-notch". Adam Graham of ''

The Detroit News ''The Detroit News'' is one of the two major newspapers in the U.S. city of Detroit, Michigan Michigan ( ) is a peninsular U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, Upper Midwestern United S ...

'' said the song would please fans of early Minaj, while going on to praise her rap-heavy delivery. Trent Fitzgerald of Popcrush was positive towards "Champion", calling it the "biggest" song on the album, as well as a noting its potential commercial success. "Champion" was labeled as the most impressive

song on the album, as well as being "anthemic" by Andy Gill of ''

The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...

''. In his review of ''Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded'', 'Nathan S of DJ Booth said: "It has to be said that 'Champion', featuring an excellent Nas verse, is one of Nicki's most engaging tracks in memory, precisely because she drops the posturing and fame-hunting. It's proof that behind all the acting is a legitimately talented artist." Although, not all reviews were positive. Matthew Cole of ''

Slant Magazine ''Slant Magazine'' is an American online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New Yor ...

'' criticized the vocalist's performance of the verses, claiming they were "incapable". Randall Roberts of the ''

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...

'' gave the song a mixed review, highlighting Nas' verse, while mildly criticizing Minaj's. ''

Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American online magazine, digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, ...

'' named it one of the best songs on the album along with "I Am Your Leader". ''

XXL Magazine ''XXL'' is an American hip hop magazine, published by Townsquare Media, founded in 1997. History In August 1997, Harris Publications released the first issue of ''XXL''. It featured rappers Jay-Z and Master P on a double cover. In December 200 ...

'' stated that "Though many of the early songs n the albumlack real substance, the records remain generally exciting - 'I Am Your Leader', alongside Rick Ross and Cam'ron, 'Beez in the Trap' with 2 Chainz, and the triumphant 'Champion' featuring Nas, Drake and Young Jeezy are all memorable moments."

Live performances

Minaj performed "Champion" for the first time on ''106 & Park'' on April 3, 2012, along with " Roman Reloaded", " HOV Lane", " I Am Your Leader", " Beez in the Trap", " Right by My Side" and "Fire Burns". She performed "Champion" alongside " Beez in the Trap" with

2 Chainz Tauheed K. Epps (born September 12, 1977), known professionally as 2 Chainz (formerly Tity Boi), is an American rapper and actor. Born and raised in College Park, Georgia, he gained recognition as one-half of the Southern hip-hop duo Playaz Ci ...

at the 2012 BET Awards. The rapper also performed "Champion" on the Australian and Asian legs of her Pink Friday Tour.

Credits and personnel

;Recording *Recorded at Conway Studios,

; Jungle City Studios,

;Personnel *

Songwriting A songwriter is a person who creates musical compositions or writes lyrics for songs, or both. The writer of the music for a song can be called a composer, although this term tends to be used mainly in the classical music genre and film scoring. ...

– Onika Maraj, Tyler Williams, Nikhil Seetharam, Aubrey Graham, Jay Jenkins, Nasir Jones. * Production – T-Minus, Nikhil S. *Mixed at – Conway Studios, Los Angeles CA *Recording – Ariel Chobaz, Noah "40" Shebib, Stuart White *Recording assistant – Jon Sher, Noel Cadastre *Mixing – Ariel Chobaz, Jon Sher Credits adapted from ''Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded'' album liner notes.

Chart positions

References

{{authority control 2012 songs 2010s ballads Nicki Minaj songs Drake (musician) songs Nas songs Jeezy songs Contemporary R&B ballads Songs written by Nicki Minaj Songs written by Drake (musician) Songs written by Nas Songs written by Jeezy Song recordings produced by T-Minus (record producer) Songs written by Nikhil Seetharam Songs written by T-Minus (producer)