Though today seemed like it might be a day for squashing music beefs both famous and obscure, Katy Perry and Nicki Minaj stepped up to let us know that no such peacemaking would be happening with their new diss/dance track, "Swish Swish." The song, which is catchy enough, mostly features lines referencing Perry and Swift's super lame feud, as well as Nicki Minaj's slightly less lame but still annoying feud with Remy Ma (and Swift too).
Let's dissect. On the track, Katy wastes no time getting right to some thinly-veiled jabs at Swift, with lyrics like:
A tiger don't lose no sleep
Don't need opinions from a selfish or a sheep
Don't you come for me, no, not today
You're calculated, I got your number
'Cause you're a joker, and I'm a courtside killer queen
And you will kiss the ring, you best believe
Okay.
So keep calm, honey, I'ma stick around for more than a minute, get used to it
Funny my name keeps comin' outcho mouth, 'cause I stay winning
Lay 'em up like
Swish, swish, bish
Another one in the basket
Can't touch this
Another one in the casket
Great. After all that Perry-provided passive aggression, Nicki jumps in with some diss bars of her own for both Remy Ma and Taylor:
Silly rap beefs just get me more checks
My life is a movie, I'm never off set
Don't be tryna double back, I already despise you
All that fake love you showin', couldn't even disguise you
Taylor has yet to respond (and given her recent hermitage, it's unlikely she will), but Official Taylor Swift Squad Member Ruby Rose swiftly (get it?) came to her defense on Twitter:
"Purposeful poop" to "bomb a petit" to a sloppy mess of writing over the top of Funkagenda..stop trying to make 'Wit..I mean "fetch" happen.
— Ruby Rose (@RubyRose) May 19, 2017
In case you also struggled to make sense of that sentence, Rose appears to be playing on the "purposeful pop" Perry recently claimed as her new sound, as well as her last single "Bon Appetit" (okay I'll give her that one) as well as Perry's upcoming album, Witness.
I just think with everything going on in the world to go from rebranding as political activist only to ditch it and go low.. is.. a bummer.
— Ruby Rose (@RubyRose) May 19, 2017
In case anyone doubted her motives, Rose added:
I've always stood up for the people I love and against things I think are cheap or mean spirited. That's not new. You have to follow your ❤️
— Ruby Rose (@RubyRose) May 19, 2017
She also responded that she really had no problem with Nicki:
@Rikkasouledge @ROMANZOLANZSKI I toured with Nicki. 🔥She was very nice. Very funny and very talented.
— Ruby Rose (@RubyRose) May 19, 2017
@ROMANZOLANZSKI Not gonna lie Nicki is great on it and basically the only part that doesn't sound a mess
— Ruby Rose (@RubyRose) May 19, 2017
Though I'd have to disagree with her on that last point, as the Maya Jane Coles beat is really the only thing that carried me through this whole petty situation.
[h/t The Cut]