Seven minutes. That’s all it took for the rap world to tilt on its axis back in February 2017.
When Remy Ma dropped "shETHER," it wasn't just another song. It was a tactical, verbal demolition of Nicki Minaj. People were stunned. Honestly, nobody expected the level of vitriol and the sheer volume of "receipts" Remy brought to the table. The Remy Ma diss song to Nicki Minaj immediately became the gold standard for modern beef, harkening back to a grittier era of New York hip-hop that many thought was dead.
The Day the Internet Froze
On February 25, 2017, the track hit SoundCloud and the streets went quiet. Remy Ma didn't just rap over any beat; she chose Nas’s "Ether" instrumental. That’s a heavy crown to wear. By using the most famous diss beat in history, she was telling the world she wasn't just playing for radio spins. She was playing for blood.
The track is nearly seven minutes long. It’s relentless. There is no hook, no catchy melody, and zero radio-friendly polish. Just bar after bar of personal attacks.
Remy went there. She touched on everything. She brought up Minaj's brother’s legal troubles, alleged plastic surgeries, and accusations of ghostwriting. She even claimed Nicki had "relations" with various industry figures. It was the kind of content that makes you want to look away but keeps you glued to the speakers.
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Why shETHER Was Different
Most diss tracks these days are subtle. They use "subliminals" so the artist can deny they were talking about someone later. Remy Ma did the opposite. She started the song by shouting, "F*** Nicki Minaj!"
You can't get more direct than that.
The timing was also fascinating. Remy had been out of prison for about three years. During her six-year incarceration, Nicki Minaj had become the undisputed queen of rap. There was a "void" in the industry while Remy was gone, and Nicki filled it completely. When Remy returned, the tension was palpable. They tried to play nice for a while. They even had private conversations where they supposedly agreed not to clash. But behind the scenes? Things were souring fast.
The Spark That Lit the Fuse
What actually triggered the Remy Ma diss song to Nicki Minaj? Most fans point to Nicki’s verses on Jason Derulo’s "Swalla" and Gucci Mane’s "Make Love."
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On "Make Love," Nicki rapped about being the "queen" and mocked rappers who couldn't sell records. Remy took that personally. She saw it as a direct shot at her joint album with Fat Joe, Plata O Plomo.
"You wanna see a dead body?" Remy tweeted, quoting Boyz n the Hood, right before the link went live.
The Aftermath and the "No Frauds" Response
The industry reaction was chaotic. For two weeks, the world waited for Nicki to respond. Rappers like Game and Safaree (Nicki’s ex) were getting dragged into the conversation. Trey Songz had to publicly deny being involved in the drama.
Finally, Nicki dropped "No Frauds" featuring Drake and Lil Wayne. It was a hit. It charted well. But in the court of public opinion? Many felt she lost the battle.
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Why? Because "No Frauds" felt like a commercial play. It was a club song. Remy’s track felt like an assassination.
A Complicated Legacy
Surprisingly, Remy Ma later admitted she wasn't "proud" of the track. In an interview with BuzzFeed, she expressed regret that such a negative record about another woman went so viral. She mentioned that they could have done something great together instead of picking each other apart.
It’s a sentiment you don't hear often in rap. Usually, it's "victory at all costs." But Remy saw the bigger picture of how the media loves to see two successful Black women at each other's throats.
What You Should Do Next
If you’re a fan of the lyricism or just the history of the genre, there are a few things worth doing to understand the full context of this moment:
- Listen to the original "Ether" by Nas. To truly appreciate why Remy chose that beat, you have to hear the song that started it all. It provides the DNA for the entire "shETHER" structure.
- Check out the "Plata O Plomo" album. While the diss track overshadowed it, the work Remy was doing with Fat Joe at the time is some of her most polished professional material.
- Study the "Make Love" verse. Go back and listen to Nicki Minaj’s verse on the Gucci Mane track. If you listen closely, you can see exactly where the "subliminals" turned into a full-scale war.
- Watch the "Drink Champs" interview. Years later, Remy sat down with N.O.R.E. and gave a more nuanced look at her headspace during that time, explaining the "behind-the-scenes" messages that led her to record the track.
The beef has cooled down significantly in recent years, but the Remy Ma diss song to Nicki Minaj remains a permanent part of the hip-hop canon. It was a reminder that in rap, no matter how many hits you have, your "bars" are your ultimate currency.