Hey, remember the Jessie J, Ariana Grande, and Nicki Minaj hit "Bang Bang"?
Well, despite the song being seven years old at this point*, there's been some recent ~discussion~ over the origins of the tune after Jessie was asked about the song in an interview with Glamour.
Jessie told the publication how she and Ariana were attached to the Max Martin–penned record: "Ariana had been played it, I'd been played it, and we both loved it. We just said, 'Why don't we both do it?' So Ariana stayed on the second verse, I recorded the first verse."
Things then got a bit odd when Jessie retold how Nicki joined the track. "Nicki was played it in the studio and was like, 'I've got to jump on this.' We didn't go to her and ask; she wanted to do it," Jessie explained.
However, Nicki herself denied via a tweet that she was never asked to join "Bang Bang" — instead saying that the record label asked her to join the track.
"Babe @JessieJ I didn’t hear the song & ask to get on it. The label asked me to get on it & paid me," Nicki wrote. "How would I have heard the song? Chiiille, what am I — the damn song monitor? Snoopin' around for songs chile? This was said by another artist recently as well. Y'all gotta stop. Love U."
Babe @JessieJ I didn’t hear the song & ask 2get on it. The label asked me2get on it & paid me. How would I have heard the song? 😩 chiiille what am I the damn song monitor? Snoopin around for songs chile?😂This was said by another artist recently as well. Yallgotta stop🎈 LoveU😘
However, Nicki did add that she wanted to appear on the Jessie J track "Do It Like a Dude" — but no one ever asked her.
Chi😂😂😂 but the worst part about this is no1EVER asked me2get on “like a dude” & I have been obsessed w|that song since the min I heard it. I was doing promo in the UK & heard it on the radio. My artist Parker co wrote it. I would’ve gotten on that 1 for some pickle juice 🥺 https://t.co/ORRqE4Z1pN
This disputes a previous Jessie J interview where she said that she tried to get Nicki on the track.
A 2016 interview with a Republic Records exec seems to confirm what Nicki said. Wendy Goldstein said of the song, "It was written for Ariana. She cut it, and she hated it. So I sent it to [Republic executive VP Rob Stevenson], got Jessie J on it and then sent it to Nicki Minaj. I made them finish the record anyway. And then I was scared to send it to Ari. So I sent it to [Republic Records chairman/CEO] Monte Lipman and said, 'Play this for Ariana.' When she heard it, she was like, 'I want it back.'"
