On Tuesday (Sept. 12) evening, the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) were set ablaze with an array of notable wins. In the center of it all was Nicki Minaj, who served as the host and performer.

Commanding the spotlight after a spirited introduction by Billy Porter, Minaj opened her act with the heartfelt ballad “Last Time I Saw You.” Engulfed in a voluminous black cloak, the artist occupied a triangular platform that accentuated her solitary figure amid a minimalist set design. Afterward, she teased a new track from Pink Friday 2 titled “Big Difference.”

In the song, Minaj rapped, “I’m on a whole ‘nother level, these b**ches is out of they league. These b**ches ain’t battin’ like me. You b**ches ain’t badder than me. You b**ches don’t count on me, these b**ches can’t count. I am not the one, two, or the three. You b**ches look up to me. You said you look up to her, but really you look up to me.”

Elsewhere in the cut, she spat, “I can’t be playin’ with n**gas, I married a G. I got some n**gas that do what I say. If I tell ’em to shoot, they pull up from the three. When b**ches be rappin’, I’m laughin’. It sound like you tryin’ to me. I’m who you dyin’ to be.”

Pink Friday 2 is set to hit streaming platforms on Nov. 17. Earlier this month, the musician released one of two cover artworks from the project.

During last year’s VMAs, the New York rapper performed renditions of “Super Bass,” “Super Freaky Girl,” “Monster,” “Beez in the Trap,” “Anaconda,” and “Chun-Li,” among others.

Other performers for last night included Cardi B, Lil Wayne, Doja Cat, Metro Boomin, and Megan Thee Stallion. Minaj also snagged six nominations, stepping away with the award for Best Hip Hop.