Get On Your Knees by Nicki Minaj Lyrics Meaning – Empowerment through Provocation
Lyrics
Baby, just get on your knees (on your knees)
Say pretty please, say pretty please, say pretty please
Baby just say pretty please
I’ll be back at eleven, you just act like a peasant
Got a bow on my panties because my ass is a present
Yeah it’s gooder than Meagan, you look good when you’re beggin’
I be laughing when you beggin’ me, to just put the head in
Let me sit on your face, it’s ok you can play with it
When I’m bouncin’ it, chill out and don’t you make a mistake with it
Let me see what you’re workin’ with, if you’re ridin’, I’m murkin’ it
Slow grindin’, I’m twerkin’ it, yeah I bagged him, I Birkin’d it
I don’t need a dozen roses
You ain’t gotta wine and dine me, no
I don’t need a pretty poet
Ooh, gettin’ all emotional
You gotta beg for it, beg for it
I wanna see you lookin’ up
Baby I’ma need you to beg, beg beg for it
Get on your knees, get on your knees, get on your knees
Baby, just get on your knees (on your knees)
Say pretty please, say pretty please, say pretty please
Baby just say pretty please (pretty please)
Gimme brain, assume the position
Make me way smarter like you was a magician
Paid my dues and tuition, it’s good for your nutrition
Good head like a beautician, got me twitchin’, finish your mission
Finish your mission, you make it come down, make it run down
I’ma need you to give these other dudes the run down
You got that legendary, this shit is fake, scary
Got me seein’ them fireworks, I’m on my Kate Perry
I don’t need a dozen roses
You ain’t gotta wine and dine me, no
I don’t need a pretty poet
Ooh, gettin’ all emotional
You gotta beg for it, beg for it
I wanna see you lookin’ up
Baby I’ma need you to beg, beg beg for it (I need you to beg) (let’s go)
‘Cause we are just animals
Baby it’s primal
I want you on all fours
And before I let you walk, you gotta show me how you crawl
If you want it all
It’s non negotiable
So do as I say (I say)
If you wanna get the job, you better know who’s the boss
(Yeah)
I don’t need a dozen roses
You ain’t gotta wine and dine me, no
I don’t need a pretty poet
Ooh, gettin’ all emotional
You gotta beg for it, beg for it (beg for it)
I wanna see you lookin’ up (lookin’ up)
Baby I’ma need you to beg, beg beg for it
Get on your knees, get on your knees, get on your knees
Baby, just get on your knees (on your knees)
Say pretty please, say pretty please, say pretty please
Baby just say pretty please (pretty please)
Under the pulsing beats and provocative lyrics of Nicki Minaj’s track ‘Get On Your Knees’, lies a labyrinth of empowerment, feminist discourse, and sexual autonomy. Minaj, through razor-sharp wordplay and unapologetic assertiveness, presents a complex narrative that refutes tradition and places female desire at the forefront.
The song, often misconstrued as simply risqué, punches the taboos of sexual expression and power dynamics squarely in the face. With a lyrical prowess that bends the listener’s ear to her every command, Minaj orchestrates a symphony of control that redefines the terms of engagement in intimate relationships.
A Power Play Cloaked in Seduction
What many might hear as a song steeped in sexual suggestiveness, ‘Get On Your Knees’ is a statement of power reversal. Minaj flips the script on traditional gender roles, with the woman commanding the scene and the man responding in submission. The title itself is a directive, an assertion of dominance typically reserved for male voices in the genre.
Through her commanding vocals, Minaj isn’t just asking for respect; she’s demanding it. The song becomes a venue where she expresses her control, not only over her partner but also over her sexuality and the narrative surrounding it. The anthem showcases a dynamic where the female voice holds all the cards, a refreshing take in a music landscape often dominated by male bravado.
Unwrapping the Metaphorical Gift
In a powerful use of metaphor, Nicki references having a ‘bow on her panties because her ass is a present.’ This clever line encapsulates the song’s underlying message of consent and gift-giving. Intimacy is presented not as an expectation or obligation but as a valuable offering contingent on respect and the partner’s willingness to ‘say pretty please’.
The ‘present’ isn’t just an object to be possessed; it’s a prize to be earned. It’s Minaj’s autonomous choice to gift it, reinforcing the idea that her body and sexuality are under her agency. The bow is a symbol of adornment and celebration of her own desirability, bestowed upon her terms.
The Vocabulary of Desire
‘Good head like a beautician, got me twitchin’, finish your mission.’ These lines combine wit and raw desire to express satisfaction not just in the act itself, but in the quality that only comes from genuine enthusiasm and expertise. Minaj celebrates not only the physical pleasure but also the intellectual stimulation that comes from a partner who is equally invested in her contentment.
A reference to a ‘magician,’ meanwhile, adds an element of wonder and skill, suggesting a partner whose capabilities in love-making are both awe-inspiring and transformative. This isn’t just about the mechanics of sex, but about the cerebral dance that elevates it to an art form, a form of magic.
Reclaiming the Narrative with a Roar
In a world where women’s sexual expressions are often policed, ‘Get On Your Knees’ serves as a brazen reclamation. Nicki’s delivery is both a roar and a whisper, voicing the internal monologues of many women. Her unabashed ownership of her sexual will stands as a testament to a new era of female empowerment within the music industry and beyond.
These lyrics don’t just speak to the act of sex but to the dialogue surrounding it. Minaj uses her platform to peel back the layers of societal expectations—asserting that women, too, can voice their desires loudly, demand satisfaction, and set the terms without shame or reservation.
The Hidden Prowess in Primal Instincts
‘Cause we are just animals. Baby it’s primal.’ With these words, Minaj taps into the elemental force of human desire. This striking line is more than a mere acknowledgment of the base instincts; it’s a commentary on the raw and unfiltered layers of our nature that society often asks us to suppress, especially in the realm of female sexuality.
By framing the sexual experience within the primal context, Minaj creates a space where the pursuit of pleasure is stripped of pretense. It’s a return to the basics, where hierarchy is reversed and the primal instinct is not only acknowledged but celebrated as a source of power.
