“Moment 4 Life” by Nicki Minaj (ft. Drake)

In “Moment 4 Life”, Nicki Minaj and Drake, speak about how proud they are about the success they have achieved over the years.

Nicki begins by stating that she flies with the stars, which could allude to her accomplishing the same level as other superstars and celebrities. She also addresses her level of financial success, indicating that she has enough money to spend. Nicki then compares herself to an umpire who is basically the boss of her own life. She also refers to her background and rise to fame. In doing so, she proves a point that she deserves her success and will leave a legacy as the greatest rapper.

The singer is in a celebratory mood throughout the song and wishes to enjoy this moment for the rest of her life.

Drake Steps in

Rapper, Drake also comes in to give the song a romantic spice, while sticking to the theme which is a celebration of their success as rappers. To him, they’re not only staying alive as most people do, but are making the best out of their lives. And in so doing, they’re reaching their highest potential, which he defines as true living.

The song ends on a happy note where Nicki admits that she has waited all her life to get to her level. And according to her, just like the sunset, she has been able to achieve her dream of becoming the best rapper in the industry.

Facts about “Moment 4 Life”

• Nicki Minaj teamed up with Canadian rapper/songwriter, Drake in penning “Moment 4 Life”. The duo was also assisted by Nikhil Seetharam and T-Minus, with the latter solely working on this track’s production.
• The song is featured on Nicki’s maiden studio album, dubbed, Pink Friday. She dropped the track on the 7th of December 2010. It came out as the album’s 4th single.
• Nicki alongside Drake performed this song live, for the first time during a Thanksgiving party organized by a New York based radio station, WQHT (Hot 97).
• Peaking at No.13 and No.22 in the United States and in the United Kingdom respectively, “Moment 4 Life” proved to be a successful hit for Nicki.
• The song experienced success beyond the aforementioned regions, peaking at No.27 in Canada and No.23 in Belgium.

Covers/Remixes/Samples

Remixes of “Moment 4 Life” have been performed by several singers. Famously among these remixes include the ones done by the following:

• Meek Mill (in 2011)
• Charlie Clips (in 2011)
• Bas (in 2013)

In 2011, Australian musician and producer, Ta-Ku sampled the tune in his song, named, “Nikki”. American gospel hip-hop singer Bumps INF also incorporated samples of this track in his 2011 song, dubbed, “Intro”

Australian singer, Vassy released a cover “Moment 4 Life” in 2011.

Had Drake and Nicki Minaj collaborated before on any track? Or was this their first time working on a track?

In terms of songs, “Moment 4 Life” served as the first ever collabo between Drake and Minaj.

Are there any samples on this collabo?

Yes. “Moment 4 Life” samples bits of the 1972 song “Confessin’ A Feeling” performed by the R&B Band, Sly, Slick and Wicked.

Did “Moment 4 Life” win Nicki and Drake any Grammy Awards?

No. However, at the 2012 edition of the Grammy Awards, this collabo received a nomination in the category of Best Rap Performance. But it was defeated by the song “Otis” by Kanye West and Jay-Z.