Released: 2012
Features: Nicki Minaj
In “Beauty and a Beat”, pop sensation Justin Bieber and rap queen Nicki Minaj tell a story of youthful fun, attraction, and a great beat that makes life complete. The song is all about living in the moment, forgetting about the world, and just enjoying the music and company.
The phrase “We gonna party like it’s 3012 tonight” is a playful twist on the popular phrase, “Party like it’s 1999.” It’s like they’re saying, “Let’s party like no tomorrow, in a future so far out of reach.” Bieber expresses his attraction for the ‘beauty’ with the lyric “All I need is a beauty and a beat” – a pretty girl and some awesome music is all he needs to have a good time.
Nicki Minaj’s verse adds an extra bit of sass. When she says “In time, ink lines, bitches couldn’t get on my incline”, she’s throwing down a gauntlet – no one can match her level of success. The line ‘Buns out, wiener, but I gotta keep an eye out for Selena’ is a cheeky nod to Justin’s ex-girlfriend, Selena Gomez.
The phrase ‘Beauty, beauty and the beast’ isn’t about the Disney tale, but a streetwise riff on contrasts – the beautiful and the beast-like, refined and raw. ‘Beauty from the East, beautiful confessions of the priest.’, Minaj is likely talking about herself as the ‘beauty from the East’ as she hails from New York, East Coast. With her raw and slightly edgy style, she certainly brings the ‘beast’ to the track.
When Minaj says ‘Beat will get deceased every time beauty on the beat eats’, she’s warning other artists that whenever she’s on a track, she dominates and outshines them. It’s a bold statement of confidence – classic Nicki Minaj style.
So, “Beauty and a Beat” is an upbeat track about enjoying the night, the music, and the company with a playful swagger. Its joyful, carefree spirit is what makes it so popular and relatable. It’s a song that says, “Live in the moment – that’s where the fun is.”
