The gang is back this week in full, along with our trusty intern Karen. Topics include Nicki Minaj's meltdown, her place in music - particularly hip-hop and why she is responding to regular degulars on Twitter. Other topics include, Aretha Franklin's passing, Safaree coming up on a new hairline, and some WWE news.

Links:

• Aretha Franklin: A Legacy in Music | The New Yorker
• Nicki Minaj's Twitter Spinout Is the Culmination of Her Bad Album Rollout | SPIN
• Safaree Clarifies His $12K Hairline, Tyga Shares Hair Transplant Doc
• Nicki Minaj Accuses Travis Scott of Using Kylie Jenner to Promote Album | PEOPLE.com
• Spotify Responds to Nicki Minaj Saying Company Downplayed 'Queen' Promotion to 'Teach Me a Lesson' | Complex