If anyone was curious as to whether or not Ariana Grande's "Side To Side" music video featuring Nicki Minaj would slay, well, here's your answer: It does, a lot. Of course, this isn't really a surprise: After Grande and Minaj's literal fire emoji performance during the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday, Aug. 28, I think I would have been more surprised if the video wasn't sexy, empowering, feminist, and beautiful all at once.
The music video is actually quite similar to the VMAs performance they put on just before the video was released onto Vevo. From featuring Grande on a spin bike seemingly leading a spin class with the best hair ever to Minaj strutting around and basically proving she's the queen of everything while surrounded by a group of nameless, hot men (which is a great way to flip the script on the rap music trope that often features scantily-clad women in the same position), it's totally hot, as well as sexually empowering. Not only does it prove through the lyrics that Grade and Minaj will make their own decisions when it comes to the people they date ("These friends keep talkin' way too much/ Say I should give you up/ Can't hear them no") but it also puts the two of them in a big position of power. They are calling the shots here, no one else.
Head over to Pitchfork to check out the full video.
Images: Ariana Grande/Vevo (2)
