What’s clear is that the viral moment

In the days leading up to the release of “Pink Friday 2,” Nicki Minaj’s fifth studio album and sequel to her debut record “Pink Friday” that dropped on Friday, Twitter was flooded with AI-generated images of pink-toned cityscapes.

Gag City, the dreamy false utopia ruled by Minaj and her Barbz, broke through stan Twitter and became a viral meme that brand accounts immediately used for their own marketing — promoting Minaj’s album for free.

Is it an authentic stan-led campaign to build hype for Minaj? Is it a plant to game engagement for both the album and brands? What’s clear is that the viral moment is a win for Minaj, manufactured or not.