Nicki Minaj refusing to perform her almost-Diamond smash hit "Starships" is shocking fans, but RedOne -- the maestro who co-produced the track -- says the music mutiny is okay in his book.
RedOne tells TMZ Hip Hop, "I have the utmost respect for Nicki Minaj and I love her work very much. I will always respect an artist's wishes ... I feel very proud to have made that record with her along with the global success it made."
"Starships" first arrived in 2012 and currently sits at 9x Platinum, but Nicki told her NYE audience in Miami, live renditions of the track are a thing of the past.
As she put it, "I don't like it, what y'all want me to do? Stupid song!"
RedOne likely isn't feeling the burn, either. The superproducer has hits for days -- Lady Gaga's "Just Dance," and Usher's "More" to name a couple. He also scored a few more records with Nicki, such as "Pound the Alarm," and she's still performing that one to this day.
Parents pick their favorites ... artists do too. 🤷🏾♀️