“Yikes” is Nicki Minaj’s first track since her retirement announcement. The trap banger was first teased on February 3, 2020, following a three-month-long hiatus from social media and from the public.

On February 5, Nicki clarified that “Yikes” would not serve as the lead single to her highly-anticipated fifth studio album but that it would instead be released as a promotional single on February 7.

The release of the track was delayed by three hours, presumably because Nicki rewrote parts of the song to include jabs at ex-boyfriend Meek Mill with whom she had two public fights leading up to the song’s release.