Photo of Nicki Minaj by Will Heath
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Nicki Minaj was the musical guest on Saturday's season 43 finale of Saturday Night Live, but she unexpectedly took a backseat for part of the show.

After performing her new single "Chun-Li" (drawing swift criticism for the chopsticks in her hair and Asian backup dancers), she opted not to perform her other new song "Barbie Tingz."

Instead, she handed the stage to Playboi Carti, allowing him to offer up a live rendition of his song "Poke It Out," from his surprise new album Die Lit, which was released on May 11.

While Minaj is featured on that track and she joined Carti onstage midway through the performance, it was still an interesting move, considering it was the SNL finale and she only recently announced her own new album Queen is coming on June 15.

Minaj has previously said her new record is about "everything in my life coming full circle." Last month, she went a step further, telling Beats 1's Zane Lowe, "This is the best album that I've ever created."

In addition performing "Chun-Li" and "Poke It Out," Minaj also appeared in a cut-for-time digital short called "Friendship Song," which featured host Tina Fey alongside Kate McKinnon and Aidy Bryant as a group of friends who take aim at their enemies with songs that sound like they were made for HAIM. 

See video of Minaj's SNL appearance below.