AceShowbiz - Rapper Nicki Minaj was "bullied" into rush-releasing her new single, "Yikes".

The "Moment 4 Life" hitmaker's latest material hit streaming services on Friday (February 07), days after teasing social media followers with a brief preview of the tune last Monday.

Fans responded so well, Minaj claims she felt pressured to finish the song and release it to the masses - while her label chiefs also apparently pressed her to complete the track.

The newlywed hip-hop star made the remarks in a Twitter question and answer session on Saturday, when one devotee asked her how Yikes came about.

"I was playing a snippet for my crazy fans & they made me put it out," she replied. "They are bullies. I only had 1 verse done. The label bullied me too. I've been bullied."

Minaj went on to share how she improvised the hook - and she loved it so much, she left it in.

"I made up the hook with no (lyrics written on) paper," she explained. "Just freestyled in the booth cuz (sic) I loved the beat. so the yikes part is me hearing the beat for the very first time. The verses I wrote down. The outro was a freestyle."

Yikes is Minaj's first solo single of the year, but the initial teaser drew some harsh criticism after she referenced late civil rights activist Rosa Parks and her role in sparking the Montgomery bus boycott of 1955 in the lyrics.

"All you b**ches Rosa Parks/Uh oh, get your a** up," she raps on the track, which was previewed on the eve of what would have been Parks' 107th birthday.

TMZ subsequently reported that Minaj was blaming "bad timing" for the controversy, while sources alleged she didn't mean to "offend or disrespect Parks".

However, Minaj has since made it clear she was unaware of any backlash - and she wouldn't have taken notice anyway.

"Never said this," she posted on Instagram Stories, alongside the headline. "Had no clue anyone was mad. Don't care. #Yikes".

The single is expected to feature on the follow up to 2018's "Queen" album.