As far as pre-show banter goes, the DJ asked a standard question: “Is there any real Barbz here in Austin, Texas?”

Surely he didn’t really miss the ocean of pink bob wigs, like a fleet of cotton candy Edna Modes, on Sunday night in the Moody Center. Or the pink body-con dresses. Or the pink bandannas, cowgirl hats, faux-fur coats, distressed jeans — you could probably see the flush of pink on a few cheeks as fans awaited the late-night arrival of Nicki Minaj.

The queen of rap gathered her Barbz in Austin for a rowdy Mother’s Day stop on the Pink Friday 2 World Tour. Minaj is a generation-defining artist and a giant in hip-hop — not just for women, but those broken barriers speak for themselves, too. In recent years, though, headlines have often centered around her controversies — about her marriage, her public acrimony toward other artists, etc. — as much as her music.

But if you had any doubts about Minaj’s enduring pop power, this concert testified that she’s a diva in her prime. Just look at the material; thousands of lyric-memorizing fans can’t be wrong.

Here are three things you should know about Sunday’s show.

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Nicki Minaj is a Swiss army knife of a performer

As the train pulled into Gag City at 10:37 p.m., Minaj rose from under the stage in a white wrap skirt and golden breastplate — full goddess wear. A fitting first fashion moment for an opener of “I’m the Best,” Minaj’s 2010 track that doubles as a memoir of her career rise. “I hear they comin’ for me/ Because the top is lonely,” she rapped, bedazzled pink microphone in hand.