Karmin Covers ‘Started From The Bottom,’ Calls Out Nicki Minaj, Azealia Banks and Iggy Azalea

Karmin. Remember them? The boy-girl pop group comprised of real-life couple Amy Heidemann and Nick Louis Noonan, who rose to fame with their impressive -- if not a tad bit goofy -- covers of popular Hip-Hop/R&B songs like "Look At Me Now" and "Superbass?" Sure you do.

Well, it seems that following the tepid critical reaction to their debut album, Hello, which dropped last year, the duo is feeling a bit under-appreciated. And they're back with another cover to let their feelings be known. Perhaps appropriately, it's of Drake's ever-popular 'woe is me' anthem "Started From The Bottom."

And while we'd ordinarily stay away from posting a video like this -- what the hell, we'll take the bait -- it's Heidemann's slick comments about Nicki Minaj, Iggy Azalea and Azealia Banks, among other topics, that made our ears perk up.

Heidemann spits: "I ain't happy seeing how it is/ Stop all the comparing me, no Nicki Minaj-erie/ Let me out the cage so I can fizz/ Cause all the femininity is looking for a rapper queen/ Banking on Azealia and Iggy/ Pretty damn amazing what you'll do to be a star."

Shots? Perhaps. But we think it's less of her dissing MCs than Heidemann just looking for some recognition of her own. Because there is no female rapper working today who possesses the level of virtuosity that she does who has been less celebrated. She even admits as much on the song.

"Rolling Stone dude gave us 1, hope you didn't notice when they put us on the cover, son," she raps. Later, she says she can't complain, because well, there's not that much to complain about. "We did 'SNL' with no music out," she quips. And she's right, things have been good on the industry level for Karmin.

But the group -- and more specifically, Heidemann -- continue to be critical punching bags. They're the Rodney Dangerfields of rap -- they just get no respect.

But whether you think they're corny or not, it's difficult to argue that Heidemann isn't a pretty amazing rapper in her own right. Maybe you don't find what she's rapping about to be interesting -- cool, not everything is for everyone -- but at least give her a pat on the back for her technical proficiency. All things considered, she'll probably rap circles around most of the MCs in the game today, present females included.

What's it going to take for you to admit that she's dope?