Nicki Minaj was set to join Linda Perry in a new take on the 1993 anthem “What’s Up?” for an official version of the viral TikTok mashup blending 4 Non Blondes’ hit with Minaj’s “Beez in the Trap,” but the collaboration fell through due to scheduling conflicts and Perry’s refusal to work remotely.

The unexpected pairing of alternative rock and Hip-Hop took over TikTok last month, racking up more than 460,000 user videos and sending “What’s Up?” back onto several Billboard charts.

The viral momentum caught Perry by surprise.

“This is definitely a different type of blow-up, because it’s happening on TikTok,” Perry told VICE backstage at Mexico City’s Corona Capital Festival. “I embrace anything that happens with anything that I create, because it’s pretty awesome. It also lets kids who never knew the song give it a whole new life with this mash-up. I love it. I’m having fun with it.”

While Perry doesn’t usually dabble in mashups, she immediately saw the appeal of the viral remix. Talks between her and Minaj moved quickly toward a possible studio version. However, geography got in the way.

“She (Minaj) was in New York and we were going to try to do our own and I was like ‘Let’s just end this with her and I,'” Perry explained. “Let’s just put a kibosh on this. But, I can’t go to New York and she can’t come to L.A., so it’s probably not going to happen.”

Perry, known for her analog approach to music-making, refused to compromise on her process. She prefers working in person and ruled out digital file swapping, which ultimately blocked the collaboration from moving forward.

Despite the setback, the viral success of the mashup has drawn attention from other stars.

Perry recently worked with Jennifer Lopez on another version of the trend, proving the song’s lasting cultural impact and its ability to cross genres and generations.

“What’s Up?” has seen several revivals over the past 30 years, but this TikTok-fueled resurgence has pushed the track into a new space—bridging ’90s rock with modern Hip-Hop and introducing it to younger audiences who weren’t even born when it first dropped.