Nicki Minaj has been involved in various feuds, controversies, and drama over the years.
Nicki Minaj is no stranger to drama.
The outspoken musician, who released her latest album „Pink Friday 2“ in December 2023, has been embroiled in many feuds with her music industry peers (Lil Kim, Iggy Azalea, and Azealia Banks, to name a few), random celebrities (Kevin Federline and Farrah Abraham, for some reason), and even government officials.
Minaj has also been accused of more serious offenses, especially involving her husband, a registered sex offender.
Here’s a breakdown of Minaj’s biggest controversies.2012 to 2013: Minaj and Mariah Carey famously didn’t get along while serving as judges on season 12 of „American Idol.“
In August 2012, TMZ reported that Carey wasn’t pleased at the possibility of Minaj joining „American Idol,“ because she was under the impression that she’d be the only female judge. However, a month later, Carey laughed off the idea of there being any drama, joking, „How can you feud in two days?“
But in early October 2012, TMZ posted a video showing Minaj yelling at Carey during the season 12 auditions. Minaj appeared to tell Carey, „Every time you take a shot at me imma take it back, and if you gotta fucking problem, then handle it. I told them, I’m not fucking putting up with your fucking highness over there.“
Days after the video leaked, „The View“ cohost Barbara Walters said Carey told her over the phone that multiple people heard Minaj threaten to shoot her when she walked off the set.
Minaj reacted on Twitter (now X), writing: „Hey yAll. Lets just say nicki said smthn about a gun. ppl will believe it cuz she’s a black rapper. Lmao. I’ll then hit up Barbara n milk it.“
Around the same time, „American Idol“ producer Nigel Lythgoe told TMZ, „The statement [that Nicki made a death threat] is absolute rubbish. It’s absolutely not true in any way, shape or form.“
Carey then downplayed the drama in early January, calling the dispute „convoluted“ during a 2013 Winter TCA tour panel ahead of the season 12 premiere of American Idol on January 16, 2013.
At the same event, Minaj shared kind words about Carey. „She’s one of my favorite artists of all times,“ she said. „She’s really shaped a generation of singers. To be on a panel with her, it’s kind of crazy.“
Carey reflected on the feud in 2015, telling an Australian radio show that being on „American Idol“ was „the worst experience of my life.“
„Pitting two females against each other wasn’t cool,“ Carey said, adding, „It should have been about the contestants instead of about some nonexistent feud that turned into even more ridiculousness.“July 2015: Minaj and Taylor Swift had a brief dispute that quickly dissolved.
After the nominations were announced for the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards, Minaj voiced her displeasure that „Anaconda“ was snubbed for video of the year, saying she would’ve been nominated „If I was a different ‚kind‘ of artist“ (presumably, a white one).
Minaj shared a series of posts on X calling out the omission. One post in particular seemed directed at Swift’s video for „Bad Blood,“ which featured appearances from her star-studded squad, including Victoria’s Secret models Karlie Kloss, Gigi Hadid, Martha Hunt, and Lily Aldridge.
„If your video celebrates women with very slim bodies, you will be nominated for vid of the year,“ Minaj wrote.
Swift replied in a now-deleted post: „I’ve done nothing but love & support you. It’s unlike you to pit women against each other. Maybe one of the men took your slot..“
However, Minaj clarified that she wasn’t referring to Swift. Swift soon apologized to Minaj for misunderstanding her comments.
Following the social media exchange, the two musicians performed a medley of their tracks together on stage at the VMAs on August 30, 2015. They’ve since spoken fondly about each other.August 30, 2015: Minaj called out Miley Cyrus on stage at the VMAs after the „Wrecking Ball“ singer described her as „not too kind.“
Cyrus, who hosted the 2015 VMAs, was asked to share her thoughts on Minaj’s apparent snub in a pre-show interview with the New York Times.
Cyrus said she „didn’t follow it,“ but felt Minaj could have voiced her frustration differently.
„What I read sounded very Nicki Minaj, which, if you know Nicki Minaj is not too kind,“ she said. „It’s not very polite. I think there’s a way you speak to people with openness and love.“
At the VMAs, Minaj confronted Cyrus while accepting the award for best hip-hop video. „And now, back to this bitch that had a lot to say about me the other day in the press. Miley, what’s good?“ Minaj said.
Cyrus quickly responded, saying, „Hey, we’re all in this industry. We all do interviews. And we all know how they manipulate.“
Minaj later addressed Cyrus‘ comments in her own interview with the New York Times.
“The fact that you feel upset about me speaking on something that affects Black women makes me feel like you have some big balls,“ Minaj said. „You’re in videos with Black men, and you’re bringing out Black women on your stages, but you don’t want to know how Black women feel about something that’s so important? Come on, you can’t want the good without the bad.“
Minaj said that if Cyrus embraces Black culture, „then you should also want to know what affects us, what is bothering us, what we feel is unfair to us.“December 2015: Minaj reportedly paid for her brother’s bail when he was arrested and charged with child rape.
In August 2015, Minaj shared a photo with her brother, Jelani Maraj, on Instagram.
„I would cross the ocean for u. I would go & bring u the moon. Promise u. For u I will,“ she wrote in the caption. „I do anything to see my brothers smile.“
Four months later, Maraj was arrested and charged with predatory sexual assault against a child and endangering a child. Minaj sparked intense backlash when she allegedly forked over $100,000 for his bail.
Maraj’s attorney, David Schwartz, told Newsday that Maraj was falsely accused. He also said Minaj was prepared to support her brother „100%.“ (It appears the interview has since been scrubbed from Newsday’s website, but the quotes were reported by Essence.)
During Maraj’s trial, the child in question testified in graphic detail. She said that beginning in April 2015, when she was 11 years old, Maraj raped her multiple times a week — sometimes twice a week — at his home in Long Island, the AP reported.
In 2017, Maraj was found guilty. Shortly after his conviction, Minaj visited him in jail, but only in an effort to support their mother, according to TMZ.
In 2020, Maraj was sentenced to 25 years to life.February 2017: Minaj’s long-simmering feud with Remy Ma became explicit.
Remy Ma spent years taking veiled shots at Minaj in her music until February 25, 2017, when she released „Shether.“
The seven-minute diss track, rapped over the instrumental from Nas‘ trademark diss track „Ether,“ is an explicit attack that begins „Free Remy / Fuck Nicki Minaj.“ Ma even tagged Minaj when she shared the song online.
To Minaj’s credit, this beef seems to be mostly one-sided. She casually responded two weeks later with „No Frauds,“ a collaboration with Drake and Lil Wayne that doesn’t explicitly name Ma („I don’t need no frauds / I don’t need no drama when you call“).
She also accused Ma’s husband of ghostwriting „Shether“ in a guest verse on the 2 Chainz track „Realize“ („I’ve been winning 8 years consistently, at least respect it / Papoose wrote a ‚Ether‘ record / But I broke Aretha record“).June 2018: Minaj was called out for comments about sex workers.
In a cover story for Elle’s July 2018 issue, Minaj said she didn’t know how to preach about female self-respect „without being offensive.“
„Maybe I was naive, but I didn’t realize how many girls were modern-day prostitutes,“ Minaj said. „Whether you’re a stripper, or whether you’re an Instagram girl — these girls are so beautiful and they have so much to offer.
