In November 2010, there were a rising female rapper who once passionately spoke in a face-to-face interview about an older colleague in her industry, whom she felt hated for.
“We all take from everything, nothing new under the sun. When you see Gaga, you see Madonna, but Madonna never hated Gaga”, this one-time emerging artist told interviewer. “Why in the Black community we have to hate each other instead of saying ‘Thanks for showing me love. Thanks for keeping my name alive. ‘”
The young star mentioned is Nicki Minaj spoke to then-Hot 97 legend Angie Martinez about her beef that once struck a chord with hip-hop heavyweights Lil ‘Kim. At that time, Minaj dropped her first solo album Pink Friday, while Lil’ Kim’s best years soon passed after her. While shots were fired from both sides, many at the time believed that Minaj was simply the new girl posing a formidable challenge to a longtime rapper past her prime.
Nearly twelve years later, it’s hard not to witness the irony of seeing Nicki Minaj, now turning 40 in December of this year, close with newcomers both left and right. First, it is Cardi. Then it is Megan Thee Stallion. Now, it seems to be Latto. At some point, one has to look in the mirror and ask oneself who is the actually error here?
Earlier this week, Minaj took to social media to protest the Grammy screening committee’s decision to move her Billboard Hot 100 hit Super weird girl from being classified as rap music to pop music. The Do we have a problem? rapper made it a point to choose Latto’s Great energy in a public tweet in which she shared a screenshot of a text exchange between the two discussing Minaj’s request for her support calling for the Recording Academy.
When Latto refused to do so publicly, Nicki Minaj went as far as to call her out on Twitter and open her up to a flurry of online heat from her super freak fans named Barbz . But Latto did not back down. In a series of back-and-forth conversations, Minaj called Latto “an empowered Karen,” while Latto clapped his hands in response by tweeting that Minaj was “a 40-year-old bully.”
And then a trending hashtag was born: #40YearOldBully and the rest is history.
Latto performing in Toronto, Ontario.
Robert Okine
It would be one thing if this was just a bad day for a superstar simply exasperated by fear another potential Grammy campaign would go down – but this Minaj streaming has turned out to be predictable. when repeatedly changing her hair color.
At this point, any criticism of We go up Artists can lead to instant online drama through cyberbullying, trolling and/or doxxing. For someone who once asked the question “why in the black community we have to hate each other” – it feels like the pot is warming up at this point.
Since 2018 – when there was a notable rise in newer female rappers like Cardi B who are starting to project power – Minaj’s tendency to indulge in online shaming has skyrocketed. With the quiet success of her fourth studio album QueenMinaj has more excuses and photos to throw than praise.
There are several reports of Barbz being part of the stan culture abuse pandemic. And instead of telling the story, Minaj focused on it – slandering her malicious fans about reporters who criticized her (like the time she was legitimately questioned about her claims). his bizarre COVID-fighting dad).
Nicki Minaj chats with Cardi B at the 2018 Met Gala.
Kevin Mazur / MG18
Recently, a popular YouTuber Kimberly Nicole Foster, a Black woman, had to file a police report and file a lawsuit after the unacceptable Barbz cheated on her following several critical tweets she posted. about Minaj. Instead of telling the crowd of her furious supporters to stop and cancel, the rapper is said to have enjoyed a number of tweets directed at Foster – continuing to fan the flames being thrown towards the 33-year-old commentator . Again, this is one of countless examples of Minaj sitting back and entertaining her cynical followers when they threatened her online critics on her behalf.
Perhaps the most important example of Minaj’s evolution to becoming one of the superstars in the real-life music industry is how she arrived after her husband’s victim had registered as a sex offender, Kenneth “Zoo” Petty.
Last year, The Daily Beast reported on the shameless campaign Minaj engaged in involving alleged bribery, legal intimidation, and threats against whistleblowers Jennifer Hough. Hough will then tell her story about Truth–And as expected, Minaj used social media to continue online bullying some of the presenters (such as Garcelle Beauvais and Loni Love).
Nicki Minaj and Kenneth Petty attend the Marc Jacobs Fall 2020 show in New York.
Jamie McCarthy
Why any of this problem? Because at nearly 40 years old, one of the biggest names in music is ceding its massive global platform to harm. This is not some simple immature Gen Zer on TikTok in action – but a grown woman who should know better.
Whether you’re a Barb or not, we can all agree that the way Minaj has handled all this lately doesn’t make her predicament any better. It’s not going to inspire a new generation of women in hip-hop, appeal to the Recording Academy, uplift her once-aspirational legacy, or convince anyone else of the questionable people that are. she is collaborating recently.
Instead, Nicki Minaj has now become the villain she once denounced Lil’ Kim. You can’t listen to her 2010 diss Roman’s Revenge today without considering how many things she said afterward about a certain “who used to” need to “hang up, flat screen”.
Perhaps in 2022, she should follow the same advice if all she will do is troll her once illustrious career.
