Nicki Minaj fans have been left torn after the rapper’s gradual shift into right-wing politics had now become impossible to ignore.
In recent months, Trinidadian rapper Minaj has started making her political views very clear, feuding with Democratic California Governor Gavin Newsom over X/Twitter, working with the Donald Trump administration to speak at the UN and making a surprise appearance at Turning Point USA’s annual event.
But, how did the star go from Donald Trump critic to being nicknamed “MAGA Minaj”?
In 2010, Minaj used Trump, who by then hadn’t yet made his infamous foray into politics, as an example of a misogyny that women in the entertainment industry face.
It was during a scene in an MTV documentary titled My Time Now which traced Minaj’s journey to global stardom. In it, she discussed how strong, assertive women are viewed as “b**ches” while men who behave like that are viewed as being “bossed up”.
“Donald Trump can say ‘You’re fired.’ Let Martha Stewart run her company the same way and be the same way.
“But Donald Trump, he gets to hang out with young [expletive] and have 50 different wives and just be cool … But when you’re a girl you have to be everything. You have to be dope at what you do but you have to be super sweet and you have to be sexy.”
By 2015, when Trump was running in his first presidential election campaign, Minaj thought he had some “points”, but didn’t like the way he went about it.
“There are points he has made that may not have been so horrible if his approach wasn’t so childish,” she told Billboard at the time. “But in terms of entertainment — I think he’s hilarious. I wish they could just film him running for president. That’s the ultimate reality show.”
Then, in 2016, Minaj referenced Trump on a verse in a song titled 'Black Barbies' with American record producer Mike WiLL Made-It. She has been open about having come to the US as an undocumented child.
In it, she rapped, “Island girl, Donald Trump want me go home”, referencing Trump’s hostile rhetoric around immigrants which continues today.
In 2018, when the Trump administration had a policy of separating children from parents due to detentions at the border, Minaj posted an image on her Instagram of what appeared to be a detention centre for children and added a caption in which she spoke about her own experience.
“I came to this country as an illegal immigrant,” she began. “I can’t imagine the horror of being in a strange place & having my parents stripped away from me at the age of 5.”
“This is so scary to me. Please stop this. Can you try to imagine the terror & panic these kids feel right now? Not knowing if their parents are dead or alive, if they’ll ever see them again.”
Then, in 2020, Minaj told the Pollstar Live 2020 Conference that she was “not gonna jump on the Trump bandwagon”.
“I get that a lot of people don’t like him for obvious reasons. But what stuck with me was the children being taken away from their parents when they came into this country,” the rapper explained.
“That really bothered me because I was one of those immigrant children coming to America to flee poverty. And I couldn’t imagine a little child going through all of that, trying to get to another country because they didn’t have money in their country, or whether you’re fleeing from war.”
Between 2020 and now, things appear to have shifted dramatically.
In November this year, Minaj announced she was partnering with the Trump administration to speak at the United Nations.
The rapper has been seen reposting Republican talking points and pro-Trump administration content on her social media.
Then, earlier this month, Minaj was attempting to feud with Newsom, posting numerous tweets about him and slamming the governor for advocating for transgender people.
On 11 December, she posted: “The [JD] Vance > The Gav Nots.”
The following day, she wrote: “Imagine being the guy running on wanting to see trans kids. Haha. Not even a trans ADULT would run on that. Normal adults wake up & think they want to see HEALTHY, SAFE, HAPPY kids.
“Not Gav. The Gav Nots. GavOUT. Send in the next guy, I’m bored.”
In response to the barrage of tweets about him, Newsom subtly shaded Minaj by posting a video that was backed by Megan the Stallion’s song 'Hiss' which is widely believed to be a diss track about Minaj.
Then, on 21 December, 43-year-old Minaj walked on stage holding hands with Erika Kirk, Charlie Kirk’s widow, at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest conference.
During their on-stage discussion, Minaj praised both US president Trump and vice president JD Vance. She also urged young men not to be like Gavin “Newscum” and suggested Trump is “handsome, dashing”, and an “amazing” role model for young men.
Minaj fans have been sharing their disappointment, with some suggesting they are going to stop playing her music.
“FYI: You can block Nicki Minaj on Spotify,” someone posted.
Another wrote: “Nicki Minaj spent 21 years building up one of the strongest fanbases of all time just to lose it in a week.”
Someone else said: “I’m really disappointed in Nicki Minaj.
“I worked with her. Her stylist at the time was trans. I was there. I made the clothes. She wore my headpieces and stepped out in full looks I created. Back then she didn’t seem to have a problem with trans or LGBTQIA+ people when we were helping shape her image.”
“WE CAN NO LONGER PLAY ANY NICKI MINAJ MUSIC. PERIOD,” another wrote.
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