Nicki Minaj used to be an icon in the queer community. Her style emulated that of drag queens, with her campy outfits, hair and makeup. She quickly became a fan favorite for the LGBTQIA+ community, but in recent times, Minaj has completely abandoned the people she built her career on.
Although Minaj has always been somewhat problematic, she has recently been unable to stay away from controversy, and quite frankly, she’s shooting herself in the foot.
Minaj obtained her ticket to stardom in 2010 when her debut album, “Pink Friday,” went platinum. She became a household name known for her theatrical performances and diva personality. The “Barbz,” Minaj’s fans, were widely accepted as one of the most loyal fanbases in the industry, but her recent actions might have given sight to her blindly loyal fans.
In December of this year, Minaj made an appearance at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest convention, where she was interviewed by Erika Kirk. During the interview, in which Minaj praised President Donald Trump’s administration and Charlie and Erika Kirk, Minaj said, “This administration is full of people with heart and soul, and they make me proud of them.” What Minaj is so proud of is a mystery to me.
Could it be the president’s blatant misogyny? Or maybe the administration's choice to terrorize citizens with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement? Or possibly the president’s vocal disdain of the LGBTQIA+ community? It’s unclear what exactly Minaj is proud of, but the statement alone opens the doors to a plethora of bigoted ideologies.
Minaj also said during the interview, “Boys, be boys. It’s okay, be boys … There’s nothing wrong with being a boy. How about that?” The statement is a clear dig at transgender people, as well as drag queens. Minaj is skating around the words she appears to want to say: transgender and gender non-conforming people shouldn’t express themselves.
The declaration is ironic considering Minaj was a guest judge on the premier episode of season 12 of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” in 2020, and now she’s publicly shaming the same people she encouraged while enjoying the spotlight on an iconic TV show hosted by an iconic drag queen. The switch-up is a betrayal, to say the least.
Although Minaj has doused herself in gasoline, she will never be set on fire. We have seen time and time again celebrities who have said or done the unthinkable continue to live a lavish life dripping in wealth and privilege.
Kanye West is a prime example of this; he has supported the Trump administration, spewed anti-semitic hate, run for president and been outwardly discriminatory. Despite all of this, West is still famous and absurdly rich. He will never be respected or taken seriously in the music industry again; his choices will follow him as closely as his shadow, but his music will still play. His songs will continue to make astonishing amounts of money, and he will continue to live his luxurious life. Similarly, Minaj will always be dripping in designer, without a worry for affordability.
The beginning of Minaj’s fall from grace was highlighted at the 2026 68th annual Grammy Awards. Trevor Noah, the host of the awards show, said, “Nicki Minaj is not here.” That alone got the room full of the music industry’s biggest names cheering. He went on to say, “She is still at the White House with Donald Trump discussing very important issues.” Noah’s jokes about Minaj left the whole room in laughter, proving the dwindling respect the once well-regarded artist now holds in the industry.
On the bright side, Minaj will never be seen in the same light she once shone so brightly in. The LGBTQIA+ community has already begun and will continue to lose respect for the artist, and soon enough, Minaj will be added to the list of once beloved celebrities who have turned their backs on their fans to join the propaganda-spewing elite.
Amelia Henson is a sophomore studying journalism at Ohio University. Please note the opinions expressed in this column do not represent those of The Post. Want to talk to Amelia about their column? Email them at ah300723@ohio.edu
