Nicki Minaj stood at the lectern in a white shaggy coat, flanked by President Donald Trump and ABC’s Shark Tank star Kevin O’Leary. She had just held hands with the president in front of a blue backdrop emblazoned with TrumpAccounts.gov. In her regular speaking voice, Minaj delivered a new verse for a different audience entirely.
The Super Bass hitmaker declared herself the president’s number one fan, adding that criticism and hatred from detractors would not sway her position. This moment represents a remarkable transformation for Minaj, who was once celebrated beyond her music catalog as a champion for the LGBTQ+ community.
From Rap Royalty to Political Ally
After years of diminishing relevance in the genre that launched her to superstardom, Minaj has emerged as one of Hollywood’s most outspoken Trump supporters. She may be his only publicly visible A-list advocate in entertainment. The shift comes as the rapper faces growing isolation from mainstream hip-hop culture.
The turning point intensified following tensions with Megan Thee Stallion over the song Hiss. Minaj launched aggressive attacks against her rival, making inflammatory statements that referenced the 2019 death of Megan’s mother and a contentious shooting incident involving rap peer Tory Lanez the following year.
The Megan’s Law Controversy
Megan’s track drew from a longstanding feud with her former collaborator. The Houston rapper suggested that people were not angry at Megan herself, but rather at Megan’s Law. The lyrics appeared to target Minaj, who is married to registered sex offender Kenneth Petty, though Megan never named either directly.
Megan’s Law represents federal legislation requiring registered sex offenders to provide personal information to local law enforcement. The law honors the memory of Megan Kanka, a 7-year-old who was raped and murdered by her neighbor, a convicted sex offender, in 1994.
Petty received probation and house arrest for failing to register as a sex offender in California in 2020. He appears on New York State’s Sex Offender Registry as a Level 2 offender. His April 1995 conviction for attempted first-degree rape stemmed from a 1994 assault when both he and the victim were 16 years old. Registry records indicate he used a knife or cutting instrument during the crime.
Minaj’s brother, Jelani Maraj, also carries a sex offense conviction. A court sentenced Maraj to 25 years to life in prison for repeatedly raping an 11-year-old girl at his Long Island home.
Struggling for Cultural Relevance
As other female rappers ascended to stardom over the past five years, Minaj has faced challenges maintaining her position in hip-hop culture. Megan won three of her six Grammy nominations, while Lizzo accumulated 13 nods, including album of the year for Special, and secured four wins.
Last February at the Grammys, Doechii became the third woman to win best rap album for her mixtape Alligator Bites Never Heal. She joined Lauryn Hill from 1997 and Minaj rival Cardi B from 2019 in that achievement. Despite 12 career nominations spanning her career, Minaj has never won a Grammy, providing ammunition for frequent criticism from online commentators. Her most recent album, Pink Friday 2, arrived in 2023, representing a lengthy gap in the rapidly evolving music industry.
Minaj Maintains Devoted Following
Among her loyal fanbase, the Queen of Rap has retained her status. Her Pink Friday 2 World Tour made history in 2024 as the highest-grossing tour by a woman in rap. She achieved that distinction through the North American leg alone. Music critics at Billboard also crowned Minaj the best female rapper of all time in April last year.
When a judge denied a motion to dismiss a lawsuit against Megan and her Jay Z-owned management company Roc Nation in July, Minaj reignited their conflict. She posted on social media questioning what law governed the situation, referencing karma and divine vengeance.
The rapper’s alliance with Trump represents more than political positioning. It signals a complete departure from the genre and community that built her career, trading hip-hop credibility for conservative political approval as her musical influence continues to wane.
Source: USA Today
