Nicki Minaj Escalates Feud with Trevor Noah Over Grammy Awards Trump Joke
Rapper Nicki Minaj wasted no time responding to a pointed joke made about her during the Grammy Awards ceremony on Sunday. Host Trevor Noah, in his opening monologue, highlighted Minaj's notable absence from the prestigious music event.
"She's still at the White House with Donald Trump discussing very important issues," Noah quipped during the broadcast. The former Daily Show host added a playful jab, suggesting the former president would likely boast about having a larger "ass" than the famous rapper.
Minaj's Swift and Controversial Social Media Retort
Shortly after Noah's monologue aired, Minaj took to the social media platform X to deliver a sharp counterattack. Her response quickly shifted the conversation into more personal and controversial territory.
"Trevor refuses to come out the closet when everyone in the industry knows his boyfriend," Minaj wrote, adding the qualifier "Allegedly" to her statement. The post included a photo of Minaj wearing a hat with the slogan "Nicki was right about everything," along with nostalgic images of rapper Jay-Z with his wife Beyoncé and late singer Aaliyah.
A Notable Grammy Absence Amid Political Alignment
Minaj's absence from this year's Grammy ceremony is particularly noteworthy given her history with the awards. Throughout her career, she has received twelve Grammy nominations, though she was not among this year's nominees.
The rapper's recent political alignment has marked a significant shift from her previous positions. While Minaj has been critical of Donald Trump in the past, she has fully embraced the president's MAGA agenda in recent months. Last week, she declared herself Trump's "No. 1 fan" while speaking at a Treasury Department summit.
Days later, Minaj appeared at the world premiere of "Melania: Twenty Days to History," the controversial new documentary about former first lady Melania Trump. This public support has become a defining feature of her current public persona.
Embracing Controversial Language and Terminology
As evidenced by her response to Noah, Minaj has begun incorporating homophobic language into her public statements as part of her apparent rightward political shift. Last week, she used an anti-LGBTQ+ slur in reference to independent journalist Don Lemon, who has been reporting on protests over Trump's immigration crackdown in Minneapolis.
The former CNN host, who is gay and married to real estate agent Tim Malone, became the target of Minaj's remarks. Despite facing significant criticism for her language, particularly given her historically large LGBTQ+ fanbase, Minaj doubled down on her position.
"I'm glad they're angry. They're about to get angrier," she wrote in a follow-up post on X, indicating no intention to retreat from her controversial statements.
This evolving situation highlights the intersection of celebrity culture, political alignment, and social responsibility in contemporary entertainment. Minaj's transformation from Grammy-nominated artist to outspoken political supporter has created new controversies that extend beyond musical achievement into broader cultural conversations about language, representation, and political expression in the public sphere.
