Nicki Minaj and the college tuition frenzy began innocently enough last night. It began as a Twitter contest to join the Pink Princess at the Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas – and wound up with a spectacular flurry of social media charity.
On Saturday night, the high priestess of hip-hop, interacting with her acolytes via Twitter, told them to tweet her using the #NickiBBMAs for a chance to either join her in Las Vegas for the Billboard Music Awards on May 21, or accompany her in the studio during a recording session.
Then, when one of her fans asked for Minaj to pay their college tuition, things got interesting:
Show me straight A’s that I can verify w/ur school and I’ll pay it. Who wants to join THAT contest?!?!??♀️ Dead serious. Shld I set it up? https://t.co/czH715u64a
— NICKI MINAJ (@NICKIMINAJ) May 7, 2017
Minaj began requesting proof of 4.0 GPAs, agreeing to help pay for her fans’ tuition should they provide it.
Ok do u need help w/tuition or do u have a full scholarship? https://t.co/q7ewfdNzCs
— NICKI MINAJ (@NICKIMINAJ) May 7, 2017
If u give me a 4.0 then I’ll keep my end of the bargain. https://t.co/Esqs9rwfPn
— NICKI MINAJ (@NICKIMINAJ) May 7, 2017
U want to go to college but can’t? How much do u need to get u in school? Is that the only thing stopping u? https://t.co/A3mYQHgPNX
— NICKI MINAJ (@NICKIMINAJ) May 7, 2017
How much do u need? https://t.co/bVDuLniheA
— NICKI MINAJ (@NICKIMINAJ) May 7, 2017
Eventually, Minaj did away with the 4.0 GPA requirement, agreeing to pay for random fans’ outstanding college payments, from tuition to summer courses to books and other supplies.
That’s it? I’ll send it tmrw. dm me ur bank info babe. Next! https://t.co/i4TVmsqDoA
— NICKI MINAJ (@NICKIMINAJ) May 7, 2017
It got to the point where her fans began asking Minaj to help them with their college loans, which Minaj quicky obliged:
Of course https://t.co/8FS3lv2z0h
— NICKI MINAJ (@NICKIMINAJ) May 7, 2017
Yes I’ll pay it. Send ur info https://t.co/6G4QfHyZnl
— NICKI MINAJ (@NICKIMINAJ) May 7, 2017
The majority of the pleas were for less than $1K but she seemed to agree to pay $6K to one student if he could prove what it was for.
She joked that if she didn’t stop with the donations she wouldn’t have “any money left.”
In all, about 30 fans were chosen.
Earlier this year, Chance The Rapper donated $1M to schools in Chicago for “arts and enrichment programming.”
Speaking to reporters he said, “This isn’t about politics, this isn’t about posturing, this is about taking care of the kids.”
At the time, he challenged others of privilege to do the same.
“The check that I donated is a call to action,” he said.
“I’m challenging major companies and corporations in Chicago and across the US to donate and take action.”
