Rap stars Nicki Minaj and Latto tried to disembowel each other over the airwaves this past week, replete with scathing name-calling that included “Karen,” “40-year-old bully,” and accusations of being related to rapists.
The latest round of beef between the two femcees stems from Minaj’s resentment towards the Grammy Awards. The Recording Academy, which votes for and facilitates the Grammy’s, reportedly moved her “Super Freaky Girl” track from the rap category to a pop division. Irate over what she deems as an indignity, she believes that Latto’s hit single “Big Energy” should also be relegated to the same status.
The 39-year-old Queens-bred Minaj articulated her disgust at the alleged double standard enacted between her and Latto.
I have no prob being moved out the RAP category as long as we r ALL being treated FAIRLY. If SFG has 2B moved out RAP then so does Big Energy! ANY1 who says diff is simply a Nicki hater or a troll. I’d actually LUV 2 c a more street record win- male OR female! IJS rightIsRight 🫡
— Nicki Minaj (@NICKIMINAJ) October 13, 2022
Minaj raged to her 200 million Instagram followers that the Grammy move was a “concerted effort to give newer artists things that they really don’t deserve over people who have been deserving for many years.”
“I always say this; any rapper, female or male, that wins a Grammy, you should be f—— proud of yourself,” Minaj continues on her rant. “But why is the goalpost only ever moved when it’s Nicki? Well, I’ll tell you why. They don’t want the people that they have in the industry to go up against me.
“If ‘Super Freaky Girl’ is pop, then so is ‘Big Energy’,” said Minaj. “If you move ‘Super Freaky Girl’ out of rap and put it in pop, do the same with ‘Big Energy.’ Right? Same producers on both songs, by the way, if you want to talk about it. So let’s keep s— fair.”
Yikes https://t.co/dmITRweweT
— Nicki Minaj (@NICKIMINAJ) October 13, 2022
Unbelievable https://t.co/HN2W0Yv07D
— Nicki Minaj (@NICKIMINAJ) October 13, 2022
Could you imagine someone telling you not to “complain” about being treated unfairly at your workplace? This is my job. I work very hard. No diff from a 9-5 where you should speak up for yourself if you know you’re a great employee & continue to be purposely sabotaged. ♥️🎀
— Nicki Minaj (@NICKIMINAJ) October 13, 2022
And Barbz, there’s no need to be angry. This is simply an open discussion/healthy dialogue. Independent thinking is what makes us human beings! 😘♥️🎀
— Nicki Minaj (@NICKIMINAJ) October 13, 2022
Latto, who has grown tired of being talked about, but not talked to, by her former rap hero Nicki Minaj, began lashing back at Minaj.
Damn I can’t win for losing… all these awards/noms I can’t even celebrate
— BIG LATTO 🍀🎰🍒 (@Latto) October 14, 2022
The drama got ratcheted up when Latto indicated that she has tried to communicate with Minaj via back channels. But when Minaj resorted to sub-tweeting about Latto in March and unfollowed her, Latto said she lost respect for Minaj.
I’ve ignored countless subtweets since March and instead addressed u in the dm. You’re asking why I didn’t speak up in ur defense… it’s the same answer I gave u when u asked why I didn’t congratulate you. Ur literally older than my mom tryna be a bully @NICKIMINAJ
— BIG LATTO 🍀🎰🍒 (@Latto) October 14, 2022
Things quickly deteriorated into nastiness when Nicki Minaj referred to Latto as a “scratch off” and a “Karen,” because Latto didn’t think she should have been mentioned in Minaj’s complaints about the Grammys.
“This Karen has probably mentioned my name in over 100 interviews,” Minaj said in a now-deleted tweet. “Says she waited in line for ‘Pink Friday’ with her Barbie chain on, bangs, pink hair … but today, scratch off decides to be silent rather than speak up for the black woman she called her biggest inspiration.”
That proved to be the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back for Latto who then clapped back at Minaj.
