- Nicki Minaj explained her embrace of MAGA politics and support for Donald Trump, stating she has felt conservative for some time but feared alienating fans by expressing it publicly.
- In an interview with with Time magazine, Minaj said a primary catalyst for her shift was frustration with Barack Obama's presidency, including an unspoken expectation for Black entertainers to support the Democratic Party.
- Minaj also cited Obama's friendship with rapper Jay-Z, with whom she has a long-standing rivalry, claiming Jay-Z's influence negatively impacted Obama and the music industry.
- She referenced a 2024 Obama speech where he suggested some Black male voters were uncomfortable with a woman in power, noting that many Black men felt unheard by the remarks.
- Minaj revealed she felt pro-Trump after observing how he was treated, drawing parallels to her own experiences with "bullying" and "smear campaigns”, and stated she has "never felt happier" since publicly supporting him, after declaring herself to be his “number one fan” back in January.
IN FULL
Nicki Minaj says Obama and Jay-Z are the reason she turned MAGA