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Nicki Minaj has a new beef — and this time it isn't with Taylor Swift or Miley Cyrus, but with New York Times Magazine contributor Vanessa Grigoriadis.
The pop titan lost her cool during a recent profile for the magazine when questions moved to the still-brewing feud between Minaj's boyfriend, rapper Meek Mill, and her Young Money labelmate Drake (the former accused the latter of using ghostwriters for his raps, leading to a series of dis tracks). This is in addition to the legal conflict unfolding between Young Money founder and rapper Birdman and Lil Wayne, who is suing his label boss for $51 million for withholding fees.
“They”re men, grown-ass men,” said Minaj when asked about the feuds. “It”s between them. […] I hate it. It doesn”t make me feel good. You don”t ever want to choose sides between people you love. It”s ridiculous. I just want it to be over.”
All good so far, yes? But wait.
“Is there a part of you that thrives on drama, or is it no, just pain and unpleasantness –” Grigoriadis trailed off.
This is when things got ugly. Below I've pasted the relevant passage (you can read the full profile here):
The room went quiet, but only for an instant.
“That”s disrespectful,” Minaj said, drawing herself up in the chair. “Why would a grown-ass woman thrive off drama?”
As soon as I said the words, I wished I could dissolve them on my tongue. In pop-culture idiom, “drama” is the province of Real Housewives with nothing better to do than stick their noses where they don”t belong. I was more interested in a different kind of drama – the kind worthy of an HBO series, in which your labelmate is releasing endless dis tracks against your boyfriend and your mentor is suing your label president for a king”s ransom. But the phrase I used was offensive, and even as I tried to apologize, I only made matters worse.
“What do the four men you just named have to do with me thriving off drama?” she asked. “Why would you even say that? That”s so peculiar. Four grown-ass men are having issues between themselves, and you”re asking me do I thrive off drama?”
She pointed my way, her extended arm all I could see other than the diamonds glinting in her ears. This wasn”t over yet. “That”s the typical thing that women do. What did you putting me down right there do for you?” she asked. “Women blame women for things that have nothing to do with them. I really want to know why – as a matter of fact, I don”t. Can we move on, do you have anything else to ask?” she continued. “To put down a woman for something that men do, as if they”re children and I”m responsible, has nothing to do with you asking stupid questions, because you know that”s not just a stupid question. That”s a premeditated thing you just did.” She called me “rude” and “a troublemaker,” said “Do not speak to me like I”m stupid or beneath you in any way” and, at last, declared, “I don”t care to speak to you anymore.”
“She pointed my way, her extended arm all I could see other than the diamonds glinting in her ears” is a devastating sentence. Devastating. (I hope Vanessa is okay.)