Nicki Minaj has opened up about the reasons behind her embrace of MAGA politics, pointing to her frustrations with former US president Barack Obama and his friendship with rapper Jay-Z as key factors. The Trinidadian rapper, who declared herself Donald Trump’s “number one fan” in January, said in an interview with Time magazine that she has leaned more conservative for some time.
Minaj explained that during Obama’s presidency, there appeared to be an unspoken expectation that Black entertainers would automatically support the Democratic Party. She also cited her long-standing rivalry with Jay-Z, alleging that he attempted to sabotage her career through his entertainment company Roc Nation’s influence in the industry. “Jay-Z ended up costing Obama a lot, whether he knows it or not,” Minaj said, claiming that many rappers dislike Jay-Z but were afraid to say so.
The rapper also referenced a 2024 speech Obama delivered on the campaign trail for Kamala Harris, in which he suggested that some Black male voters were uncomfortable with the idea of a woman in power. Minaj said she saw many videos of Black men expressing displeasure with that speech, feeling they were not being listened to.
Minaj revealed that she had felt pro-Trump for some time but was hesitant to express it publicly for fear of alienating fans. “It’s been ingrained in everyone’s brain in the music business that we are supposed to be a Democratic family,” she said. However, since fully supporting Trump, she said she has “never felt happier” and feels free to be herself.
