Rapper Nicki Minaj is using her superstardom to work with President Donald Trump’s UN ambassador Mike Waltz on the treatment of Christian people in Nigeria.
The “Super Bass” hitmaker is joining Waltz on Nov. 18 to speak about the violence in the country that has raised concerns around the world: “I look forward to standing with her as we discuss the steps the President and his administration are taking to end the persecution of our Christian brothers and sisters,” Waltz wrote on X.
“Ambassador. I am so grateful to be entrusted with an opportunity of this magnitude,” Minaj wrote Nov. 16 on the social media platform. “I do not take it for granted. It means more than you know.”
The move marks a new effort for rap’s most famous woman, who has been rejected by some in the genre in recent years. She has made more headlines lately by producing online quarrels instead of the Billboard hit songs that helped make her a household name after the 2011 release of “Super Bass.”
Minaj’s upcoming collab with Waltz comes after Trump took to Truth Social on Nov. 1 to announce that he had instructed “our Department of War to prepare for possible action” against the Nigerian government over “the killing of Christians.”
In addition to immediately stopping all aid and assistance to Nigeria, per Trump’s post, he said the U.S. military may go into the African country with “guns-a-blazing” to “completely wipe out the Islamic Terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities.”
“If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs attack our CHERISHED Christians! WARNING: THE NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT BETTER MOVE FAST!” Trump concluded his post. Minaj praised Trump for his comments the same day, sharing online that “reading this made me feel a deep sense of gratitude.”
Minaj then told her fans, the “Barbz,” that multiple countries around the world engage in religious persecution, calling it a “dangerous” practice to ignore. “Thank you to The President & his team for taking this seriously. God bless every persecuted Christian,” Minaj wrote Nov. 1. “Let’s remember to lift them up in prayer.”
Some experts say there is violence across the board in Nigeria, compared to Trump’s assertion that violent acts are aimed at Christians. Some Nigerian leaders also balked at the U.S. president’s comments.
“We are shocked that President Trump is mulling an invasion of our country,” Nigerian presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga told CNN earlier this month.
Minaj’s unexpected advocacy displays a different side of her public life, after the musician spent much of the summer escalating rap feuds with other female emcees.
Minaj continued trading barbs with Megan Thee Stallion, who released a diss track “Hiss” last year in which she raps that people “don’t be mad at Megan,” but they’re “mad at Megan’s Law.” For background, Megan’s Law is a federal law that requires registered sex offenders to provide personal information to local law enforcement agencies. Minaj’s husband, Kenneth Petty, and her brother, Jelani Maraj, are both registered sex offenders; however, Megan Thee Stallion didn’t mention Minaj or her family on the track.
The New York rapper in recent months also reignited a long running feud with Cardi B over the latter’s “Am I The Drama?” album sales. Over the past few months, Minaj has shared multiple posts that are complimentary of Trump, his family and his policies.
Contributing: Anthony Robledo, Jonathan Limehouse, Taijuan Moorman
