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THE TRUMPIAN TONES OF CARDI & NICKI’S BEEF

The feud between Cardi B and Nicki Minaj boiled over in public yet again at the top of the week. Minaj stoked the fires on her Beats 1 Queen Radio show by addressing the beef on air once more—this time defending herself when it came to accusations of leaking Cardi’s cell number, discussing some behind-the-scenes drama involving a 21 Savage and Offset video and generally just going there.

Things have remained pretty raw between the two on-edge ladies since the infamous shoe-throwing incident that took place during N.Y. Fashion Week. That tussle has since become one of those awkward-but-kinda-funny pop culture moments now transmuting into one of the year’s more iconic Halloween costumes. Fans all over the country are either wearing or dressing up their young kids in billowing red gowns while carrying a high heel and rocking a big knot on their head. Even Ellen got into the spirit on her show the other day—with an eight-year-old trick-or-treater.

While this could be viewed as just another highly entertaining—or completely exhausting (take your pick)—rap beef, the dynamic here is unique, because it has been clearly heightened by the overly zealous participation of their respective fan clubs, otherwise known as Bardi Gang and The Barbz.

In another harsh echo of our social-media-driven American tick to take extreme sides with no survivors, the Cardi vs. Nicki beef was taken on as a personal vendetta by members of their fan mobs. And the mob mentality swiftly escalated. After Cardi’s cell number was leaked, it became clear that a big part of the problem wasn’t just rooted in harassment or goading from Minaj fans; new levels of it led to threats of violence against her and her infant, Kulture. In an epic, 10-video clapback on Instagram, Cardi B’s “receipts” included scrolling through an endless line of texts from strangers who wrote of their intent to harm, purely out of loyalty to their “Queen.”

At the core, this is all disturbingly very Trumpian, highlighting our divisive times and recently amplified mindset of communicating by force.

It’s also a stunningly unproductive use of Minaj’s considerable talent and worldwide influence. But she has been squandering that legacy of late by picking the wrong battles. As I pointed out in my review of the Queen album, we could have really used Minaj’s fierce intelligence, strong female vibes and ridiculous rhyme skills pointed in the direction of another kind of peer—not ones in her immediate circle, but the ones who are oppressing her entire generation, whether they come in the form of a President, a football team owner or a police officer. As a 35-year-old monarch, she should be leading by example, not trying to extinguish the young and unpolished, but brightly entertaining 25-year-old empress. They are both here to stay. It reeks of insecurity, and Minaj has absolutely nothing to be insecure about; she has already become one of the Greats. Being the hater of a youngin’ is a wack look.

Which brings us to another cultural dynamic at play here: Women at war with each other. We’ve got enough going against all us ladies. Aligning together in the future is literally key to our freedom, and that is not hyperbole. That’s the most disappointing aspect of this particular beef. In all levels of the music business, women are so far behind. We only have a few female record company presidents, and are largely unrepresented in all upper echelons of the radio, distribution, tech, engineering and song production fields of our industry. This disparity is an issue that Nicki herself has discussed repeatedly in the past, as she’s faced the same double-standards and doubts when it came to her writing and producing skills over the last decade. And it’s no doubt why she took Cardi to task about writing her own material; Minaj has had to fight for that role as a creator. She had to push back on men who wanted to write for her, not with her. She blazed that trail. Cardi cruising down it on a wave of male co-writers may be irksome, but she has no obligation to follow the path blazed. There will be others who will.

We’ve got a green, streetwise newbie with the entire world coming at her, following a hell of a year—one that also included motherhood and marriage. Belcalis’ head must be spinning off. And we have an established, legendary grande dame with the world at her feet. Onika could be such a powerful mentor if this situation went from smoke to woke, with a simple adjustment of perspective; imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

For now, a truce has been called. The highly combustible day ended on social media with words from Minaj, who urged her followers to “focus on positive things only from here on out.” “We’re all so blessed,” she added. Hopefully, that’s followed up with a private summit and, even better, a future alliance. Imagine if these two teamed up. They’ve both proven they’ve got bigger balls than all the men in music right now.

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