A Deep Dive Into the Nicki and Cardi Feud
We delve into the complicated timeline of the now infamous Cardi B and Nicki Minaj beef and reflect on what could’ve been if things hadn’t turned sour.
Written by Jessica Regan
Photo courtesy of XXL Mag
It’s no secret in the rap world that two of the largest female rappers of the rap industry are not on the best of terms. Cardi B and Nicki Minaj have been in a series of digital and physical catfights, fueled by the fight for domination over the rap industry and personal issues between the two. But what’s even more interesting than the gossip is what the two seemingly could have achieved together, had the fame not ruined their friendship.
Back when Cardi B was more well known for her Vines than her rapping, her single “Bodak Yellow” dropped in June 2017. Considering Cardi had started dating Migos member Offset earlier that year, and the song’s overall catchiness, she easily rose in the charts and quickly became the newest face in the rap world. At the time, Nicki and Cardi didn’t seem to have any problem with one another. Nicki congratulated Cardi directly for her success on Twitter and Instagram, with videos of Nicki dancing to “Bodak Yellow” in clubs surfacing on social media, gossip websites, and the like.
#PressPlay #NickiMinaj rockin' to some #BodakYellow Would y'all be here for a collab from the two? 👀
51.4k Likes, 4,462 Comments - The Shade Room (@theshaderoom) on Instagram: "#PressPlay #NickiMinaj rockin' to some #BodakYellow Would y'all be here for a collab from the two? 👀"
Later in the year, the track “Motorsport,” featuring Nicki and Cardi, was released as a single on Migos’ Culture II. The song was an instant hit, but drama quickly followed. In November during an interview with Capital Xtra, Cardi said she never heard the full verse before the song dropped and hinted that Nicki had re-recorded her verse.
In April 2018, Nicki addressed Cardi’s interview on Beats1 Radio.
“The only thing with Cardi that really really hurt my feelings was the first interview she did after ‘Motorsport’ came out,” Nicki said. “I remember when I first came in the game, if a female of that stature had done a feature with me on it, I would only be singing their praises and saying thank you. The first interview she did after ‘Motorsport’ came out, it just really hurt me. She looked so aggravated and angry and the only thing she said was, ‘Oh, I didn’t hear that. I didn’t hear that verse.’”
From there, it’s all been downhill. Cardi claimed there were never any hard feelings between the two, despite a slew of ‘liked’ tweets by Nicki calling Cardi out for supporting Kodak Black (who was indicted on criminal sexual misconduct charges), though Nicki herself recently collaborated with 6ix9ine, who pled guilty to three counts of Use of a Child in a Sexual Performance. There also appear to be clear disses throughout Nicki’s most recent album Queen.
Nicki’s track “LLC” off of Queen seems to be loaded with digs at Cardi, including:
I just took her name and made the b---- a LLC
Stuff a couple stacks up in, then b----, get on your feet
You make twice as much if you switch it up, just to see
To you he's rich and famous, but he's just a guy to me
What's left that I didn't do? You bit the forbidden fruit
You thought you'd get my spot? Who the f--- was kiddin' you?
Took a lil' break but I'm back to me
Tryna make a new Nicki with a factory
All of the drama hit a boiling point at the Harper's Bazaar ICONS party on September 7th, 2018. Rumors swirled as the event progressed that Nicki had stepped on Cardi’s dress and that Cardi retaliated by trying to throw her shoe at Nicki. Cardi made an irate Instagram post after leaving the event addressing the issue.
Nicki blasted Cardi on “Queen Radio”, her Apple Music show, after the post.
“The other night I was part of something so mortifying and so humiliating to go through in front of a bunch upper echelon ... people who have their life together ... I just want people to know that Onika Tanya Maraj has never, will never ... speak ill on anyone’s child. I am not a clown. That’s clown s---.”
Since then, the drama between the two has been mostly digital, with the two posting shady things about one another and giving their side of the story during interviews. Just recently, Cardi turned herself in for another physical altercation that took place in August at Angels Strip Club in Queens, New York.
On October 29, Nicki addressed allegations from Cardi B’s sister that she had leaked Cardi’s cell phone number.
“I've never leaked a number in my life and y'all continue to lie on me to make me look like a bad person," Minaj said. She also claimed that Cardi was telling Offset and 21 Savage to not work with her.
Cardi responded with an Instagram video, telling Nicki to pick a side, stop lying, and contact her to settle the drama. As of October 29, Nicki announced on Twitter that the two have seemingly called a truce, stating she will no longer be talking about the drama.
Despite the constant entertainment that fans get out of this ongoing feud, it’s interesting to think about how much success the two could have gleaned if they had settled their issues earlier, or just had none at all.
Cardi and Nicki both dropped albums within the past year, and a collaboration between the two on either project would have been an instant hit. Compared to other female rap artists, the two top both the charts and rankings for popularity and fame, which would make it very easy for them to dominate the industry. Both women have very large, powerful fanbases, and revenue from tickets for a tour and sales from a collab would have been extremely high.
Take Nicki’s close friendship with Ariana Grande, for example. The two constantly support and promote each other and produce songs together, aligning both of their fanbases. The duo dropped “Bed” in June, peaking at #42 on the Billboard Hot 100, getting 19,000 downloads and 12 million streams in the first week. The music video, released on July 6, 2018, which now has over 54 million views on YouTube (hello, ad revenue).
Both Cardi and Nicki’s talent together would generate instant popularity and billboard-ranking projects. Furthermore, working with other well known artists to create songs like “Motorsport” would bring fame and revenue to all involved. Not to mention, the photoshoots would have been downright iconic.
Considering the potential Cardi and Nicki had if they had worked together, it’s clear that the drama runs deep. Buzz does work in two ways, though, and keeping their names in the spotlight as new details and rumors swirl has undoubtedly been a good thing for both of their brands.
Whether the drama started from the record companies’ process, personal issues, or another unseen reason, it’s unlikely that the situation will improve anytime soon. Still, we cling to the possibility that one day, the two will settle their drama and take over the entire rap industry.