Nicki Minaj made a surprise appearance at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest on Sunday, joining Erika Kirk onstage in a moment that quickly sent social media into a spiral.
The rapper, who has recently aligned herself with MAGA politics and publicly praised President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, delivered an off-hand “assassin” joke that many found unsettling, given the context.
Nicki Minaj joins Erika Kirk at TPUSA's AmericaFest
Kirk and Minaj arrived on stage to the sound of "Super Bass" and a generous amount of pyrotechnics. Their discussion involved fawning over Trump and Vance, and disparaging California Governor Gavin Newsom.
At one point, Minaj echoed a recent tweet in which she called Vance an "assassin." Her side-eye suggested she knew what she was doing before she winced and put a hand over her mouth. Kirk only laughed at the apparent reference to her husband's violent death.
"Trust me, there is nothing new under the sun that I have not heard, so we're fine," she said.
"You have to laugh about it, truly."
Kirk went on to predict that the internet would clip that moment and spread it around, and it sure did. The footage drew attacks from both sides of the aisle, as many on the right have accused Erika of profiting and gaining fame from Charlie's murder.
Meanwhile, much of the left ditched the rapper a long time ago. Her defense of her husband and her brother, both of whom have been convicted of rape charges, is a hard line for many liberals and leftists.
Cardi B fans, of course, are having a great time sniping at the Minaj fans known as Barbz.
"Nicki Minaj is Cardi B's Wario"
The backlash to this appearance spread across social media. Unless you're a conservative who isn't full white supremacist, this raised eyebrows at the very least.
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