Rapper Nicki Minaj revealed Monday that she didn’t attend Monday night’s Met Gala because she didn’t want to receive a COVID-19 vaccination.
When asked why she wouldn’t be attending the event this year, the 38-year-old tweeted, “They want you to get vaccinated for the Met. If I get vaccinated it won’t for the Met. It’ll be once I feel I’ve done enough research. I’m working on that now. In the meantime my loves, be safe. Wear the mask with 2 strings that grips your head & face. Not that loose one.”
When fans pointed out the bad press Minaj was drawing for her comments, she clapped back, “Who cares what blogs gon do? Y’all always worried about blogs. This my real fkn life. They can choke.”
Later the same day, Minaj claimed she had family members whose friends have experienced adverse reactions from the shot, saying, “My cousin in Trinidad won’t get the vaccine cuz his friend got it & became impotent. His testicles became swollen. His friend was weeks away from getting married, now the girl called off the wedding. So just pray on it & make sure you’re comfortable with ur decision, not bullied.”
Minaj then entered into something of a Twitter fight with MSNBC host, Joy Reid.
Reid posted a clip of herself on her show, “The Reid Out,” saying that she was disappointed in Minaj. “For you to use your platform to encourage our community to not protect themselves and save their lives,” commented Reid, “As a fan, I am so sad that you did that.”
The Grammy-nominated artist quote-tweeted the clip, replying, “This is what happens when you’re so thirsty to down another black woman (by the request of the white man), that you didn’t bother to read all my tweets. ‘My God SISTER do better’ imagine getting ur dumb ass on tv a min after a tweet to spread a false narrative about a black woman.”
A short time after Minaj she leveled a racial slur at Reid. “The two white men sittin there nodding their heads cuz this uncle tomiana doing the work chile,” she said, adding, “How sad.”
Some Twitter users thanked Minaj for sharing her feelings publicly.
One woman lamented that she had to get the vaccine in order to get a job. “I had to get the vaccine cause they wouldn’t let me look for a job or get a job and to earn some money and know [I’m] unsure about getting the second vaccine.”
Minaj replied that she would likely eventually get it as well for the sake of her career. “I know babe,” she said. “A lot of countries won’t let [people] work [without] the vaccine. I’d def recommend they get the vaccine. They have to feed their families. I’m sure I’ll b vaccinated as well cuz I have to go on tour, etc.”
Minaj retweeted one fan who said, “I love how Nicki is having this dialogue utilizing her platform.” The woman added, “She’s showing people it’s safe & ok to have these conversations, to share our questions, experiences, concerns, reassurances, differences, etc. We can all benefit from this discussion. Stay safe y’all.”