Wendy Williams was slammed by fans of Nicki Minaj after she said that the “Yikes” rapper isn’t a legend. After congratulating Minaj on the birth of her first child with her husband Kenneth Petty she shared her unpopular opinion.
“She too is not a legend,” Williams said. “Not the way we think of status and I feel bad for these girls, but you know, Salt-N-Pepa, they paid their dues and they did their thing.”
Once the Barbz heard of this, they came to Minaj’s defense and demanded that the talk show host put more respect on her name.
One user tweeted: “Now #WendyWilliams knows #NickiMinaj is legend, she carried the female rap game for over 10 years with no challengers! The only female rapper to acquire over $100 million net worth and the richest! The first black female to have a high fashion line through Fendi….RESPECT HER!”
Another fan posted: “Wendy Williams really sat there and said Nicki Minaj isn’t a legend. Y’all can lie with Wendy but 1 artist I’ve known consistently make hits since i was 10 is a NICKI MINAJ. Bye Wendy.”
The Queens femcee has been a dominant, reigning champion in hip-hop and many of the female rap rookies like Megan thee Stallion have acknowledged her influence. As one of her fans noted, she has been the face of women in hip-hop for the past decade, a difficult and admirable task. Minaj is continuing to make her mark but legendary status just isn’t a rank she has reached yet.
Despite the Barbz being highly offended, Williams made a valid point about Minaj not being a legend. Like she said during the live broadcast, acts that are legends do not have to release music anymore and they have already paid their dues. She mentioned Salt-N-Pepa, a rap duo who is synonymous with legendary because they paved the way for female rappers after them just like their friend-turned-foe DJ Spinderella. They don’t have to do release music because their status was solidified. It’s something that can be validated if questioned. She never said that Minaj wouldn’t be a legend one day, something that we can confidently say will come when it is her time. Right now, her music is highly anticipated, she’s extremely popular, very sought after for features and her presence is far from subtle. Legends are entertainers who have had decades-long careers that had an impact on their genre that is undeniable, groundbreaking and historic. Minaj may achieve that status one day, but that day is no time soon because she’s still a hip-hop heavyweight. That’s not a jab Barbz. It’s just a fact. Let’s have this conversation in another decade.
