Nicki Minaj has faced backlash from her loyal Barbz fanbase for her upcoming appearance on the 2022 World Cup theme song “Tukoh Taka” alongside Maluma and Lebanese singer Myriam Fares due to host country Qatar’s anti-LGBTQ+ stance.
The Young Money queen brushed off the criticism and confirmed she will be appearing on the global record which arrives on Friday (November 18) ahead of the World Cup’s launch. She’s also the first female rapper to appear on a World Cup anthem.
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“#MTVEMA’s #BestHIPHOPArtist #BestSONG [Super Freaky Girl] Won 2 fan voted awards tonight. Thank you Barbz. I love you so much. Now who’s READY for 11.18.22,” she wrote to Instagram while teasing “Tukoh Taka.”
The backlash from fans has continued as some tried to explain Qatar’s anti-LGBTQ+ policies to Nicki Minaj on Twitter.
“Hi @nickiminaj not sure if you’re aware but your LGBTQ+ supporters from qatar are in danger and you’re funding and standing by their disgusting views,” one person wrote. “Qatar was voted as the one of the worst places in the world to be gay. homosexuality is illegal and punishable by imprisonment.”
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Another added: “For somebody with a very large LGBTQ fan base and with the threat by Qatar to effectively snuff out any presence of LGBTQ support, it’s very disturbing to see Nicki Minaj sign on to do this. Not all money is good money; especially when gay men are persecuted there!”
While Nicki collected a pair of award wins at the MTV European Music Awards, she has been snubbed from the 2023 Grammy Awards.
The Queens icon received zero nominations on Tuesday (November 15) for “Do We Have A Problem?” and “Super Freaky Girl,” which topped the Billboard Hot 100 and reigned on the Hot Rap Songs chart for a record-breaking 10 weeks.
Nicki Minaj previously voiced her frustration with the Recording Academy considering “Super Freaky Girl” in the pop categories rather than rap. In the past, she’s also called out the Academy for giving Bon Iver Best New Artist honors in 2012 over her and J. Cole.
“Never forget the Grammys didn’t give me my best new artist award when I had 7 songs simultaneously charting on billboard & bigger first week than any female rapper in the last decade- went on to inspire a generation,” she wrote almost two years to the day. “They gave it to the white man Bon Iver. #PinkFriday”
