Is Nicki Minaj Really The Next ‘American Idol’ Judge?

Nicki Minaj may have just become the latest entertainer to join the ranks of American Idol judges.

According to an unnamed source close to Minaj, the 29-year-old rapper/singer has been in talks to judge season 12 of Fox’s singing competition show and may be close to closing a deal. The source who spoke on condition of anonymity told Us Weekly that Minaj definitely has the job.

“I’m not sure the deal is completely done yet, said the insider. But yes, she is definitely doing it. A few more slight things to sign off on but it is happening.”

Another source reportedly told the magazine that the rapper is “100 percent confirmed to judge ‘American Idol.’”

If Minaj does fill a judge’s seat on American Idol in January, she would join Mariah Carey to replace Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez, who announced their exits from the show last month.

Nicki Minaj is a hip hop artist best known for her colorful hairstyles, wardrobe and exaggerated derrière. Although she has put out hit songs like “Super Bass” and “Starships,” she is not usually noted for her singing talent.

However, for American Idol that may not be a problem as ratings might have been the primary objective that led to the deal.

Subscribe To The ABS Newsletter — Get our stories in your inbox.

Independent journalism still matters.

We hope this story was worth your time. For over 14 years, Atlanta Black Star has stayed Black-owned and independently run. We didn't get here by waiting on ad budgets that were never built to prioritize us. Our readers did that.

Corporate support for Black media has always been thin. Outlets like ours get roughly 1% of the $170 billion spent on U.S. advertising each year, and that margin is shrinking further as advertisers walk back the DEI-linked commitments they made in 2020. That's the backdrop. It's not why we're asking.

The wider picture isn't any steadier. Newspaper ad revenue has fallen more than 80% since 2005, and local newsrooms are closing at a rate of roughly two a week nationwide. When outlets go under, it's rarely the ones built to center a Black perspective from the ground up that get to stick around.

We know a request for support isn't why you came here. But without readers choosing to fund this work directly, the depth of reporting we can do at home and abroad shrinks along with everyone else's. If you're not in a position to give, that doesn't change how much we value you as a reader.

If you are able to, a recurring contribution does more for us than a single one-time gift, because it lets us plan the next investigation instead of just the next invoice. It takes about 30 seconds, no long form, no account. Thank you for continuing to support independent journalism and freedom of the press.

Latest from Atlanta Black Star

Back to top