Slowly but surely, Nicki Minaj is starting a feud with each American Idol judge–past and present.
This time, it’s Steven Tyler. Minaj has called Tyler (Aerosmith’s lead singer) a racist after a comment he made in an interview with MTV. Tyler quit the show last season, right before the Fox talent show announced its new lineup of judges, which included Minaj, Mariah Carey, Keith Urban and Randy Jackson.
In the interview, Tyler was discussing his time on Idol and how to be an effective mentor, stating: “These kids, they just got out of a car from the Midwest somewhere and they’re in New York City, they’re scared to death; you’re not going to get the best. … If it was Bob Dylan, Nicki Minaj would have had him sent to the cornfield! Whereas, if it was Bob Dylan with us, we would have brought the best of him out, as we did with Phillip Phillips. Just saying.”
While the comment was definitely a dig at the new judge lineup, Minaj took it a bit deeper, slamming Tyler for being a racist on Twitter.
Minaj started by questioning Tyler’s remark: “Steven Tyler said I would have sent Bob Dylan to a cornfield?? Steven, you haven’t seen me judge one single solitary contestant yet!”
She continued with an even angrier rebuttal: “I understand you really wanted to keep your job but take that up with the producers. I haven’t done anything to you. That’s a racist comment.”
Minaj ended her remarks with the biggest slam yet: “LOL lets make him a shirt that says “No Coloreds Allowed” then escort him down 2 Barbara Walters so he can tell how he was threatened w/guns.”
Minaj’s last tweet references her other Idol feud with Mariah Carey, which led veteran journalist Barbara Walters to deem Minaj “unpredictable.”
Perhaps Minaj is feeling extra sensitive this week, as sales for her Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded — The Re-Up were lower than expected.
In an interview with New York’s Power 105.1, Minaj blamed retailers Target and Walmart, claiming the megastores wouldn’t sell her album on Black Friday, thus lowering her first week sales and “sett[ing] her up to fail.”
Walmart spokeswoman Vanessa Marshall has responded, noting “We do not carry any music that has a parental advisory label on it,” said Marshall. “That album did not come with an edited option, so that’s why Walmart isn’t carrying that album.”
Minaj has yet to respond to Walmart’s defense.
Season 12 of American Idol premieres on Fox in January–if Minaj consents to sit at a table with Carey.