‘‘Is there a part of you that thrives on drama, or is it no, just pain and unpleasantness—’’
This was the unfinished question posed to Nicki Minaj by New York Times Magazine writer Vanessa Grigoriadias shortly before the rapper shut down the interview.
Minaj, the first rapper to appear on the cover of NYT since 2pac, was being interviewed at the Trump hotel for the latest issue of the magazine. Grigoriadias asked questions about Minaj’s music and personal life – including the feuds between her boyfriend Meek Mill and labelmate Drake, and mentor Lil Wayne and Birdman.
“They’re men, grown-ass men,” she said. “It’s between them.” How does it make you feel, I ask? “I hate it,” she said. “It doesn’t make me feel good. You don’t ever want to choose sides between people you love. It’s ridiculous. I just want it to be over.”
The interview turned south when the Grigoriadis suggested that Minaj enjoys and benefits from the drama by asking: ‘‘Is there a part of you that thrives on drama, or is it no, just pain and unpleasantness—’’. According to the NYT profile, the room suddenly went silent before Minaj, ‘‘That’s disrespectful. Why would a grown-ass woman thrive off drama?’’.
Minaj continued:
‘‘What do the four men you just named have to do with me thriving off drama?’’ she asked. ‘‘Why would you even say that? That’s so peculiar. Four grown-ass men are having issues between themselves, and you’re asking me do I thrive off drama?’’. “That’s the typical thing that women do. What did you putting me down right there do for you? Women blame women for things that have nothing to do with them. I really want to know why — as a matter of fact, I don’t. Can we move on, do you have anything else to ask? To put down a woman for something that men do, as if they’re children and I’m responsible, has nothing to do with you asking stupid questions, because you know that’s not just a stupid question. That’s a premeditated thing you just did.”
Minaj eventually ended the interview, but that was not the last of it. Once published, many on social media celebrated Nicki’s response, and criticized the writer’s motives.
The execution of this Nicki Minaj NY Times piece was condescending, patronizing, lost. Even Minaj expressed discontent during the interview.
— Ivie Ani (@ivieani) October 7, 2015
If you’re interviewing Nicki Minaj about her labelmates’ pending litigation or Drake/Meek, you deserve to get shut down. How insulting.
— Brienne of Snarth (@femme_esq) October 7, 2015
The reporter simply wasn’t ready for Nicki Minaj. But Nicki was ready for the interviewer.
— deray mckesson (@deray) October 7, 2015
To be honest @thevanessag, the tone you took in your article on Taylor Swift vs. Nicki Minaj is very different. pic.twitter.com/JtUzK6rcgI
— X (@XLNB) October 7, 2015
