Nicki Minaj's Most Controversial Artistic Moments
Happy Birthday Nicki!
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Cake, Cake, Cake - Nicki Minaj has accomplished the unthikable in her short yet exemplary career. She's established herself as one of the greatest MC's of all time and she's not even close to slowing down. In honor of her 33 birthday, lets take a look back at her most controversial moves as an artist. - Intro by George Chapman, Jr.Words by BET Staff(Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
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All Hail Nicki? - Nicki Minaj's lyric video for her new single "Only" conjured memories of Hitler's Nazi regime with its fascist and swastika-like images. The Anti-Defamation League National Director Abraham H. Foxman, who is a Holocaust survivor, and social media users came for the YMCMB Barbie's head, proclaiming that she went too far for the Chris Brown, Lil Wayne and Drake-assisted song.Nicki tweeted an apology, "I didn't come up w/the concept, but I'm very sorry & take full responsibility if it has offended anyone. I'd never condone Nazism in my art."(Photo: Young Money Cash Money Universal)
Photo By Young Money Cash Money Universal
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Headed for Self-Destruction - Insensitive to what Malcolm X represents, the rapper used the famed image of El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz holding a gun while looking outside his window –– protecting his family –– for the artwork for her single "Lookin' A**." Aside from the heat she received on social media, Malcolm X's family voiced their displeasure and Nicki apologized. The artwork was later labeled as the "unofficial" artwork. (Photo: Cash Money Records)
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Pope John Aw Hell Naw - YMCMB's first lady ruffled a few feathers when she walked the red carpet at the 2012 Grammy Awards escorted by a fake pope. The pre-show was all a big set up for her performance of "Roman Holiday," which included several Catholicism references and a clip from The Exorcist.Needless to say, the church folks weren't too happy as Nicki showed she wasn't afraid to jump off the cliff for artistic expression. (Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images)
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Anacondas Do Bite - Nicki's sexplicit lyrics and video for "Anaconda" left everyone with an opinion, good or bad. Critics said she set women back while Nicki argued double standards in mainstream media (with Caucasian standards of sexuality) and in patriarchy (because men can do the same with their lyrics and videos and receive "Atta boys" and pats on the back). The Barb took this lashing standing up and appeared to come out unscathed. (Photo: Cash Money Records)
Photo By Photo: Cash Money Records
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"Stupid H*e" Gets a Timeout - The Queens MC's "Stupid H*e" video was deemed inappropriate for BET in 2012. Nicki's assets were on display for the world to see in the Hype Williams-directed clip and her repeated use of "h*e" became fodder for feminist debates. It was an Internet favorite. (Photo: Cash Money Records)
Photo By Photo: Cash Money Records
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Presidential Pardon - "I'm a Republican, voting for Mitt Romney/You lazy b*****s is f*****g up the economy." These bars off the cut "Mercy" from Lil Wayne's Dedication 4 mixtape in 2011 left Nicki exposed like a baby sheep thrown into a pack of lions. With President Obama running for re-election, Nicki's shock value wordplay caused her to be thrown under the bus. Fortunately, the Pres came to her defense, stating, "She likes to play different characters..."Nicki responded on Twitter, "Ha! Thank you for understanding my creative humor & sarcasm Mr. President, the smart ones always do. *sends love & support* @BarackObama."(Photos from left: Paul Drinkwater/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank, Mark Wilson/Getty Images)