Nicki Minaj and Miley Cyrus: A Timeline of Their Complicated Beef
4 min read
Mark Davis/WireImage
Nicki Minaj and Miley Cyrus are two prominent figures in the entertainment industry, each having achieved massive success in their respective fields. Despite their shared status as pop culture icons, the relationship between the two has been marked by tension, misunderstandings, and public confrontations. This complicated history can be traced back to 2014, and it has unfolded over the years through various incidents, ultimately leading to a notable beef between the two stars. Here’s a look into the timeline of their rocky relationship.
2014: The Photoshopped “Anaconda” Cover Art
The origin of the feud can be traced back to 2014 when Nicki Minaj released her hit single “Anaconda.” The song’s cover art, featuring a striking image of Minaj in a revealing pose, became as iconic as the track itself. However, Miley Cyrus sparked controversy when she photoshopped her face onto Minaj’s body from the “Anaconda” cover and shared the image on Twitter (then known as X). While some saw this as light-hearted humor, it left Minaj puzzled, prompting her to ask on Instagram, “Give me one good reason why Miley made this her Twitter avi.”
miley cyrus and nicki minaj beef on the VMA’s (2015)pic.twitter.com/AvTLwtPCZU
— miley throwbacks (@throwback2miley) April 7, 2024
August 2014: “Anaconda” vs. “Wrecking Ball”
Tensions escalated later in 2014 when the music video for “Anaconda” broke the record for the most views on YouTube within 24 hours, a record previously held by Miley Cyrus’s “Wrecking Ball.” While Cyrus made a seemingly playful comment about Minaj during the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs), saying, “I can bring that body, I can bring that wrecking ball, but I can’t bring that a**,” it hinted at an undercurrent of competition between the two artists.
2015: The MTV Video Music Awards Confrontation
The beef between Nicki Minaj and Miley Cyrus reached a boiling point during the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards. Minaj, feeling snubbed after “Anaconda” was not nominated for the Video of the Year award, took to social media to discuss issues of racial discrimination and body positivity in the music industry. In response, Cyrus criticized Minaj in an interview with the New York Times, describing her comments as “not too kind” and suggesting that Minaj was promoting conflict among female artists.
The tension culminated on the VMA stage when Minaj, after winning the Best Hip-Hop Video award, confronted Cyrus directly during her acceptance speech, saying, “Now, back to this b**ch who had a lot to say about me the other day in the press… Miley, what’s good?” Cyrus, taken aback, responded by downplaying the confrontation and attributing it to media manipulation.
October 2015: Minaj’s Response to Cyrus
A month after the VMAs, Nicki Minaj expressed her lingering frustration with Cyrus in another interview with the New York Times. Minaj criticized Cyrus for her comments and accused her of enjoying Black culture without understanding or supporting the struggles of Black women. This interview highlighted the deeper issues underlying their feud, including race, cultural appropriation, and the portrayal of women in the music industry.
2019: Miley Cyrus’s “Cattitude” and Minaj’s Retaliation
After a few years of relative calm, the feud resurfaced in 2019 when Miley Cyrus released the song “Cattitude” from her EP She Is Coming. In the track, Cyrus referenced Minaj and Cardi B’s rivalry with the lyrics, “I love you, Nicki, but I listen to Cardi.” Minaj, who had a well-documented beef with Cardi B, did not take kindly to this line. On her Queen Radio show, Minaj fired back, likening Cyrus to a “Perdue chicken” and accusing her of trying to emulate Minaj by adopting a pink-haired persona similar to Minaj’s iconic look.
Since Minaj’s remarks on Queen Radio, there has been a notable silence between the two artists. Neither has publicly commented on their relationship, and it seems that the beef has been put on the back burner, at least for now.
The complicated history between Nicki Minaj and Miley Cyrus is a mix of competitive tension, cultural disagreements, and public confrontations. While their beef may no longer be in the spotlight, the events from 2014 to 2019 remain a significant part of pop culture history, illustrating the complexities of relationships in the entertainment industry. Both artists continue to thrive in their careers, but their feud serves as a reminder of the challenges that come with fame and the pressures of being in the public eye.
Shivam Kumar
Hi, I'm Shivam Kumar. I'm pursuing Journalism honors from the IP University. I love the skill of writing and looking forward to learn more of it. Also I love traveling and experiencing new things every day....
