The feud between Cardi B and Nicki Minaj has cooled off since their open conflict in 2018, but that doesn’t mean it’s over. Now, it’s more of a Cold War, as we saw last year when they renewed hostilities mainly through proxies like Akbar V and JT after Nicki apparently demanded a blood oath in exchange for a slot on the “Super Freaky Girl (Queen Mix).”
Likewise, most observers have remained cautiously neutral (although that hasn’t exactly been a winning strategy either). There is, however, one exception: 50 Cent, the king of controversy himself. Never one to shy away from a hot take or a chance to stir the pot, 50 weighed in on the feud between the two in a new interview with Billboard celebrating the 20th anniversary of his debut album.
At first, he feigns reluctance to choose a side, saying, “Hip-hop culture makes you battle. I love Nicki Minaj, but the funny sh*t is, I like watching her when she’s upset… When Cardi B came, I thought she was dope… When her and Nicki clash, I go, ‘Oh, sh*t, it’s going to be interesting to watch how it plays out.’ Lyrically, I won’t say anything competitively about the two of them.”
It didn’t take him long to throw in with his fellow Queens native, though, admitting, “… I love Nicki. I don’t have anything against Cardi. I think anyone who comes now, she is going to check their temperature. Nicki is going to check if this b*tch is friendly or looking to take over the sh*t.”
Nicki certainly does that, although in more recent years, she’s mellowed out to the point of working with Coi Leray, Doja Cat, and the Queen Mix crew. However, it doesn’t look like she’s revising her longstanding policy anytime soon, and for some — especially those who, like 50, relish the battle side of hip-hop — that’s just fine.