I’m a Nicki Minaj fan. I’m not a super fan — I didn’t follow her when she was still underground and all that — but I enjoy her music and vibe with her “no BS” attitude.

This past weekend, Nicki fired back at Farrah Abraham, a Teen Mom cast member, starting yet another celebrity Twitter feud.

As bad as it might be to say this, I loved it. Nicki Minaj has been known to call out what doesn’t sit well with her. Her clapbacks directed at MTV, Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus this summer were widely seen. She spoke about demanding her orgasm and explained why modern cultural appropriation can be upsetting for black women.

Nicki Minaj at the VMAs
Photo: shine.forharriet.com

I admire her fearlessness. I appreciate that she has expectations and does not settle for less. I love that she lets no one slut-shame her. She’s like my inner voice. She says what she feels and she states it eloquently. She has a platform and uses her celebrity to discuss the things that matter to her. She might not be the queen of feminism — that title would go to Audre Lorde, bell hooks or Angela Davis, of course — she’s opinionated, interesting and doesn’t let anyone silence her. It’s nice to hear celebrities with that much influence speak about things that matter.

You might not agree with me, but at a time when people deny the existence of male privilege, tone police like there’s no tomorrow, pretend they’ve never heard of cultural appropriation and tout the idea of “reverse racism,” Nicki Minaj is often just what I need: a courageous black woman who won’t let anyone or anything stop her. She’s quick, witty and tough — all qualities that make for a great superhero, as far as I’m concerned.        

Photo: cosmopolitan.com
Photo: cosmopolitan.com
Feminismintersectional feminismNicki Minajrole modelVMAs