Nicki Minaj Accuses Billboard of Meddling with Fan Contest Results

Nicki Minaj, the rapper from Trinidad and America, has thrown shade at Billboard. The rap queen claim they messed with a fan contest for her new album, Pink Friday 2. She tweeted that Billboard axed her fans' tweets from the contest's ranking, messing up the final results. She didn't stop there, also pointing fingers at the music biz, calling it shady and biased against her.

The contest, born on Twitter, asked fans to tweet with #PinkFriday2. Top tweets, based on likes and retweets, would hit the leaderboard and win a signed album. But Minaj's fans got bummed when they discovered their tweets got the silent treatment. They're shouting that Billboard played dirty, favoring other artists.

Related: Nicki Minaj Disses Latto & Megan Thee Stallion On Her 'Pink Friday 2'

On Thursday (December 14), the lead Barb unleashed a Twitter storm, claiming that Billboard had supposedly threatened to "subtract sales" from her. This was in response to her request for her fanbase to provide evidence of purchasing her latest album as part of a promotional initiative.

Minaj's tweet stirred the social media  , rallying her fans against Billboard. Thus accusing them of being anti-her and anti-female rappers. Some are even yelling for a music industry timeout until it gets more fair.

"Been discussing my 100 barbz contest for months. they said billboard reached out to say they gon take away sales for me telling y’all about the 100 barbz thing,” she began. “Can’t wait until these next 6 hours are up so I can tell y’all some shit. You can give out millions in cashapp money tho. Lol."

- Nicki Minaj

"So barbz, me asking you to show PROOF of something that was already DELIVERED OR PURCHASED IS AGAINST THE RULES. SO pls disregard. Apologies.”"

- Nicki Minaj

Nicki indicated that Billboard is one of her enemies and is not bothered about sales.

"Threatening me…like what? Huh? You don’t scare me. Take away all the sales y’all want. I’ve never not ended up feeling sorry for my enemies. Read that line again. God is in control."

- Nicki Minaj

Nicki Minaj added all this treatment is because she refused to sign a 360 deal.

"They said 170-190 knowing it was 200K alrdy. Then they said 199 just so that 2 wouldn’t leave they mouf chi. It’s at 300 but once they filter out 100K, you’ll be none the fkng wiser. I’m being punished for: Not signing a 360, Making great music, Having great fans, And for not leaving the game so that their new Nicki’s (who signed 360 deals) can be propped up to look as tho they are a lot more successful than they rlly are. Having too much power #PinkFriday2 Where’s my album link guys?”"

- Nicki Minaj

Some fans have defended Billboard’s request for receipts. One fan stated, "No rule prevents artists from asking fans for purchase receipts as part of a contest. However, they also believe that Billboard’s actions are against their trade relations as a public company." They have advised Minaj to get her legal team involved to prevent the removal of her sales.

Others have suggested that Minaj take legal action against Billboard. Her tweet has sparked a debate on social media, with many of her fans coming out in support of her. They have accused Billboard of being biased against her and other female rappers. Some have even called for a boycott of the music industry until it becomes more inclusive.

The current beef is a result of Nicki Minaj's fifth studio album, Pink Friday 2, released on December 8, 2023, with the backing of Young Money Entertainment and Republic Records. This sequel to her debut smash, Pink Friday (2010), is thrown down with heavyweights like J. Cole, Lil Wayne, and Drake for some serious musical magic. Spanning a whopping 70 minutes and 14 seconds, the album dishes out a sizzling blend of hip-hop, pop, and rap vibes¹.

Related: Nicki Minaj and J. Cole Team Up for "Pink Friday 2"- A Hip-hop Milestone

Fans and critics alike can't get enough of singing praise for Minaj's killer lyrics and top-tier production. The lead single, "Super Freaky Girl," didn't just drop—it dominated, snagging the prime spots on the US Billboard Hot 100 and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts. And heads up, the second single, "Last Time I Saw You," hit the airwaves on September 1, 2023.

Billboard has not yet responded to Minaj’s allegations. But this isn't the first rodeo for music industry corruption claims. Grammy Awards, in particular, have been under fire, with artists claiming it's all rigged.

Related: Grammy Awards 2023: Boygenius Shines, Country and Rap Face the Heat

Nicki Minaj's beef with Billboard shines a spotlight on music industry shadiness. No one's sure if she's onto something, but it's lit up social media. We'll have to wait and see if Billboard spills the tea and fixes things.