Nicki Minaj's increasingly public alignment with conservative politics has triggered a widening backlash that now stretches from the music industry into the offices of California Gov. Gavin Newsom, marking a rare collision between pop culture, partisan rhetoric and state-level political messaging. The dispute escalated this week when Newsom's press office responded to Minaj's criticism not with a statement, but with a pointed reference to Megan's Law, a move that reverberated across social media and the entertainment world.
Minaj, once regarded as one of the most influential figures in modern hip-hop, has in recent months intensified her commentary on U.S. politics and cultural issues, including repeated attacks on Democratic leaders and rhetoric that critics say targets transgender people. That shift has unsettled fans and peers alike, prompting visible distancing from artists who previously praised her as a genre-defining pioneer.
The reaction became unmistakable when South African pop star Tyla briefly reposted a message on social media that offered a blunt assessment of Minaj's trajectory. The post read: "Keep that album. Delete social media and hide yourself from the public. Just go away and never come back. You're done. It's done. You are too mentally insane to be in the public eye anymore. It was a good run. You accomplished a lot, revived an entire genre but it's over now." Tyla later removed the repost, though the message circulated widely and was seen by many as emblematic of a generational break.
The episode underscored a tension between Minaj's artistic legacy and her current public persona. After deleting the repost, Tyla shared an Instagram image soundtracked by a Minaj song, a move that fans interpreted as a signal of respect for her musical influence while rejecting her political posture.
Another flashpoint emerged around Kim Petras, the German pop singer who collaborated with Minaj on the 2023 track "Alone." Petras, who is transgender, has not publicly severed ties to the song, despite online rumors claiming it had been removed from streaming platforms. Those claims proved false, but the speculation reflected discomfort among listeners as Minaj continued to make comments about transgender issues that critics described as inflammatory.
The controversy widened further when Minaj directed repeated criticism at Newsom, singling out California policies in posts that aligned with her broader embrace of MAGA-style politics. Rather than issuing a rebuttal, Newsom's press office responded by posting a link to information about Megan's Law, which requires public access to data on registered sex offenders.
The implication was immediately recognized online. Minaj's husband, Kenneth Petty, is a registered sex offender following a 1996 conviction for attempted rape of a 16-year-old. By referencing the law without additional commentary, Newsom's office effectively redirected the debate away from policy and toward Minaj's own personal associations.
