Nicki Minaj draws flak for 'Trollz' collaboration with Tekashi 6ix9ine, accused of profiting off BLM movement
Tekashi 6ix9ine and Nicki Minaj have dropped the music video for the song 'Trollz', their latest collaboration. However, despite Nicki stating the song was a benefit single meant to help the Black Lives Matter movement, it doesn't seem like the backlash for her choice to collaborate with Tekashi is dying down anytime soon. Nicki and Tekashi, who previously collaborated on the latter's 2018 tracks 'Fefe' and 'Mama', have been hinting at a follow-up collaboration for a while. Most fans presumed that it would be on a song Tekashi had been teasing, which was rumored to be titled 'Taco'.
But a few days ago the two revealed that their new song was called 'Trollz' and would drop on Friday, June 12. Nicki tweeted on Wednesday, June 10, "A portion of the proceeds from #Trollz including merch items, will be going directly to The Bail Project Inc. The fund provides free bail assistance to low-income individuals who can’t afford to pay bail. #BlackLivesMatter," and additionally stated on Instagram, "We want to protect and support the thousands of brave people working on the front lines of social justice, using their voices to demand AN END to the targeting and killing of Black Americans by the police."
The music video and song see the two artistes blending their music styles and colorful visuals and appears to be a track targetted at their haters. And rather ironically, it appears that the song has had the effect of simply drawing in even more haters, particularly those calling out Nicki for working with Tekashi for being a "snitch" and a "pedophile." Tekashi is infamously known for "snitching" on members of the Nine Trey Gangsters as a way to receive a more lenient sentence for his crimes, bringing his original 37-year jail term down to only two years, which led to him being denounced by the rap and hip hop communities and further earned him the moniker 'Tekashi Snitch9ine'. To add insult to injury, he got out early on account of health concerns amidst the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and is now making and releasing music from within house arrest. The accusations of pedophilia stem from him posting a video on a 13-year-old girl engaging in sexual activity in 2015 and, in a separate incident, sleeping with a minor under the age of consent.
Nicki, for her part, has faced criticism for willing to work with Tekashi despite his past, but additionally, continues to face similar criticisms for her choice to wed Kenneth Petty, a convicted sex offender who was arrested again this past March for failing to register as a sex offender in California following the couple's move to the city. Additionally, Nicki's brother Jelani Maraj is also serving time for repeatedly raping his at-the-time 11-year-old stepdaughter. To that end, fans and haters alike are now accusing Nicki of "siding with rapists," with many claiming they are not surprised with her choice to continue to support Tekashi in his career.
A stream of comments also followed on Nicki's tweet, calling her out for "Working with pedo," as well as stating, "She could have done this without collaborating with a SEX OFFENDER." And from there on out, the comments only get worse. One tweet reads, "She isn’t even trying, a portion aint s**t compared to the millions she has, and collaborating with a pedophile and rapist, nicki you’re trash," and another stated sarcastically, "Supporting a pedo who says the N word despite being white as f**k. Yes Nicki you're doing great!"
Tekashi has spoken out in defense of Nicki, with most of his comments being perfectly in line with the theme of 'Trollz'. He announced the track on Instagram by stating, "NObOdY gOiN To WoRk wiTH HiM No mOrE," mocking those who tried to cancel him. Additionally, he hopped on a post shared by The Shade Room to state, "Imagine trying to cancel the queen since 2014 and imagine canceling the king after he ratted and they still sell millions of records / Y'all made at something everday / bye I said what I said." Nicki herself defended Tekashi and called out the rap community in a separate Instagram live, though she did not address the allegations of sexual assault.
Some listeners were fans of the track regardless of the two artistes' sordid history, stating, "That new tekashi and nicki is hot!!!" And while some weren't fans of the song itself, stating, "I expected more from nicki & tekashi 69 Fefe remains superior," others expressed their anger at the collaboration, with Nicki specifically receiving the brunt of the criticism. "Yooo wtf. Nicki lost all the cool points by doing music with tekashi. I don't follow either on social media but how do i like remove them from my feed completely," tweeted one user.
Many also called out Nicki for her silence on the Black Lives Matter protests. "'What is Nicki doing during the BLM movement?' THIS," tweeted one user, to which another responded, "Profiting off of a tragedy when she could've just wrote a check like the other celebs. She said a portion which means the rest lines their pockets. Give without trying to profit." While some attempted to defend her, others responded stating, "Stop being so blind plssss. She’s using the blm movement for people to buy the song and for it to go number one. I may not like her but she’s not stupid / she’s very calculated and she knows what she’s doing."