Nicki Minaj turned 40 today, but while some fans celebrated the iconic rapper’s big milestone, a few internet detractors used the opportunity to poke fun at her age.
One Twitter user named @blueberrycvm sparked the controversy on Thursday, posting an image of an older heftier version of the Queens native with the caption that read, “Nicki Minaj makes history as the oldest woman alive. She is also the last person ever to see a dinosaur roam the Earth.” The petty Twitter user added:
“Happy Birthday to the wrinkly Old Queen #Shes40 #FATANDFORTY.”
As the hashtag “She’s 40” began to trend in honor of Minaj’s birthday on Thursday, a few more internet trolls shared unsavory comments about the revered femcee.
“The most bitter elderly woman in the world @NICKIMINAJ you really are the queen!” wrote one person, who eluded to the star’s recent Twitter spat with Latto over her alleged Grammy snub.
Another Twitter-goer chimed in: “40 omg she looks like she’s pushing 65.”
Ageism in Hip-Hop has been a longstanding issue in the rap community. As Dr. Hannah Swift of Kent University described in her interview with Highsnobiety, ageism is “the stereotyping of and discrimination against individuals or a group of individuals because of their age.” In Hip-Hop, there’s a perception that a rapper’s star power and influence fade after they hit a certain age.
Youth is often a marker used to determine a rapper’s success in an industry, but it seems as female rappers grow older, fans don’t give them the same acceptance as their male hip-hop counterparts. As Jay-Z once said, Hip-Hop has turned into a “young man’s sport” over the years. But make no mistake, Minaj has certainly held her Hip-Hop crown high throughout her late twenties and thirties.Don’t let the internet jabs fool you, Nicki is 40 and thriving and she joins a long list of female rappers who are still shining bright in their 40s and 50s. Missy Elliott was inducted into the Songwriters Hall Of Fame last year for her contributions to music and production. The 51-year-old was also honored with her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in November 2021.
Success is still ringing for Remy Ma. Back in September, the 42-year-old rapper announced that she would be dropping her long-awaited EP Reminisce. The New York native announced the big news with a short Instagram video, where she donned a sexy lingerie outfit. Remy showed off her fit physique through the sensual ensemble, taking a ton of fans by surprise.
The rapper continues to extend her talents outside of music, with her reality TV success. Remy is currently the host of VH1’s wildly popular show My True Crime Story. She also starred in Love & Hip-Hop for several seasons.