Nicki Minaj’s music has always been political. Everything from her lyrics to her aesthetic have been carefully calculated to subvert societal norms that restrict women, most especially women of color, from reaching their full potential.
In 2015 alone, she fearlessly took the music industry to task for upholding white women as the epitome of feminine beauty, confronted Miley Cyrus for her cultural appropriation at the VMAs (“What’s good?”) and wasn’t afraid to call out injustices when she saw them.
Minaj covers Billboard magazine’s year-end issue and, in the accompanying interview, candidly shares her thoughts on some of the biggest names in politics today. Like we said, fearless.
On the thing that impressed her most about Barack Obama
“I do want to speak about something specific, which just melted my heart. I thought it was so important when [Obama] went to prisons and spoke to people who got 20 and 30 and 40 and 50 years for drugs. There are women who are raped, people who are killed and [offenders] don’t even serve 20 years. I was blown away, watching the footage of him speaking to the prisoners. They never felt like anyone in the White House cared about them. I loved that he made them people again. Because we all make mistakes. I think about how many men may have made a mistake to feed their families and then had to pay for it forever.”
On the prison-industrial complex
“What it has become is not a war on drugs. It has become slavery. Or something crazier. When I see how many people are in jail, I feel like, ‘Wait a minute. Our government is aware of these statistics and thinks it’s OK?’ The sentences are inhumane. I love the president for trying to be a voice for people who no other person has ever tried to be a voice for.”
On Donald Trump’s campaign
“There are points he has made that may not have been so horrible if his approach wasn’t so childish. But in terms of entertainment — I think he’s hilarious. I wish they could just film him running for president. That’s the ultimate reality show.”
According to Billboard, “The interview was conducted prior to Trump’s Dec. 7 comments about halting immigration by Muslims into the United States.”
On whether she’s voting for Hillary Clinton
“I support her as a woman. Am I convinced that she should be the next president? I still want to be open-minded about everyone. Obviously, I identify with her struggles as a woman. I identify with the fact that when she’s in that room and there are nothing but men there — there’s sometimes something in her that must feel intimidated. But I think that she uses that and turns it into a strength. Because that’s what I’ve always done. And so I love her for sticking it out. She has gone through horrifying things, even within her marriage. She has been brave and weathered the storm. And continued being a boss. That’s something that every woman should feel inspired by, no matter if you’re voting for her or not.”
This vine of Minaj has never been more appropriate than it is now.
For more from Minaj, head over to Billboard.
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