Heres Whats Really Going On In The Megan Thee Stallion And Nicki Minaj Beef

Beef is a quintessential part of rap. So it was no surprise, but impactful in several ways, when Megan Thee Stallion threw shots at several artists whove unfavorably had her name in their mouths. 

Though the shots were subliminal she didnt mention any names on her latest track, Hiss folks have a few good guesses of who she was talking about in the song: Tory Lanez, Drake, DaBaby, Pardi and Nicki Minaj .

When the Houston rapper called into The Breakfast Club last Friday, she assured listeners that a hit dog gon holler. Out of those who felt it, Minaj has been the loudest.

After Hiss dropped, the veteran rapper went on a 72-hour tirade against Megan on social media. She even went as far as mobilizing her fanbase, the Barbz, several of whom have been accused of doxxing anyone with anything critical to say about Minaj. They also reportedly revealed the location of the gravesite of Megans mom, Holly Thomas. In the latest episode of I Know Thats Right, hip-hop journalist and author Kiana Fitzgerald said Minajs form of getting respect comes from weaponizing her fanbase.

Megan has not responded to Minaj. And it doesnt look like she will; shes only promoted her latest single and forthcoming album and tour since last Friday. 

Despite the recent explosion in their feud, the Megan-Nicki beef isnt out of the blue. This isnt the first time either rapper has thrown shots at one another. Years of sneak disses in songs led to this eruptive moment, which most likely wont be the final battle of this saga. Heres a timeline of their beef and where it has the potential to go.

Megan Thee Stallion And Nicki Minaj Collab For Hot Girl Summer

The public was introduced to Megan and Minajs relationship as the Houston rappers star was rising. Megan joined the veteran rapper during an Instagram Live in July 2019. The exchange was warm on both ends. Megan told the Queens-born rapper that she loved her and had been listening to her music since 2008. Minaj responded with gratitude and congratulated her on her success.

On the livestream, Megan also talked about her forthcoming Hot Girl Summer track, which only had Ty Dolla $ign on it at the time. She hinted that she wanted Minaj on the song, but Minaj didnt give an answer at the time. She later revealed on Twitter that she initially had no intentions of hopping on the song, but fell in love with it when she heard it.

But once I heard the song I fell in love. Wrote it b4 I went to sleep, she tweeted . None of that was planned. I had no idea meg was on live or that she would want to go live 2gthr.

They released Hot Girl Summer in August 2019. They also recorded a music video, in which they wore matching zebra-print neon outfits and red wigs. The song hit No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 and the video amassed more than 133 million views on YouTube.

Megan Collabs With Cardi B

As more female rappers careers began to take off, a feature with either Cardi B or Minaj became somewhat of a symbol of taking sides as the two New York rappers had a beef of their own. It seemed Megan was an exception when she collaborated with Cardi for WAP in the year that followed Hot Girl Summer.

WAP, a provocative and controversial song, was a huge success. Minaj continued to praise Megan, telling Variety in August 2020 that she especially loved Megs drive to finish school. 

Its so important for women to feel inspired to achieve goals outside of social media, where the focus is usually placed on their bodies or who theyre dating at the time, Minaj said. Women are more than just baby mamas, and we can continue to prove that by being goal oriented, bettering ourselves and being independent.

A few months later, Megan told Chicagos 107.5 WGCI that she didnt let Minaj know shed be working with Cardi ahead of recording WAP because shes an artist and she shouldnt have to. Megan said that her relationship with Minaj hadnt changed, even as she formed a new relationship with Cardi.

The Subliminals Begin

At the top of 2021, Minaj and Megan reportedly unfollowed each other on Instagram. 

As rumors circulated about their fallout, fans speculated that the two rappers were dissing each other, though neither name-dropped the other throughout the beef. Minaj dissed Megan when she dropped Seeing Green in May 2021 with the line these bitches thirsty, I can see why they alcoholics. Some believed that Megan responded in June 2021 in Thot Shit. She rapped, Im the big homie, but I aint the oldest/Bitch dry hatin, tryna get noticed/Man, aint nobody come to see you, Otis.

Fans also suspected that Megan alleged Minaj was addicted to pills on her 2022 album Traumazine, with the line Feelin yourself, put down them Perkys on the song Gift & A Curse. 

Minaj added fuel to the fire in a September 2022 episode of her Queen Radio show. The 41-year-old rapper accused Megan of forcing her to drink alcohol and suggesting that she can get an abortion while she was pregnant with her son in 2020.

Imagine telling someone you didnt want to drink because you were, at the time, possibly pregnant. Because you were actively trying to have a baby, she said on the show. Imagine if that person said, Oh girl, you can go to the clinic.

Minaj continued, suggesting that Megan didnt like her post or congratulate her when she posted about her pregnancy and only sent flowers after seeing that Beyonc sent her flowers. I didnt even let them shits in my motherfucking house, she said.

When fans alerted Megan of the accusations, she responded with one word on Twitter: LIE.

Minaj apparently dissed Megan on wax again when she dropped Red Ruby Da Sleeze in March 2023. On it, she raps, Seven hundred on them horses when we fixing to leave/ But I dont fuck with horses since Christopher Reeves. She also apparently takes a jab at Meg, who has a partnership with Frito-Lay, with the line Dorito bitches mad that they nachos.

Fans believe her line, That .40 cal a make them dance like a go-go, was referencing the incident in which the now imprisoned Lanez shot Megan in the foot in 2020. Reports were released that Lanez said Dance, bitch while shooting at Megans feet. 

In September 2023s Bongos, Megans second collaboration with Cardi, fans believed Megan was talking about Minaj when she rapped Hoes pop pills but Im the one they cant take and called her stiff. 

Minaj took a more apparent jab at Megan on FTCU, from her Pink Friday 2 album which was released on Dec. 8, 2023. Stay in your Tory lane, bitch, referring, again, to the Canadian rapper, who is serving 10 years behind bars.

Megan Drops Hiss

All hell broke loose on Jan. 26, when the Houston rapper dropped Hiss. 

Though she called out several folks without naming names, Megans feud with Minaj hit a boiling point.

These hoes dont be mad at Megan, these hoes mad at Megans Law, the 27-year-old rapped, referencing Minajs husbands, Kenneth Petty. Petty pleaded guilty to attempted rape in the first degree in 1995, and his name is on Californias registered sex offenders list.  

Not 20 minutes after its midnight release, the Everybody rapper tweeted about her dissatisfaction with Megan for bringing her family into the feud.

Minaj got on Instagram Live, face unseen, and went off on Megan for about 20 minutes. She called her a fragment foot bitch and claimed that she lied on her dead mama. Minaj posted about the beef throughout the weekend, encouraging her Barbz to activate. (This led to fans doxxing several social media users who made negative comments about Minaj and revealing the location of where Megans mom is buried.)

Minaj released her diss Big Foot on Sunday night, to impressive numbers yet underwhelming reviews.

What This Means And Whats Next

With fans taking vengeance into their own hands and Minaj invoking Megs dead mother, this feud has taken a turn for the worse. Beef should be fun for fans to watch. Not whatever this is. It isnt, of course, the first time rap beef has turned ugly. Lyrically, both women can absolutely hold their own and dont need handholding. But given the history of rap beefs that have taken it too far, its safe to say enough is enough. 

Its not cute when bars perpetuate the same stereotypes that women in hip-hop are actively turning on their heads. And piling on a Black womans pain after her trauma has been put on display and capitalized off of for the past three years is definitely not cute.

But to say this beef is ending soon would be naive. In fact, it may get worse before it gets better as the two rappers go on their respective tours this summer. 

Minaj, who claims to have five more diss tracks, will most likely continue to use social media to push her side of the story, retweeting some fans while distancing herself from the Barbz whove become a liability. Megans response to Big Foot will most likely be in her music, as shes been quiet about the fallout otherwise. 

If Minajs beef with other female rappers (Lil Kim, Cardi, Remy Ma) indicate anything, its that she and Megan may be going back and forth for a while.