Erika Kirk & Nicki Minaj's Cozy Display Has Side-Eyes Flying After Video Of Charlie Resurfaces

By Kristin Conard
Erika Kirk and Nicki Minaj holding hands in the air at America Fest Caylo Seals/Getty Images

Turning Point USA, founded by right wing podcaster Charlie Kirk, had its big annual event this week — AmericaFest. One of the surprise speakers was singer Nicki Minaj, who has come out with full-throated support of Donald Trump. Not only that, Minaj notably had an eyebrow-raising exchange on stage with Erika Kirk as she talked about vice president JD Vance and referred to him as an "assassin" (Charlie was assassinated in September by a gunman). But Erika had nothing but kind words for Minaj, saying, "I love this woman. She's an amazing woman. She has a soul and a heart for the Lord, and words are words" (via NBC News).

And yet, we're not sure that is the same take that Erika's late husband would have had, given some resurfaced footage of him talking about the rapper. When you watch Charlie at one of his "Prove Me Wrong" college events, you can hear him talking about Minaj. And he definitely didn't have the same loving words for her that Erika did at AmericaFest.

"Right now Black culture is being held captive by influences, songs, and role models," Charlie claimed before a member of his audience asked him to specify. It was then that he brought up Minaj. Charlie said that Minaj (along with Cardi B) wasn't a "good role model for 18-year-old Black girls." One of his specific reasons for thinking so was seemingly in reference to the song "WAP," on which Minaj performed.

Social media lit up over Charlie Kirk's past thoughts on Nicki Minaj that differed from Erika's

Nicki Minaj speaking on stage at AmericaFest Caylo Seals/Getty Images

So far, we haven't heard from Nicki Minaj or Erika Kirk about Charlie Kirk's past comments. But we have heard from social media. Netizens pointed out the seeming discrepancy between Erika's feelings and Charlie's when it came to Grammy nominee. One person on X (formerly Twitter) said, "He must be rolling in his grave." There are also those who think that the video shows that Erika was out of touch with her husband. "This is showing that she didn't even know him," one person noted on X. And another posted, "Widow Kirk ... 'Charlie who?'"

Others thought maybe it was Minaj who didn't know about Charlie's past criticism. "Like does Nicki not know he dissed her or what bc this is just so embarrassing," commented an X user. One person seemed to think that Minaj may have known but didn't care. "This is free publicity and money for her," they posted.

Some people pointed out that perhaps Minaj had changed since Charlie had publicly talked about her. "Nicki's last couple releases have not been about sex at all. Her last album was mostly about tumultuous and competitive relationships with women ... and she reflected on her past," one person pointed out on X. Maybe that was enough for Erika to change her mind? Or maybe she never agreed with Charlie in the first place.

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