It's not the first time Nicki Minaj has said something in an interview that gave us pause. In her new cover story for Billboard's year-end issue, Minaj shared her reaction to the tragic death of Sandra Bland this summer.
Bland was found hanging in her cell while in police custody following her arrest, the circumstances of which are murky, to say the least. "I did research on the Sandra Bland case," Minaj told the magazine. "That’s why it hit me so hard. I remember speaking to other women at the time." Minaj continued, "This could have been me. I’m a sassy woman. I may have given a little bit of attitude to a police officer. I could have never come home."
That is a horrific thought, but it's one that must have run through thousands, if not millions, of Black American women's minds in the wake of the horrific incident. Minaj's statement is a perfect example of the surprising mix of vulnerability and toughness that she is known for, both onstage and off.
The star has spoken out before about racial issues, such as cultural appropriation and the tragic death of Eric Garner. But she's not without hope for a better future; just last month, she gave Maya Angelou a beautiful tribute when she read the poem "Still I Rise" at the filming of Shining a Light: A Concert for Progress on Race in America.
OPENER: Stephane Feugere/WWD/REX Shutterstock.