Topline
Nicki Minaj released new song “Big Foot” Monday, and though the rapper has denied it is a diss track, it has been widely perceived as an attack against fellow rapper Megan Thee Stallion, whom Minaj has spent days taking shots at in a barrage of social media posts after she apparently interpreted Megan’s song “Hiss” to be a diss at her.
Minaj dropped “Big Foot,” widely perceived as a diss track against Megan Thee Stallion, on Monday. … [+]
Key Facts
Megan dropped her song “Hiss” on Friday, in which she criticizes people who talk badly about her for “twenty-four hours of attention,” and fans believe the song’s lyrics reference rappers like Drake, Minaj and Tory Lanez, who was previously sentenced to 10 years in prison for shooting Megan in the foot.
Though Minaj is not mentioned by name in “Hiss,” fans pointed to one line—“These hoes don’t be mad at Megan, these hoes mad at Megan’s Law”—as a possible reference to Minaj’s husband, Kenneth Petty, who is a registered sex offender, because Megan’s Law requires police to communicate information to the public about sex offenders.
Petty, with whom Minaj had a child in 2020, was convicted of attempted rape in 1995 and was sentenced to three years probation in 2022 for failing to register as a sex offender.
Within minutes of “Hiss” dropping, Minaj took to Instagram Live to preview lyrics from “Big Foot,” including lines like “she like six foot, I call her Big Foot,” a possible reference to Megan’s height and her shooting in the foot by Lanez, while starting an onslaught of social media posts about Megan.
Minaj made a long series of posts on X attacking Megan, calling her a “pathological & manipulative liar” and a “horrible ACTOR that can’t cry on cue”—as well as one where she tags Megan and accuses her of trying to provoke a fight while being “scared” of Minaj’s response.
Minaj released “Big Foot” on streaming platforms Monday, in which fans say she insinuated Megan lied about the Lanez shooting, criticized Megan’s rapping abilities and made several references to Megan’s mother, who died in 2019.
Contra
Minaj denied that “Big Foot” is a diss track ahead of its release. In response to a post by pop culture updates account Pop Base, which called “Big Foot” a “Megan Thee Stallion diss track,” Minaj wrote: “Who tf said “diss track”?????? don’t play tonight. Fix your tweet.” In “Big Foot,” however, Minaj mentions Megan by name several times.
Surprising Fact
Megan has not directly addressed the feud on social media. She posted a picture of herself laughing on her Instagram story Friday night after Minaj had begun her Instagram Live, but Megan has not mentioned Minaj by name on social media.
Big Number
Five. That’s how many more songs Minaj said she has ready to go if Megan “so much as BREATHE wrong.” Minaj also threatened to post every “receipt known to man” if Megan denies anything Minaj has said about her.
Tangent
The feud has helped both rappers rack up huge streaming numbers. “Hiss” currently ranks No. 1 on U.S. Spotify with more than 1.6 million streams in the last day. “Big Foot” debuted at No. 10 on the U.S. Spotify chart with 1.1 million streams. “Hiss” and “Big Foot” rank No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, on the U.S. Apple Music chart.
Key Background
Minaj and Megan’s once-friendly relationship began in 2019, where the two went live on Instagram together in a complimentary conversation where Megan admitted she had been a fan of Minaj since 2008. That summer, the two rappers joined forces on “Hot Girl Summer” with Ty Dolla $ign, which peaked at No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100. “Hot Girl Summer” was a reference to Megan’s self-empowering catchphrase that went viral. The next year, Minaj told Variety she admired Megan’s ambition, particularly her decision to simultaneously pursue her rap career and education. Speculation of possible tension between the two grew as Megan linked up with Cardi B, with whom Minaj has had a long-running feud, for their viral hit “WAP” in 2020. Megan denied the collaboration changed her relationship with Minaj, but the two rappers reportedly unfollowed each other on Instagram months later. In 2022, Megan denied a rumor that she tried to force Minaj to drink alcohol while she was trying to get pregnant. Minaj had previously described the incident on her “Queen Radio” show without naming names. Fans have interpreted several lyrics on Minaj’s latest album, “Pink Friday 2,” to be disses at Megan: On “Red Ruby Da Sleeze,” she said she doesn’t “f*ck with horses since Christopher Reeves,” and on “FTCU,” she references the Lanez shooting. “Stay in your Tory Lanez, bitch, I’m not Iggy,” Minaj raps, referencing rapper Iggy Azalea, who wrote a letter in support of Lanez ahead of his sentencing.
Further Reading
A Timeline of Nicki Minaj & Megan Thee Stallion’s Friendship-Turned-Feud (Billboard)
Nicki Minaj’s Husband, Kenneth Petty, Ordered to Serve House Arrest (Rolling Stone)
Megan Thee Stallion Has a Warning for Her Haters on ‘HISS’ (TIME)
Nicki Minaj Drops Megan Thee Stallion Diss Track ‘Big Foot’ (Rolling Stone)
Laura Davis is an entertainment aficionado who delves into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry. From Hollywood to Broadway, she offers readers an insider’s perspective on the world of movies, music, and pop culture.
