Nicki Minaj Addresses Sexism in the Industry and Says She Deserves More Respect

"They’d never do this to a man."

Nicki Minaj
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Nicki Minaj performs onstage during Day 2 at The Meadows Music & Arts Festival at Citi Field on September 16, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Taylor Hill/Getty Images for The Meadows Music & Arts Festival)

Nicki Minaj

Despite all the success and accoladesNicki Minaj has earned in the last decade, many hip-hop fans have consistently discredited her skills. Nicki addressed this issue Wednesday night in a series of tweets, in which she pointed out the obstacles she and other ambitious women have to overcome within a male-dominated society.

In any field, women must work TWICE as hard to even get HALF the respect her male counterparts get. When does this stop?

— Nicki Minaj (@NICKIMINAJ) October 25, 2017

She went on to address critics’ claims that the only reason "the greats" collaborated with her is because they were forced to do so. Nicki ended the tweet with a laughing emoji, underscoring just how ridiculous she thinks the notion. She also addressed this back in 2015, when she insisted "the greats" have shown her respect … mostly because she’s proven to be one of them.

The greats collaborated w/Drake, Kendrick & Jcole b/c they’re dope MC’s. They collab’d w/nicki cuz someone pulled a gun to their heads... 😴🤣

— Nicki Minaj (@NICKIMINAJ) October 25, 2017

Putting ppl in the same sentence as me after my 10 years of consistent winning. What are you teaching THEM? They’d never do this to a man.

— Nicki Minaj (@NICKIMINAJ) October 25, 2017

Nick also referenced a Kendrick Lamar tweet from 2010, when he made an observation about Nicki’s haters. "Just realized. Moe niggaz hate nicki minaj than woman do."

Kendrick’s tweet from 7 years ago. This is so telling. And scary. I’d have to wear some baggy pants n timbs for men to openly give props. https://t.co/r6fEjSJZPl

— Nicki Minaj (@NICKIMINAJ) October 25, 2017

Just realized. Moe niggaz hate nicki minaj than woman do. #yallniggazisreallypausewhenithinkaboutit

— Kendrick Lamar (@kendricklamar) October 27, 2010

In a recent interview with T Magazine, Nicki spoke about her struggles as a female rapper, specifically when it came to proving herself as an artist.

"I had so much going against me in the beginning: being black, being a woman, being a female rapper," she said. "No matter how many times I get on a track with everyone’s favorite M.C. and hold my own, the culture never seems to want to give me my props as an M.C., as a lyricist, as a writer. I got to prove myself a hundred times, whereas the guys that came in around the same time as I did, they were given the titles so much quicker without anybody second-guessing […] I kind of love that I’ve had to go through so many hurdles to get where I am. Because I feel like I deserve it."

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