Lil Wayne Defends Nicki Minaj After Kendrick Perkins’ Criticism
Lil Wayne has clapped back at former NBA player Kendrick Perkins after the ESPN analyst made a dismissive remark about Nicki Minaj while discussing Jimmy Butler’s trade to the Golden State Warriors.
Perkins, speaking on ESPN last week, compared the Warriors’ acquisition of Butler to settling for Minaj instead of Beyoncé or Taylor Swift. His comment, which came as part of a broader discussion on the trade that also sent Kyle Anderson, Andrew Wiggins, and a protected 2025 first-round pick to Miami, quickly sparked backlash.
“I’m thinking that the Warriors are gonna go out there and get a Beyoncé or a Taylor Swift,” Perkins said on air. “They end up getting a Nicki Minaj.”
His co-hosts reacted with shock, warning him about Minaj’s fiercely loyal fanbase, the Barbz. However, Perkins doubled down, telling critics: “I ain’t hard to find.”
Lil Wayne Fires Back
Lil Wayne, who signed Minaj to Young Money over 15 years ago and has remained a longtime friend and collaborator, didn’t take kindly to the comments. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), he flipped the script on Perkins, writing:
“The Warriors thought they was getting a Taylor Swift or a Beyoncé and ended up getting a #kendrickperkins Stop playin bish.”
Perkins Apologizes After Barbz Backlash
After facing relentless criticism from Minaj’s fans, Perkins quickly backtracked.
“Wish I would’ve known about the Barbz before my Nicki Minaj take… don’t charge it to my heart [crying face emoji],” he posted on X. “My apologies, I don’t want no smoke!”
He later addressed the situation on NBA Today, saying:
“Let me apologize to Nicki Minaj and the Barbz. They’ve been on my ass like pockets. I apologize, I’m a fan. Please forgive me. I don’t want no smoke.”
Minaj Receives Another Public Apology
This isn’t the first time Minaj has received a public apology in recent months. Reality star Erica Mena previously expressed regret for believing negative stories about the rapper, which were allegedly spread by their mutual ex, Safaree Samuels.
During an appearance on Bunnie XO’s Dumb Blonde podcast, Mena admitted she was misled by Samuels’ claims about Minaj and later realized he had been cheating on her as well.
“I owe her the biggest apology ever,” Mena said, adding that she had blindly defended Samuels without knowing the full story.
“It’s funny how life comes full circle,” she reflected. “Because the same thing he did to her, he’s doing to me years later.”
