Nicki Minaj Claims She’s ‘Not Going to Put Out the Album Anymore,’ Tells Jay-Z ‘Hope You’re Happy’

In a surprising early Wednesday morning post on X, Nicki Minaj declared that she is canceling the release of her forthcoming album. Directly addressing Jay-Z by tagging his profile, the rapper stated, "I'm not going to put the album out anymore. No more music. Hope you're happy now." This abrupt announcement came without a clear explanation, though Minaj has no known record deal or history of releasing music with Roc Nation, the entertainment conglomerate founded and owned by Jay-Z. Her most recent project, "Pink Friday 2," was distributed through Island/Republic Records.

The cancellation is a stark reversal from her previous communications. Just the day before, Minaj had reaffirmed the album's release date of March 27, 2026, in a post on the platform. This date had been a consistent part of her messaging, having also been mentioned in posts on October 2nd and September 24th, with the latter remaining pinned to her profile. This pattern of promotion makes the sudden withdrawal all the more puzzling for her fanbase. Industry analyst Liam Sterling noted, "An artist publicly scrapping a heavily promoted project is highly unusual and typically signals a significant, unresolved business conflict."

Earlier on Tuesday, Minaj's posts took a sharp and derisive turn against Roc Nation. She insinuated that the company had previously attempted to sign her without success, mockingly referring to it as "cock nation." In a more troubling and inexplicable claim, she seemed to suggest a connection between Roc Nation and the recent death of singer D'Angelo, whose passing was announced by his family. This inflammatory accusation has drawn widespread concern and confusion.

The root of this public outburst appears to be a major financial dispute. Minaj has previously made claims that she is owed a staggering sum, estimated between $100 and $200 million, related to her stake in Tidal. The high-fidelity streaming service was launched by Jay-Z in 2015 and was later sold to Jack Dorsey's company, Square, for $297 million in 2021. This financial grievance seems to be a central catalyst for the current conflict.

Minaj's targets have not been limited to Jay-Z. She has also publicly called out Desiree Perez, the Chief Executive Officer of Roc Nation. On October 2nd, Minaj posted, "Desiree Perez, your time is up." Perez, a powerful figure in the music industry, received a presidential pardon from the outgoing Trump administration in 2021 for drug charges that were decades old. This legal background adds another layer to the public feud. Concurrently, Minaj is facing her own legal challenges. A security guard is seeking a court order to force the sale of her California home to cover a $503,000 judgment from an alleged assault case in Germany. Furthermore, earlier this year, a former employee, Brandon Garrett, sued Minaj (whose full legal name is Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty) over allegations of assault and battery, claims which the rapper has denied through her legal counsel.