Nicki Minaj and Gavin Newsom Feud Intensifies: Rapper Doubles Down on Slamming Governor’s Trans Advocacy, as He Posts Diss Track

Nicki Minaj has found an unexpected new target for her social media ire: California Governor Gavin Newsom. While the rapper has unleashed a barrage of criticism against him across dozens of posts on X in recent days, the governor's engagement has been notably minimal. His sole, pointed response was to share a clip set to Megan Thee Stallion's diss track "Hiss," a song central to the ongoing feud between the two female rappers. This subtle retort came without directly naming Minaj, but its intent was unmistakable.

The conflict escalated after Minaj, who has recently voiced strong support for Donald Trump and MAGA-aligned messages, began personally attacking Newsom online. She derided him as "the guy running on wanting to see trans kids" and mocked his political pedigree, suggesting he was a privileged "cute boy" who had everything handed to him. Newsom's decision to post the "Hiss" video—featuring footage of Donald Trump with the late financier and accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein—served as his indirect reply. The track includes a lyric about "Megan's law," a California statute regarding sex offender registration, which many interpreted as a dig at Minaj's husband, Kenneth Petty, who was convicted for failing to register in the state in the 1990s.

Minaj, whose career began with groundbreaking hits like "Super Bass," interpreted Newsom's post as a declaration of war and mobilized her devoted fanbase, known as the Barbz. "See Barbz? I told you he was wicked," she tweeted, later adding, "Dear Barbz, Pls protect me from that wicked & evil man." She issued direct warnings to "Gavvy Pooh," suggesting his advisors were leading him astray and that she could "go a lot deeper." Despite her prolific tweeting, which included calling Newsom a "career politician" willing to become "just another FEMALE RAPPER to get obliterated," the governor has largely refrained from further public engagement, posting only a zipped-lip emoji this past Saturday.

Amidst this feud, Minaj has continued to amplify her political alignment. She reposted content from "MAGA Voice" showing Trump at a military event and shared White House posts, captioning one "God bless this great nation." Her advocacy has extended to the hashtag "#FreeChristians," concerning violence in Nigeria, a cause that has garnered support from figures on the political right. This stance has even fostered a mutual admiration with Vice President JD Vance, who recently tweeted "Nicki> Cardi," publicly favoring her over fellow rapper Cardi B, a critic of the Trump administration. This shift marks a significant evolution for the artist; as explored in a recent Washington Post analysis titled "The MAGA-fication of Nicki Minaj," she has transitioned from a past advocate for LGBTQ+ and immigrant communities to a vocal supporter of an administration whose policies often target those same groups.

While Governor Newsom appears content to let the diss track speak for itself, the episode highlights how pop culture and political messaging are increasingly intertwined. By invoking a song with personal implications for Minaj, Newsom's response, though brief, carried layered political and personal resonance, demonstrating a modern tactic of using cultural references to make a pointed statement without uttering a word.