“I worked with Nicki, I got to know her on ‘Barbershop.’ She’s a nice person, she’s an amazing rapper, and as a lyricist I respect her, but as a woman, from my point of view, personally, I would not be able to do that,” she said. “I think in this climate, it’s not good. I think every artist has a right to express themselves however they want to express themselves and I respect that as well.”
Related: Rapper Eve to join CBS 'The Talk' show
“For me personally, as I started coming up in the business, I started realizing that young girls were looking up to me and younger people were looking up to me, and that, not that you want to be a role model, but it becomes what you become, it is what you are. It’s a responsibility whether you like it or not.
“As I’ve gotten older, I’d just rather be a voice that’s uplifting. I can be a voice for those girls that might not have a voice, in a different way without showing myself off -- with my brain,” the rapper said. For the Nicki fans, I love her, respect her. Go women in hip-hop. I just don’t think it’s right. Period.”
Despite Eve’s message to The Kingdom, Minaj’s fans were quick to defend the MC on Twitter, even calling out Eve’s past when she worked as a stripper at age 18 and intimate photos of her were leaked.
Eve responded to Nicki's fans on Twitter after the show aired, saying, "A lot of ya'll need to calm down AND LISTEN to what I said. I am speaking from the place I am TODAY as WOMAN and how I feel NOW!!!"
A lot of ya’ll need to calm down AND LISTEN to what I said. I am speaking from the place I am TODAY as WOMAN and how I feel NOW!!!
— EVE (@TheRealEve) November 16, 2017
Eve wasn’t the only co-host who chimed in. Underwood said the cover took away from the music. “It’s so graphic and I just don’t think girls need to see that and think it’s the way to go.”
“Madonna did this, like, 30 years ago,” Osbourne said. “It’s about your music not about your love of looking a certain way. It’s great you’re a beautiful young woman and you’re also a talented woman. You don’t need to take it down to this level.”
Minaj hasn’t addressed any of the comments.
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