Nicki Minaj Reflects on Declining Invite to Be on the GRAMMY’s Voting Board: “Why Would I If I Don’t Have One?”

Nicki Minaj – with millions of records sold and streamed, the most Gold and Platinum hits of any female rapper ever, the most Billboard Hot 100 hits of any woman of color, and countless other commercial performance records broken along the way – is regarded on many accounts to be the greatest femcee of all time.

Yet, despite her many accolades, the music industry’s highest honor has eluded her for over a decade-and-a-half.

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Her tumultuous history with the Recording Academy (the organization that presents the annual GRAMMY ceremony) has only ignited its own set of challenges over the years.

12 nominations and no wins later, however, the Academy extended an olive branch by inviting the Harajuku Barbie to sit on its voting board to help determine who wins future golden grammophones.

“At one point, the Grammys asked me to be on the board. I appreciated it,” the ‘Super Bass’ rapper recently shared with her dedicated fans (affectionately called #Barbz) . “That it was a very, very, very kind gesture but my integrity couldn’t allow me to accept it. This was before the release of ‘Pink Friday 2.'”

‘PF2,’ Minaj’s fifth studio album, was released in December 2023.

“My integrity couldn’t allow me to sit on the board of something that made absolutely no sense to me and to anyone that understands,” she said after branding the offer “kind.” “So, I said no. I thought it was kind of them to try. Why would I be sitting on the board if I don’t have a GRAMMY?”

Though Nicki reiterated multiple times over her chat that the offer was “kind,” many decoded her message as “shade” given the headline-grabbing week she’s had slamming Roc Nation, Tidal, and industry peers like Megan Thee Stallion and JAY-Z (whom she says owes her $100-$200 million).

Click PLAY on the video above to hear Minaj’s full recount of her experience with the Recording Academy.