On May 25, 2018, Nicki Minaj announced via Instagram the release of “Big Bank,”a track by YG featuring herself, Big Sean, and 2 Chainz. In a video she shared, Minaj was lip-syncing a short verse from her rap on the track that goes:
“Told ’em I met Slim Shady. Bagged an EM”
This line sparked speculation about Minaj possibly dating, and when a fan inquired in the comments, her reply was a simple “yes.”Eminem then joined the conversation, commenting: “Girl, you know it’s true.”
Minaj humorously replied: “Babe, I thought we were gonna keep it on the low til the wedding. Yikes. I’ll talk to you when I get home.”
However, it was later clarified that their banter was made in jest and held no serious implications. While they have never dated, let’s take a look back at the flirty exchanges they’ve had over the years.
Exploring the Flirty Banter Between Nicki Minaj and Eminem
October 2010: Collaboration on “Roman’s Revenge”
On October 30, 2010, Nicki Minaj released “Roman’s Revenge,”which was viewed as a diss track aimed at her rival Lil Kim. This track marked her first collaboration with Eminem.
Both rappers embodied their alter egos in the song—Nicki transformed into Roman Zolanski, and Eminem became Slim Shady. “Roman’s Revenge”reached number 56 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and was later featured on Minaj’s debut album, “Pink Friday.”During a 2010 MTV interview, she described it as “the most fun song on Pink Friday.”
May 2011: Eminem’s Playful Comments in “Fast Lane”
Approximately six months after “Roman’s Revenge,”Eminem and Royce da 5’9″(Bad Meets Evil) released their debut EP, “Hell: The Sequel.”The lead single, “Fast Lane,”premiered on YouTube on May 3, 2011.
Eminem’s verse in the track included an explicit reference to Nicki Minaj, which was perceived as playful teasing. He referred to Minaj as a “nice, nice lady”and expressed his desire for intimacy.
July 2013: Minaj’s Response in Ciara’s “I’m Out”
After a two-year wait, Nicki Minaj fired back at Eminem in the explicit version of Ciara’s “I’m Out,”released on July 1, 2013. In the track, Minaj criticized Eminem, stating:
“Man, f*** you and your lady, gun butt you, ’cause you Shady.”
December 2014: Praises from Eminem in Vegas
On December 28, 2014, the duo appeared together in the track “Vegas,”where Eminem referenced Minaj’s song “Lookin A**”by sharing an ice-related pun, saying:
“Hundred on the wrist, I ski/ You’re lucky just to follow my ride/ If I let you run alongside the Humvee/ Unless you’re Nicki, grab you by the wrist, let’s ski.”
October 2016: Birthday Greetings from Nicki
On October 18, 2016, Nicki Minaj sent Eminem a “Happy Birthday”message on Instagram. In her post caption, Minaj reflected on their collaboration from six years prior and expressed her affection for the rapper.
Eminem quickly reacted, giving her a shout-out when thanking his fans for the birthday wishes on X. Minaj later shared a screenshot of his tweet on her Instagram profile as well.
October 2017: Nicki Acknowledges Eminem’s Influence
In October 2017, during XXL magazine’s 20th-anniversary special featuring major hip-hop artists, Nicki Minaj spoke about her influences. She named Eminem among those who significantly impacted her style:
“As a fan of rap, I think I would say the people that have influenced me the most with the way I rap, that would definitely be Lil Wayne, JAY-Z, Foxy Brown, Eminem.”
May 2018: Eminem’s Crowd Query at Boston Calling Festival
Shortly after Minaj’s Instagram announcement about “Big Bank,”rumors about her dating Eminem surfaced.
During his performance at the Boston Calling Festival in May 2018, Eminem playfully asked the audience whether he should date Nicki Minaj. The crowd’s enthusiastic response prompted him to declare:
“Well, goddammit, me too… Nicki, if you get this message, just text me later, we’ll talk about it.”
Nicki later tweeted back, calling Eminem “a good”person like herself, suggesting their first date should be in a studio.
However, it’s worth noting that Minaj was in a relationship with Kenneth Petty at that time and married him a year later.
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