It appears that Joe Budden and Nicki Minaj’s long-time association has come to an end following Minaj’s appearance at the latest Turning Point USA event with Erika Kirk.
Budden announced the decision on a recent episode of The Joe Budden Podcast after clips of the event began circulating online. The New Jersey rapper’s co-hosts would agree with the decision.
Minaj appeared onstage at the conservative conference alongside Erika Kirk, the wife of the late right-wing activist Charlie Kirk. The appearance quickly drew attention across hip-hop and political spaces, prompting debate about Minaj’s increasingly visible alignment with MAGA-affiliated figures.
Budden said he received multiple phone calls alerting him to Minaj’s participation before he watched the footage himself. After seeing the clips, he said his response was final.
“I’m out. I’m done. That was it,” Budden said. He described the moment as “the last candle on the cake,” signaling the end of any public support or personal engagement.
Budden emphasized that his reaction was not impulsive. He said Minaj had time to consider the implications of appearing at the event and how it would be received by her audience. According to Budden, the optics alone made the decision difficult to reconcile.
He also criticized Turning Point USA directly, arguing that its political positions conflict with the values historically associated with Minaj’s music and fan base.
“I don’t even know how much of this conversation I could have,” Budden said. “They’re so anti-transgender, which is confusing to me because I’ve been to the Nicki concert.”
Joe Budden Says He’s Done With Nicki Minaj After Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest With Erika Kirk
Budden said the disconnect between Minaj’s past messaging and the event’s ideology felt impossible to ignore. He described his reaction as disappointment rather than surprise.
“Sometimes how y’all move out there does affect how I view you,” he said, adding that he would be “a fool” to believe Minaj had not anticipated backlash.
He went further, labeling the appearance “anti-Black” and saying it felt chaotic and out of step with hip-hop culture. Budden framed his decision as a matter of principle rather than publicity.
The comments come as Minaj faces growing scrutiny for her recent political signaling. She has not publicly responded to Budden’s remarks or addressed the AmericaFest appearance. As debate continues, the episode underscores broader tensions within hip-hop over politics, identity, and public alignment.
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