Joe Budden says he's officially cutting ties with Nicki Minaj following her appearance onstage at Turning Point USA's AmericaFest alongside Erika Kirk, the wife of the late conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
During a recent episode of The Joe Budden Podcast, Budden reacted strongly to clips from the event, making it clear that Minaj's involvement crossed a personal line for him. According to Budden, he received multiple phone calls about the appearance before deciding he was finished engaging with or defending the superstar rapper.
"I'm out. I'm done. That was it," Budden said, adding that Minaj's decision marked "the last candle on the cake" for him. He emphasized that his stance wasn't impulsive, arguing that she had ample opportunity to consider how appearing at the event would be perceived.
Budden went on to criticize the politics and messaging associated with Turning Point USA, describing the organization as deeply at odds with values he believes Minaj's music, fanbase, and public image have historically represented.
"I don't even know how much of this conversation I could have, but they're so anti-transgender, which is confusing to me because I've been to the Nicki concert," said Budden. "I'm so confused by so much of what was said on that stage. Extremely disappointed."
"Sometimes how y'all move out there does affect how I view you," Budden continued, saying he would be "a fool" to think Minaj hadn't anticipated backlash. He also labeled the appearance "anti-Black," adding that he found the entire moment chaotic and disappointing.
Budden closed his remarks by making his position unmistakable. He said he no longer wants contact from Minaj or her fans and described the event as a breaking point for him.
Minaj, who has been closely aligning herself with MAGA in recent weeks, has yet to publicly respond to Budden's comments.