The Queen of Rap, Nicki Minaj recently made waves online after publicly calling out Jay-Z over a massive payout she claims she’s still owed to the tune of $100 million to $200 million. While making it clear that Hov still holds a spot in her top 5, Nicki had one direct message: “Pay up.”
According to Minaj, the money stems from her early involvement in Jay-Z’s Tidal streaming platform. When Tidal launched in 2015, Nicki was one of the few high-profile artists brought in as a partner, alongside names like Beyoncé, Rihanna, and J. Cole. The idea was simple: artists would co-own the platform and share in its long-term profits.
However, after Jay-Z sold Tidal to Jack Dorsey’s Square Inc. (now Block Inc.) in a deal reportedly worth $297 million, Nicki claims she was only offered $1 million — far less than what she believes she’s entitled to based on her original stake and the platform’s valuation.
“I was promised a big payout,” she said, hinting that what she received didn’t reflect her contribution or value. Nicki also shared that if she receives what she’s owed, she plans to use part of it to help her fanbase — offering to send some of her loyal Barbz to college and help pay off student loans. “With interest, too,” she added, pressing Jay-Z to make things right.
Photo: Jamie McCarthy / Getty Images Entertainment / Getty Images
While Jay-Z has not publicly responded, the claims have reignited conversations around artist equity, tech investments, and transparency in business deals within the music industry.
Whether this turns into a legal battle or remains a public pressure campaign, one thing is clear: Nicki Minaj is demanding what she believes she earned — and she’s doing it on her own terms.
Photo Getty Images