Nicki Minaj pens a letter to EVE: “Thank you for trying to not do to me what was done to you”

24 September, 2024

Eve and Nicki Minaj. Photo credit: The Hapa Blonde/GC Images; Aliah Anderson/Getty Images

Nicki Minaj has thanked EVE for her “groundbreaking” honesty and not succumbing to the “pressure to compete” with her.

Last week, EVE released her first tell-all memoir Who’s That Girl?: A Memoir and spoke about her time on set filming the 2016 cult classic, Barbershop: The Next Cut. The First Lady of Ruff Ryderz said Minaj, who also starred in the film, earned her respect during the shoot.

“I’ve lived through what happens when women project their own insecurities onto other women,” she wrote (per The Neighborhood Talk). “It happened at the start of my career and continued in waves as my fame grew. I wasn’t going to be that woman to someone else, but in order to do that, I had to physically and mentally prepare myself.”

She added that, when they shot their scenes together, there were “no problems” and “was nothing like what I had expected”.

The Philadelphia rapper also wrote about seeing Minaj “writing songs on her bus in between takes, hurrying off set to go hit some show dates over the weekend and then come right back on set for these 12-to-16-hour shoots, all while trying to hold together her personal life and her relationship”. It made her realise that she “didn’t envy her”.

“I kind of wanted to give her a hug,” she continued. “I thought I was going to resent her, and really all I felt was compassion. I remembered being that person, the girl who felt like she had to do it all. The girl who was pressured to do it all, because it was all eyes on her. Instead of feeling insecure around Nicki, I started to sympathise with her.”

In response, Minaj shared a letter on X/Twitter, praising EVE for being so candid. “Dear Eve, the various things you’ve shared recently are groundbreaking (in my opinion) for so many reasons,” she began.

“First, thank you. The level of grace; the level of emotional [and] spiritual maturity it takes to be this vulnerable [and] transparent is a sign of TRUE peace, happiness, fulfilment, [and] mastery of self. Self-reflection [at] its height,” she went on. “I always say that I think accountability is the sexiest trait a person can have.
“I was one of the kids in NY watching Ruff Ryderz on TV. I DEFINITELY remember how when you took the game by storm, that there were some ppl who couldn’t hide their insecurities. Even tho it’s swept under the rug now, I remember that you handled it with grace but ALSO a big sprinkle of unapologetic TALENT [and] charisma.
“You soared [and] soared. [Made] classic music [with] the illest team to the BIG SCREEN. And made it look easy, too. Trendsetter. The EVE blonde short [hair]cut, the EVE paw print tats on the chest. I was so nervous coming onto that movie set every day. You looked like a pro [and] I admired that so much.”
Minaj continued: “Thank you for trying to not do to me what was done to you. Women feel so much pressure to compete [and] it’s a shame because we usually have so much in common [and] could really benefit from one another just as human beings. We all share so many of the same experiences as artists, wives, [and] moms: ups [and] downs, anxiety, etc.
“I remember telling a friend of mine that I didn’t think you liked me after our first day on set together but you know something crazy? I swear. I KNEW that YOU could tell deep down inside that I really liked YOU. So you went easy on me. LOL. Loved the way the movie turned out.”
Minaj ended her message by sending blessings to EVE and her “beautiful” family, as well as congratulating her on her new book and “many accomplishments in Hip Hop [and] Film [and] TV”. “P.S. You STILL look sooooo pretty,” she added.

EVE’s debut book was released on September 17 via Hanover Square Press.

In other news, Minaj received backlash for mocking laid-off Atlantic Records employees as she joked, “UPS is hiring”.

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