Nicki Minaj is once again speaking her truth—and this time, she’s calling out the Recording Academy for what she sees as years of inconsistency and snubbing.
During a Stationhead livestream on Thursday, July 10, the Pink Friday 2 rapper revealed that the Grammys had invited her to join their board—an offer she respectfully declined.
“At one point, the Grammys asked me to be on the board. I appreciated it,” Nicki said, describing it as a “very, very, very kind gesture.”
“But my integrity couldn’t allow me to sit on the board of something that made absolutely no sense to me and to anyone that understands.”
Nicki confirmed the offer came prior to the release of her 2023 album, Pink Friday 2, but she made it clear: her principles wouldn’t allow her to accept a position with an organization that has never recognized her with a Grammy win—despite 12 nominations spanning her career.
“Why would I be sitting on the board if I don’t have a Grammy?” she asked pointedly.
A Long-Standing Rift with the Recording Academy
Nicki’s tense relationship with the Grammys dates back to 2012, when she was slated to perform Roman Holiday at the ceremony. However, Whitney Houston’s untimely death the day before the show led producers to suggest pulling her performance, citing concerns about timing and sensitivity.
Still, Nicki refused to back out:
“Even then it made absolutely no sense. This is after I had done a bunch of commercials with L.L. Cool J to promote the Grammys,” she recalled.
“After I did everything they asked, they told me not to perform. I said, ‘No, I’m going to perform.’”
Nicki Minaj reveals the Grammys Recording Academy asked her if she’d like a spot on their board but she politely declined.
“ I appreciated it, I thought that was a very very kind gesture but my integrity couldn’t allow me to accept it” pic.twitter.com/2Xj462mqV6
— She’s Fishy ➐ (@ShesFishy) July 11, 2025
The now-infamous exorcism-themed performance drew heavy attention and criticism. Nicki has long suggested that this moment led to a decade-long snub by the Academy, despite her undeniable cultural impact and chart success.
Barbz React: “Give Her the Flowers Already”
Following her latest comments, fans have taken to social media to call out the Recording Academy’s failure to honor one of rap’s most trailblazing women.
With multiple platinum albums, iconic collaborations, and her status as the most-charted female rapper in Billboard Hot 100 history, many believe Nicki deserves not just one Grammy—but several.
As she continues to command global attention, Nicki Minaj’s rejection of the Academy’s board invite is a powerful reminder: recognition without respect isn’t enough.
