“Let’s lift Nigerian artists up with wisdom, they’re very logical” – Nicki Minaj praises Afrobeats stars in powerful new statement

 Global rap icon and multi-platinum superstar Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty, better known as Nicki Minaj, has once again shown her unwavering love and admiration for Nigerian music and its creators, urging the international community to support Afrobeats artists “with wisdom” while highlighting their intelligence and strategic brilliance.

The Queen of Rap made the statement during a surprise appearance on Instagram Live late Wednesday night, where she addressed the recent wave of collaborations, chart success, and global recognition of Nigerian artists including Burna Boy, Wizkid, Davido, Rema, Asake, Tems, Ayra Starr, and others.

In her words:

“I need y’all to really hear me on this: Let’s lift Nigerian artists up with wisdom. These people are very logical. Very smart. They move differently. They understand longevity, they understand branding, they understand culture. I study them the same way some of y’all study me. The way they protect their peace, the way they control their narrative — that’s masterclass level.”

Nicki Minaj, who has previously collaborated with Nigerian Afrobeats stars such as Davido and Skengdo and featured artists like Lil Kesh and Ycee early in their careers, emphasized that the rise of Nigerian music is not accidental but the result of calculated excellence.

“Afrobeats is not a trend. It’s a movement built by extremely intelligent people who know exactly what they’re doing. From the music, to the visuals, to the business — everything is intentional. That’s why it’s lasting,” she continued.

The Trinidadian-born rapper also called out industry gatekeepers and media outlets for what she described as inconsistent coverage and selective praise of African artists.

“When certain people do numbers, it’s celebrated for weeks. When Nigerian artists do bigger numbers — sometimes triple — it’s crickets or ‘it’s just streaming.’ No. Give them their flowers properly. With wisdom means with respect, with understanding, and without the subtle shade.”

The live session, which peaked at over 450,000 concurrent viewers, quickly went viral across social media, with Nigerian artists and fans flooding timelines with gratitude. The phrase “with wisdom” instantly became a trending topic in Nigeria, Ghana, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Responses from Nigerian artists:

Burna Boy reposted the clip with the caption: “The Queen has spoken. Odogwu respects Queen.”

Tems wrote: “Thank you, Onika. We see you. We love you.”

Davido commented: “Biggest ever! Thank you for always seeing us.”

Asake simply wrote: “Nicki na Baba”

Nicki Minaj closed her statement by teasing potential future collaborations, saying:

“I’m not done with Afrobeats. Not even close. The next one go shock una.”

This latest endorsement further cements Nicki Minaj’s position as one of the most vocal and consistent international supporters of Nigerian music on the global stage.