Nicki Minaj and Azealia Banks — two of America’s most prominent rappers who have spent years locked in a bitter public feud — have found unlikely common ground in backing Kemi Badenoch as Britain’s next Prime Minister, as Labour’s leadership crisis deepens and the political landscape shifts.
Minaj, the Trinidad and Tobago-born rapper behind global hits including Anaconda and Super Freaky Girl, took to X to compare Badenoch to Margaret Thatcher. “The UK is truly one of a kind,” she wrote. “They will portray her in film and TV one day — just like they did with Margaret Thatcher.” Minaj, who has previously described Donald Trump as her “number one fan,” is no stranger to wading into politics on both sides of the Atlantic.
Banks, who has made no secret of her admiration for the Conservative leader in recent months, went further — offering what amounted to a direct appeal to British voters. “Sorry I made fun of you guys in Britain,” she wrote on X. “I rolled over and realised it’s actually no longer a laughing matter and I shouldn’t be making jokes. I hope you all vote Conservative and listen to Kemi Badenoch.” In a later post she declared simply: “She is a star.”
It was a striking moment of unity between the two artists, whose original falling out dates back to 2012 when Banks — best known for the acclaimed single 212 before becoming better known for her social media controversies — reportedly turned down the chance to tour with Minaj to focus on her own debut album. Both attended LaGuardia High School in New York, adding a layer of personal history to their long-running public dispute.
Banks had previously shared a clip of Badenoch speaking in the House of Commons with the message: “Kemi Badenoch is f**king iconic. World leaders will respect her professionalism a lot more than goofball Nigel Farage.”
The endorsements arrive at a moment that could hardly be more turbulent for British politics. Health Secretary Wes Streeting became the latest and most senior figure to resign from Starmer’s government on Thursday, with a formal leadership challenge now widely expected. Badenoch, meanwhile, has insisted the Conservatives are “coming back to get Britain working again” despite losses in last week’s local elections — and she now appears to have picked up some rather unexpected international cheerleaders along the way.
