S. Samuel
Hip-hop veteran Redman has become the latest artist to weigh in on the recent war of words between the Queen Bee Lil Kim and Young Money star Nicki Minaj.
Red believes both rapstresses should come together for collaborative purposes and joined as a force against their competition.
“First of all, Lil Kim is my motherf*cking heart,” Red said in an interview. “I don’t play when it comes to her. So don’t play. Nicki Minaj, I told y’all last time, [I thought] she was fire. She’s letting these b*tches out here know who she is. As far as the beef on it, as far as the beef on it, to be very f*cking honest, that if Nicki Minaj didn’t pay homage to Kim or even shout her out — then I want to pinpoint what is Kim’s beef. That’s what I’m trying to pinpoint out. I don’t think Kim came out dissing her. She came out giving her mad props I heard, mad homage. Honestly, I think Lil Kim should have just [said], ‘eh, you know, you pay homage and everybody know she got my style, yo, we’re gonna do a record. I’m gonna put her up under my wing. Maybe she can show me something and I can show her something.'” (Vlad TV)
Last week, Bad Boy Records CEO Diddy spoke out on his love and respect for both women.
“My whole take on the situation is that I love Lil Kim no matter what’s going on, no matter what’s being said,” Diddy said in an interview with Funkmaster Flex. “Kim definitely has a responsibility for my success. Me working with Nicki Minaj has nothing to do with going against Kim. When Kim works with other producers, when she raps with other artists, I’m not getting upset. It’s not a problem…I think a lot of us who have been here for a long time including yourself, Flex, we have inspired a lot of people. We have motivated a lot of people, we have touched a lot of people in a certain way. We have been those cats that people aspire to be. I wouldn’t be around Nicki if I ever heard [anything] negative said about Kim. I’ve never heard [anything] like that.” (“Funkmaster Flex Show”)
R&B singer Keri Hilson took a similar stance when recently asked about the dispute.
“I don’t really know what to think of that beef,” Hilson said in an interview. “I don’t put too much thought into it because you don’t really know what’s really going on. I know because I’ve had similar ‘rivalries’ and I know how much was spun by the media — I know there’s something there, I’ve seen enough to know there’s something there but I don’t know what to base it on. I’ll say this, I respect both of them. Lil Kim is a pioneer for females in rap and rapping and being as vulgar and forthcoming as she was. She definitely was one of them and Nicki Minaj is doing her own thing. Of course she’s said she was inspired by Lil Kim and we can see that. I don’t think that means that they have to compete. You can be inspired by so much in life and still carve out a lane for yourself, which is what Nicki Minaj has done.” (Rap-Up)
From her female rapper perspective, Trina gave her thoughts on their bickering last week.
“I don’t think it’s good for hip-hop,” Trina said in an interview with reporter Peter Bailey. “I think hip-hop, especially when it comes to women, needs to unify. I think there needs to be a bridge that’s built together because you have so many new and upcoming artists that’s trying to actually get in the hip-hop genre and be a part of it and I think they get drowned in the midst of it. I think we’re all adults, we’re all grown and we need to handle our business like women. Just continue to do what we’re here to do and that’s make music and just be great people.” (NiteCap)
Check out Redman’s interview below:
