If I was a different "kind" of artist, Anaconda would be nominated for best choreo and vid of the year as well.
— NICKI MINAJ (@NICKIMINAJ) July 21, 2015
When the "other" girls drop a video that breaks records and impacts culture they get that nomination.
— NICKI MINAJ (@NICKIMINAJ) July 21, 2015
There were loads more, but the main thrust of it seems to be: Nicki Minaj feels her output is similar to certain white pop stars, and she's getting less recognition for it. For example, Miley Cyrus' "Wrecking Ball"—a video that became a massive talking point because of it's overt sexuality and was a key example used in the argument for YouTube imposing age restrictions on their content—won video of the year in 2014. "Anaconda"—a video with much the same cultural impact, for many of the same reasons—didn't even get nominated. It is nominated for Best Female Video and Best Hip-Hop Video, though. But also, real talk, where the fuck is "Feeling Myself," surely one of the greatest, best styled, and most Tumblr'd collaborations between the two most important women in music in the last twelve months, on this nominations list?If your video celebrates women with very slim bodies, you will be nominated for vid of the year
— NICKI MINAJ (@NICKIMINAJ) July 21, 2015
A lot of publications seem to have left Nicki's reply out of the story, too, framing her in a negative light:@NICKIMINAJ I've done nothing but love & support you. It's unlike you to pit women against each other. Maybe one of the men took your slot..
— Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) July 21, 2015
Basically, Nicki Minaj was making a point about how black women’s influence on pop culture is repeatedly approximated by white artists but not rewarded to the same degree. But we're not talking about that. Nah, we're talking about how Nicki Minaj and Taylor Swift are "embroiled in a row", which they aren't even, and who shutdown who, which isn't the point. As always, it's the media pitting women against each other. Even after Nicki published some follow-up tweets and retweets emphasising that people are missing her point, that she was talking about issues of race in the music industry, not Taylor Swift - the fact that Taylor Swift is even remotely involved has meant that the dominating media dialogue will continue to be about Taylor Swift, and that in itself proves Nicki's point.This whole time, Nicki Minaj has been speaking on behalf of unsung black female entertainers, but now that conversation isn't happening and her original point has been overshadowed by some non-existent Worldstar smackdown.Now breathe. Watch the "Anaconda" video. And admire THAT BANANA CHOPPING SCENE one more time:Follow Emma on Twitter.Huh? U must not be reading my tweets. Didn't say a word about u. I love u just as much. But u should speak on this. @taylorswift13
— NICKI MINAJ (@NICKIMINAJ) July 21, 2015