Once deemed a power couple in the hip-hop world, Nicki Minaj and Meek Mill’s two-year relationship concluded in 2017 (rumors of which had begun in late 2016, to be precise). The former rapper officially broke the news on X, formerly Twitter, when she confirmed she was single and ‘focusing’ on her work.
In the tapestry of pop-culture affairs, a break-up in the public eye could either culminate in a nasty aftermath or end on civil terms. In their case, who many fans dubbed ‘Omeeka,’ an in-person shouting match and a heated social media feud years down the line suggested the two were anything but friendly. Even before that, many observed shade being thrown from both parties.
Let’s take a closer glimpse at what went down.
What Caused The Break-Up Between Nicki Minaj And Meek Mill?
The burgeoning romance between rappers Meek Mill and Nicki Minaj was confirmed in 2015. This transpired after the latter’s split from Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood’s Safaree Samuels, whom she dated for over a decade. Previously, Mill had posted a thirsty tweet about the Starships singer as early as 2010 (via Revolt). In late 2014, dating rumors quickly swirled when the former was featured on two tracks on Minaj’s The Pinkprint.
At the time, the Trinidadian-born rapper flatly dismissed the prospects of a potential relationship. “We’re friends,” she said when she appeared on Power 106 FM.
Things would soon turn around, though. The curtain that had shrouded their relationship was eventually lifted in 2015, following a few shared selfies and pictures suggesting their growing proximity. The two were initially tight-lipped on the matter, but confirmations came from both sides soon enough.
And, while it appeared that their romance, which was primarily the subject of tabloid conjecture, could withstand whatever life threw at them, including rap beefs, house arrests, and even drama with former partners, rumors of trouble in paradise began in late 2016. Cryptic, subliminal Instagram posts—or at least that’s how it appeared at the time—came from Nicki Minaj’s side.
One of the posts contained a quote that read, “Your value doesn’t decrease based on someone’s inability to see your worth.” The other one was a picture of Chanel slippers, with the caption containing lyrics from Beyoncé’s Best Thing I Never Had. You could tell how confounding these posts had been at the time.
After intrigue struck many fans, who awaited an official confirmation, the Pink Friday alum took to X in January 2017 to confirm what most had suspected. She asserted, “To confirm, yes, I am single.”
Upon news of the breakup, an insider offered E! News the probable details of the former rap couple’s relationship and why Mill and Minaj were compelled to split. The tipster had affirmed, “They were fighting on and off for a little while about a few topics that upset Nicki. They had a bigger fight and then called it quits,”
The unraveling of their relationship, which many had earlier believed would lead to their engagement, was attributed to alleged communication issues.
The Post Break-up Feud Between Nicki Minaj And Meek Mill
After their short-lived romance crumbled, initial reports suggested they would be on amicable terms. But that turned out to be just as fleeting as the relationship. In 2017, Mill mentioned Minaj on one of the tracks of his third studio album, Wins & Losses. In 1942 Flows, he raps, “So when you see me out, don’t ask me about no Nicki.”
Intended as a direct response or not, Nicki Minaj herself would reciprocate this energy a year later in her 2018 single Barbie Dreams. It must be mentioned that she named several of her fellow musicians in this track. She said of Mill, “Meek still be in my DMs, I be having to duck him.”
In an interview with Vulture, the Dreams and Nightmares star later addressed the jab, clarifying that he was never in Minaj’s DMs. “I definitely wasn’t in nobody’s DMs. And definitely wasn’t nobody ducking me, shit. That’s a fact…I actually was laughing at it, too.”
What many initially took as an innocuous ‘shade’ quickly became a highly-publicized feud that birthed some dreadful accusations on both sides. It started in 2018, after Nicki Minaj’s new relationship with convicted s*x offender Kenneth Petty came to light. When a fan asked Mill to share his thoughts, he responded:
“I don’t feel nothing … and I don’t know that man to judge him … I went to check him out on her page and found out I was blocked.”
In 2019, there was no further noise. However, in 2020, things would escalate to a level that made rap fans gape in awe at the unfolding developments. TMZ obtained footage of a verbal altercation between Minaj and her husband, Petty, and Meek Mill at a high-end clothing store. At the time, nobody could make out what started the public quarrel. But it was messy, to put it mildly.
This incident would precede the highly controversial heated exchange between the two former lovers on X (via Complex).
Mill and Minaj traded sharp barbs in a social media showdown and leveled some serious allegations. The latter accused the now-36-year-old rapper of abuse against women, while the former called out the Tusa singer for allegedly defending her brother, who was then recently sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for predatory s*xual assault against a child.
While the two rappers have since moved on with their respective lives after a dreadful aftermath to their fleeting romance, the moments they shared, including their terrible fallout, reverberate in rap history.
Recently, Nicki Minaj was making headlines for a feud between her and fellow rap star Megan Thee Stallion.
On the other hand, Meek Mill became involved in speculations surrounding the latest s*xual harassment and assault lawsuit filed by producer Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones against rapper Diddy. In the suit, the latter was accused of sleeping with “a Philadelphia rapper who dated Nicki Minaj” (via Yahoo! News).
With social media users connecting the dots to conclude the person in question is Mill, the Early Mornings singer has since vehemently denied such allegations and his involvement on X.
