In the wake of A$AP Rocky's continued detainment in Sweden for alleged assault, many stars have been speaking out online in support of him. However, Nicki Minaj's #FreeASAP post in particular is facing some fan backlash.
Yesterday, Minaj took to her Twitter to discuss how policies and politics of varying foreign countries can affect artists. As such, the rapper alleged that she once had guns pulled on her by police while performing in Jamaica. Why?
"They were ready 2 take me to jail b/c they said I forgot to bleep a couple curses," Minaj tweeted alongside the #FreeASAP tag. "I could make one mistake & go to jail in a diff country where women have no rights."
I performed in Jamaica before & when i got off the stage I was surrounded by police with guns drawn. They were ready 2 take me to jail b/c they said I forgot to bleep a couple curses.... I could make one mistake & go to jail in a diff country where women have no rights. #FreeAsap
— MEGATRON (@NICKIMINAJ) July 10, 2019
That said, her post also came on the heels of her decision to pull out of Saudi Arabia's Jeddah World Fest — a determination spurred by the fans and activists protesting against the country's treatment of the LGBTQ community, as well as its restrictions on freedom of expressions and women's rights.
Given this, Minaj's #FreeASAP tweet ended up confusing many fans, some of whom felt the rapper was making a false equivalency between Jamaica's government and Saudi Arabia's record of human rights oppression.
"You were fined $10 USD for using expletives on stage, you tweeted 'I had the time of my life at Reggae Sumfest… Jamaica I fell in love tonight.' Please do not compare Jamaica to Saudi Arabia," one user wrote. Another responded to Minaj's tweet by asking, "As a Jamaican woman I would love for you to explain how we have no rights here?"
This doesn't make any sense. After the Sumfest performance in 2011 where you were fined $10 USD for using expletives on stage, you tweeted “I had the time of my life at Reggae Sumfest… Jamaica I fell in love tonight.”
— Vanessa Williams (@VirtuouzlyNessa) July 10, 2019
Please do not compare Jamaica to Saudi Arabia.
As a Jamaican woman I would love for you to explain how we have no rights here? pic.twitter.com/iPxlE19Ddm
— Brie (@AkaPicaChoo) July 10, 2019
Women have no rights in Jamaica??! pic.twitter.com/CLqDmBaRlJ
— iB Konteh (@ibkonteh) July 10, 2019
Others chimed in by saying that what allegedly happened to Minaj was being blown out of proportion.
"When you perform as an artist in jamaica and cursed certain words you pay a small fee that's the law ! Police in jamaica and Trinidad guns are always out since they carry assault rifles !" he wrote. "Don't make it seem like anything else."
When you perform as an artist in jamaica and cursed certain words you pay a small fee that’s the law ! Police in jamaica and Trinidad guns are always out since they carry assault rifles ! Don’t make it seem like anything else thank you 🙏🏾!
— oscar (@oscargenius28) July 10, 2019
Meanwhile, some were just confused about what her story had to do with A$AP Rocky's predicament.
Sis what does this have to do with ASAP ROCKY
— slayit (@kimhofpetty) July 10, 2019
Following the backlash though, Minaj — who has strong Caribbean roots herself — responded to the criticism with an attempted clarification.
"Ummm for the ppl in the back, I wasn't saying Jamaica doesn't have women's rights," Minaj wrote. "I gave an example of what happened in JA to explain how easy it would be to do one thing wrong in Saudia Arabia b/c I'm not aware of every single rule & be locked up. Everyone knows I love JA. STFU."
Ummm for the ppl in the back, I wasn’t saying Jamaica doesn’t have women’s rights. I gave an example of what happened in JA to explain how easy it would be to do one thing wrong in Saudia Arabia b/c I’m not aware of every single rule & be locked up. Everyone knows I love JA. STFU
— MEGATRON (@NICKIMINAJ) July 10, 2019
Photo via Getty