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Over the past few years, it would probably be fair to say that Stan Culture has been a little … well, toxic. From the BeyHive to the Swifties, fan wars on social media have gotten out of hand on more than one occasion, leading to people being threatened for doing little more than sitting too close to fans’ favorite pop stars.
And the worst perpetrators of all have been the Barbz. Lashing out at any provocation, they’ve terrorized critics of Nicki Minaj so badly that it honestly began to reflect poorly on the rapper herself. After all, most of her peers had made at least the semblance of reining their fans in at their worst; sometimes it seemed as though Nicki encouraged the bad behavior.
But today, finally, after around five or six years of out-of-pocket behavior, it seems Nicki is trying to call them in and calm them down. In a post on her Instagram Story, Nicki addressed their online bullying, writing, “Dear Barbz, Be sure to never threaten anyone on my behalf. Whether in jest or not, I don’t and never have condoned that. We have an amazing album right around the corner 12/08/23. It feels so surreal and euphoric. Wishing you blessings on blessings.”
Nicki Minaj tells her fans not to threaten anyone on her behalf pic.twitter.com/nbXt9gRDIr
— Hotist (@TheHotist) November 6, 2023
If the timing seems convenient — coming as Nicki faces multiple legal actions over the Barbz’s near-constant boundary stepping — at least it’s something. As the saying goes, “Better late than never.”