Y’all know Nicki Minaj is quick to call out racism or sexism when she’s the victim of it. She consistently speaks about the way she’s treated in the industry as a woman. She called out MTV and their nomination of videos that didn’t feature diverse body types and now, she’s coming for shoe designer Giuseppe Zanotti.
Nicki tweeted this earlier today.
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">This is wonderful. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GiuseppeZanotti?src=hash">#GiuseppeZanotti</a> seems to think it's ok to name his sneakers after me but his PR says they won't take our call. Lol.</p>
— NICKI MINAJ (@NICKIMINAJ) <a href="https://twitter.com/NICKIMINAJ/status/827552551742607360">February 3, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I met <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GiuseppeZanotti?src=hash">#GiuseppeZanotti</a> years ago. At which time, he told me I inspired him to design a sneaker in my honor. Wore them on the cover of Cosmo</p>
— NICKI MINAJ (@NICKIMINAJ) <a href="https://twitter.com/NICKIMINAJ/status/827553011912286208">February 3, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Recently when he gave other artists capsule collections, my agency reached out and was told they're not taking our call.</p>
— NICKI MINAJ (@NICKIMINAJ) <a href="https://twitter.com/NICKIMINAJ/status/827553899439599617">February 3, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Just go on google, you'll see all the different pairs he's named after me. Lil black girl can inspire u but ain't worth a collection my nig?</p>
— NICKI MINAJ (@NICKIMINAJ) <a href="https://twitter.com/NICKIMINAJ/status/827554643395883009">February 3, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RunMeMyCHECK?src=hash">#RunMeMyCHECK</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GiuseppeWhatsGood?src=hash">#GiuseppeWhatsGood</a> I got time today. barbz trend this cuz he gon learn today. The racism & disrespect won't b tolerated.</p>
— NICKI MINAJ (@NICKIMINAJ) <a href="https://twitter.com/NICKIMINAJ/status/827557286516240384">February 3, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Don't care about the money. It's just the disrespect. You're not taking MY call? Lol. Give some money to charity in my name or smthn.</p>
— NICKI MINAJ (@NICKIMINAJ) <a href="https://twitter.com/NICKIMINAJ/status/827560879889735681">February 3, 2017</a></blockquote>
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If you’re confused about what Nicki is referring to, allow one of her fans to enlighten us. Giuseppe has not 1, 5, or even 10 shoes named after her. He has 23. Twenty-three. A fan took some snapshots from the internet.
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">In total there are 23 different shoes named after her <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RunMeMyCHECK?src=hash">#RunMeMyCHECK</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GiuseppeWhatsGood?src=hash">#GiuseppeWhatsGood</a> <a href="https://t.co/jIw94bAXi0">pic.twitter.com/jIw94bAXi0</a></p>
— Tom Ford (@ThatShadyCunt) <a href="https://twitter.com/ThatShadyCunt/status/827559076288659456">February 3, 2017</a></blockquote>
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It’s a good thing he collected the receipts because not even an hour after Nicki’s first tweet, #GiuseppeWhatsGood started trending worldwide. It was number one in the U.K, number two in Switzerland and then four in Brazil.
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">U know what I gotta go. My phone ringing. Tell Floyd, Fif & Mike Tyson to book me for the next fight. Me and Giuseppe. after cb & Draco</p>
— NICKI MINAJ (@NICKIMINAJ) <a href="https://twitter.com/NICKIMINAJ/status/827569602183966720">February 3, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Within an hour, Giuseppe removed all shoes named after Nicki from his website.
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Well that's a start. Guess they taking calls now... <a href="https://t.co/wferAGj2h8">https://t.co/wferAGj2h8</a></p>
— NICKI MINAJ (@NICKIMINAJ) <a href="https://twitter.com/NICKIMINAJ/status/827578444510875648">February 3, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Nicki continued, speaking up against those who tried to dissuade her from speaking out publicly.
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Women are always shamed by other when speaking up in the work place. That's why women cont. to earn less. Jada spoke up & Oscars madeAchange</p>
— NICKI MINAJ (@NICKIMINAJ) <a href="https://twitter.com/NICKIMINAJ/status/827606553062735874">February 3, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Scarlett spoke on her pay vs. her male co-stars & was shamed by other women as well. WakeUp! This is our work place! Just like u have yours!</p>
— NICKI MINAJ (@NICKIMINAJ) <a href="https://twitter.com/NICKIMINAJ/status/827607476988153858">February 3, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Again, she reiterated that it’s not about the money. In fact, she was willing to donate the proceeds to charity.
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I'd like them to donate to St. Jude's Children's hospital on my behalf. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GiuseppeWhatsGood?src=hash">#GiuseppeWhatsGood</a> Giorgina, I don't wanna post your email.</p>
— NICKI MINAJ (@NICKIMINAJ) <a href="https://twitter.com/NICKIMINAJ/status/827610147140861953">February 3, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Just imagine if I walked into your office building & told you not to take a meeting with your boss regarding a deserved pay increase. lol</p>
— NICKI MINAJ (@NICKIMINAJ) <a href="https://twitter.com/NICKIMINAJ/status/827610781839671297">February 3, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">This isn't a sneaker. Zanotti spoke to me on the first sneaker. But 23 pairs of sneakers later & u still don't wanna break bread?!?! yikes</p>
— NICKI MINAJ (@NICKIMINAJ) <a href="https://twitter.com/NICKIMINAJ/status/827611863697485824">February 3, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GiuseppeWhatsGood?src=hash">#GiuseppeWhatsGood</a> I'll match whatever you give to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StJudesChildrensHospital?src=hash">#StJudesChildrensHospital</a> up to half a million dollars. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/23PairsOfSneakersLater?src=hash">#23PairsOfSneakersLater</a> yikes</p>
— NICKI MINAJ (@NICKIMINAJ) <a href="https://twitter.com/NICKIMINAJ/status/827617021890289666">February 3, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Listen, whether you agree with the method or not, she absolutely has a point. And if you ask me, the means seem necessary since they didn’t even have the decency to answer the phone. What was she supposed to do? Send an email that would have ended up in the trash folder? No, she rallied the people around a conversation that needs to happen not only with Nicki Minaj but with several women in our country and world. You can't use a woman's brand and persona to make money for your company and then prevent her from benefitting as well. It's not right and it's not okay. Most importantly, it seems that the conversation resulted in change. In the type of times we’re living in, when we feel helpless against the frequent and consistent injustices going on in our government, we need to feel like we can use our voice and power to bring equality and fairness in any arena. And while Nicki Minaj has money to blow and has “made it” many times over, her celebrity doesn’t make her exempt from that.
<span class="im"><i>Veronica Wells is the culture editor at MadameNoire.com. She is also the author of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Bettah-Days-Veronica-R-Wells/dp/1535549866" target="_blank" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.amazon.com/Bettah-Days-Veronica-R-Wells/dp/1535549866&source=gmail&ust=1486223337100000&usg=AFQjCNH-D00Hy3z1Y6nowRhP3_9wn1CXmA">“Bettah Days.”</a> You can follow her on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/veronicarwells" target="_blank" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.facebook.com/veronicarwells&source=gmail&ust=1486223337100000&usg=AFQjCNEI6aaDYDbw5GHIGInrCq6IHxMETQ">Facebook</a> and Twitter<a href="https://twitter.com/VDubShrug" target="_blank" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://twitter.com/VDubShrug&source=gmail&ust=1486223337100000&usg=AFQjCNFgWQd6XNa0Zs-0XgNmxgOdNRJPbA"> @VDubShrug.</a></i> </span>
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