BTS fans, also known as ARMY, have recently praised Nicki Minaj for indirectly claiming that the South Korean mega group has been “blackballed” by the Western music industry.
Minaj, 39, reportedly spoke up during her radio show, “Queen Radio.” In various clips shared online by fans, Minaj can be heard claiming that certain “rules” have been set up by the Western music industry so that specific artists experience a harder time reaching the top spots on music charts.
“The rules were to make it sure that, never again in the history, would an artist or, in my case, two artists, if you know what I’m talking about, who were being blackballed would be able to go No. 1,” the American rapper says. “The purpose of these rules — and it’s not bashing, it’s just telling you guys the truth — the purpose of these rules were to make sure that you as an artist will always be in need of radio.”
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The American rapper, whose full name is Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty, further claims that those in power hate it when her or BTS’ fan base help their idols’ released songs become successful because that “takes the power out of someone’s hand.”
“And so, if we as a fan base, or let’s say BTS as a fan base, I know you guys… recently saw it happen with that,” she says. “Every time we put out a song, we can do what we do with ‘Say So’ or ‘Trollz,’ then it takes the power out of someone’s hand, and they don’t like that. It’s all about power here.”
For years now, ARMY have raised concerns over how the Western music industry has been purportedly treating their idols. In 2019, several fans rallied on Twitter to call out the Recording Academy after BTS was excluded from the Grammy nomination list for the Album of the Year award. ARMY also claimed that their idols were snubbed at this year’s Grammy Awards back in April.
Many fans took to Twitter to share their thoughts on Minaj’s comments on the matter.
“Nicki Minaj mentions BTS and their fan base on AMP and says they have a lot of power as a fanbase,” one commenter wrote.
“And after all those rules they couldn’t stop Nicki Minaj and BTS from charting high like Nicki just went #2 this year, BTS sitting pretty at #10,” another Twitter user wrote. “Even if they add 200 new rules Barbz and Armys will find the way BC that’s when u actually have fanbase.”
“Nicki Minaj spilling facts!! Billboard is trying to stop BTS and Nicki to reach the top of hot 100 but they’ll still be dominating,” another comment read.
Featured Image via Nicki Minaj (left), HYBE LABELS (right)
