Ellen: Nicki Minaj American Idol Judge
Pop and rap superstar Nicki Minaj stopped by Ellen to talk about her experiences so far as a judge on American Idol and the new season of the show. Ellen asked her right off the bat why she chose to be a judge on American Idol after all the touring and big music success.
“I figured I’d never get an opportunity to do something that huge,” Nicki Minaj said.

Rap superstar and American Idol judge Nicki Minaj stopped by Ellen to talk about the newest season, her rivalry with Mariah Carey and whether she has a boyfriend. (Featureflash / Shutterstock.com)
Ellen said when she was a judge for American Idol, it was really difficult to tell people the tough truths. Nicki Minaj said she also had a hard time with it, but she was truthful without being mean. She said there was no reason to be mean to the contestants.
Nicki Minaj: American Idol Long Hours
Nicki Minaj said she was not prepared for the long hours of American Idol. She said when you do a show as part of a tour, it takes maybe two, three hours tops. She wasn’t prepared for the eight t0 nine hour days of American Idol.
She said the first day, Ryan Seacrest told her there were 35 contestants to go through and she said why so few? But it ended up taking the whole day.
Ellen: Nicki Minaj vs. Mariah Carey
Nicki Minaj said she heard that fellow judge Mariah Carey didn’t want her on the panel. She thought that was crazy, until the first day, when she felt the cold shoulder from Mariah Carey. So Nicki Minaj said she overcompensated by acting crazier than she normally would have and that was probably the worst solution possible.
Nicki Minaj said she’s now over it and hopes that Mariah Carey is, too. She said she grew up singing Mariah Carey’s songs and that she really looked up to Mariah Carey as an artist.
Nicki Minaj: American Idol Live Shows
Nicki Minaj said she’s not looking forward to the live shows of American Idol, because she wants it to go well. It’s about the contestants, she said, and she’s worried that if someone said something crazy, she would speak her mind.
“It’s going to be good TV,” Ellen said. “If it goes well, great. And if it doesn’t, better.”
Ellen: Who Is Nicki Minaj Dating?
Ellen said that Nicki Minaj has reportedly been seen wearing a wedding ring, but she wasn’t wearing it on Ellen. So Ellen asked her who she was dating.
Nicki Minaj skirted the question and said she’s obviously not married. So Ellen asked her what she would call the man she was dating, if she was dating someone. Nicki Minaj didn’t have an answer.
Ellen: Nicki Minaj Best Friends Necklace
Ellen gave Nicki Minaj two necklaces that when you put them together, form a heart that says, “Best friends forever.” Ellen said that this was for her and Mariah Carey. Nicki wears one and Mariah wears the other. Nicki said she wasn’t sure if Mariah would wear it. Ellen told her to ask her during the live show because, what could Mariah Carey say?
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