Nicki Minaj Apologizes For Using Malcolm X To Promote New Single

Nicki Minaj has responded to the outcry over her use of a civil rights icon’s image to promote her new single.
On Wednesday, the hip-hop star released artwork on her website to promote her new single, “Looking A-- N-----.” It featured the late Malcolm X holding an high-powered rifle while looking out a window, with her name and the single title superimposed on the image. (According to USA Today, the image is from a 1964 issue of Ebony magazine.)

Minaj immediately felt criticism upon posting the artwork, and took to Instagram Thursday to address the backlash. She posted a photo of herself from the the single's video shoot holding a rifle, along with a lengthy message addressing her critics.
“What seems to be the issue now?” she wrote. “Do you have a problem with me referring to the people Malcolm X was ready to pull his gun out on as Lookin A-- N-----? Well, I apologize.”

“That was never the official artwork nor is this an official single,” she continued. “This is a conversation. Not a single. I am in the video shooting at Lookin A-- N----- and there happened to be an iconic photo of Malcolm X ready to do the same thing for what he believed in!!!! It is in no way to undermine his efforts and legacy.”
Minaj’s black-and-white video features the star in a desert setting, taking aim at men who she accuses of doing her wrong.

Minaj concluded the note with an apology to the civil rights leader’s family, and the image has been removed from her website. As for the song, it will be featured on Young Money's album “Rise Of An Empire,” due out March 11, as well as her forthcoming third album, “The Pink Print.”
But while the video for ‘Looking A-- N-----’ has dropped, the “Super Bass” singer told radio DJ Angie Martinez Friday that the album itself does not have a release date.

“You'll never know when it's coming until it just come,” Minaj said. When Martinez asked if she was emulating Beyonce’s strategy of a surprise album release, the star said that she "won't set a release date until the album is really done, and until I've lived with it for a long time."
“I'm not going to pull a B," she added. “I'm just going to chill for a second and see how it goes."

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