Fact Check: Did Nicki Minaj slam Angel Reese for her Barbie doll comment?
BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA: After Women’s NBA player Angel Reese sparked a row by stating, "I didn't have dolls that looked like me much," a rumor began circulating on social media platforms claiming that rapper Nicki Minaj slammed Reese for her comments, calling it ‘cheap engagement.’ The claim has sparked criticisms and questions about its authenticity.
Claim: Nicki Minaj slammed Angel Reese's Barbie doll comment
According to the viral claim, Nicki Minaj criticized Angel Reese, stating, “Don’t use the Barbie name for cheap engagement. There were plenty of black Barbie dolls when I was growing up. You’re just seeking attention.”
The claim has spread on multiple social media platforms, including X, Facebook, and Threads, garnering more than a million views as of this writing.
The evoked drew criticism as well as speculation from online users, with many slamming it and agreeing with the rapper, while a few others dismissed it as fake and called for a fact-check.
Fact Check: The claim originated as satire
The claim, however, is false, as there are no records of the rapper making such a remark against the WNBA player’s Barbie comments.
A search on Google for the claim yielded no credible reports, official statements, interviews, or press releases that support the remark.
There are also no records on the rapper’s social media accounts that match the statement.
If the claim were true, prominent news and entertainment media platforms would have made sure to cover it extensively, given Minaj’s popularity and Reese’s controversy.
Moreover, the claim was first posted by a popular satire account on X called ‘Hoops Crave,’ which describes itself in the bio as ‘parody.’
The account has posted several such fake and unverified claims for the sake of engagement.
Angel Reese's Barbie comment sparks backlash
Atlanta Dream forward Reese recently became the second player in WNBA history to have a Barbie doll in her likeness, which drew the ire of many fans after making a controversial claim.
"Honestly, I did not have many dolls because I didn't have dolls that looked like me much," she said when a reporter asked what kind of dolls she played with when she was a little girl.
"And that's why I kind of really wanted to make sure this was super intentional because now they have a doll that looks like you in nails, hair, but can also be a killer on the court as well, so that was important for me when getting the doll."
