Following this year’s MTV Video Music Awards, tension between people connected to Cardi B and people connected to Nicki Minaj boiled over into internet drama, public callouts, and threats.
Nicki Minaj’s husband, Kenneth “Zoo” Petty, was at the center of the situation. Petty and some of his associates shared videos and posts supposedly threatening Cardi B and her husband Offset.
That apparently led to Offset sending one of the men a direct message on Instagram. As the drama played out, social media users began offering their opinions about the dispute.
Kenneth Petty’s 1995 conviction for attempted rape by force also came up. One X (formerly Twitter) user then tried to push a false narrative about one of Cardi B’s family members.
“Cardi B’s father is a convicted [rapist].. and [pedophile] too,” read a tweet from the @yonceonikafenty account. Going by their screen name and timeline, the person appeared to be a fan of Nicki Minaj and a Cardi B critic.
First it was the video lying on Offset, now it’s lies on my dad.. I’m pretty sure ya know offenders have to take a pic every year. Keep it cute on family…Especially offenders, pedos and molesters cuz everybody gonna wanna cry when I start talking about the real p#### snatchers. https://t.co/mrZIy28ek5
— Cardi B (@iamcardib) September 17, 2023
In response, Cardi fired back, “First it was the video lying on Offset, now it’s lies on my dad. I’m pretty sure ya know offenders have to take a pic every year.”
The “Bongos” rapper continued, “Keep it cute on family… Especially offenders, pedos and molesters cuz everybody gonna wanna cry when I start talking about the real p#### snatchers.”
It appeared clear Cardi B was referring to the fact that Kenneth Petty is a registered sex offender. A jury also convicted Nicki Minaj’s brother, Jelani Maraj, of repeatedly raping his 11-year-old stepdaughter.
Nicki Minaj and Kenneth Petty also face legal issues from the woman Zoo was convicted of sexually assaulting. Jennifer Hough sued the couple for stalking and intimidation, claiming they supported threats made against her as a way to force the former New York City resident to recant her story about Petty.