Nicki Minaj’s husband Kenneth Petty faced renewed scrutiny after footage from his 1994 rape case surfaced online. Queens County’s Assistant District Attorney questioned Petty in a taped interrogation on the day his accuser Jennifer Hough said he sexually assaulted her.
Petty pleaded guilty to one count of attempted rape in 1995. Years later, Petty said Hough was a “willing participant” in their 1994 sexual encounter.
Interrogation footage showed Petty lying about the incident. Petty, who was 16 years old, claimed the last time he had sex with Hough was in 1993.
“A year ago, this happened again, like this,” he told the ADA. “I had … I had sex with her, put it like that. And something went down like last year. She was like, she just didn’t wanna mess with me no more. And I musta said something wrong out of my face today that made her upset enough for her to call a rape on me. Because I did not touch that girl, man.”
Petty struggled to remember Hough’s last name and acted confused when the ADA mentioned it. The moment stood out since he had known Hough since pre-school and admitted they briefly dated.
Minaj’s husband denied taking Hough to the house where the sexual assault allegedly took place. He also attempted to explain why he lied to the police about his age.
“’Cause I didn’t know what was going on, ma’am,” he said. “I didn’t know what was going on. Why should I tell him everything when I don’t even know what’s going on. I’m trying to ask him a question and he’s like, ‘How old are you?’ I was like, ’I’m 14’ … I did lie.”
Petty described Hough as a “nice girl” who “does her homework.” His father was in the room with him throughout the interrogation.
Hough sued Petty and Minaj for harassment in 2021. Hough said the couple targeted her for refusing to recant her rape allegations.