What Nicki Minaj’s ‘swollen testicles’ anti-vax controversy is truly hiding: harassment and sexual abuse
Nicki Minaj’s anti-vaccination tweets sent the internet into a storm this past week. However, with news circulating that Minaj is due to testify in court in her husband’s case, we can’t help but wonder, was she trying to distract us? From anti-vax misinformation to a convicted sex-offender husband, it’s a tough time to be a barb right now.
The infamous tweets
Minaj got into hot water this week after she tweeted her explanation for her in-attendance to the MET Gala 2021; she cited concern for the health of her new child as well as her worry about vaccination until further research. But it was her following tweet that really caused the stir.
Citing an example of concern surrounding vaccination, Minaj wrote, “My cousin in Trinidad won’t get the vaccine because his friend got it and became impotent. His testicles became swollen. His friend was weeks away from getting married, now the girl has called off the wedding. So just pray on it and make sure you’re comfortable with your decision, not bullied.”
The tweets created a large heated discourse which permeated all corners of the internet and even, unbelievably, ended up in a UK government press conference with Professor Chris Whitty and Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Although England’s Chief Medical Officer stated that it was a “basic principle of medical ethics” for people to have the right to choose whether or not to get vaccinated, he continued on by saying how “shameful” spreading misinformation is.
“There are also people who go around trying to discourage other people from taking a vaccine, which could be life-saving or prevent them from having life-changing injuries to themselves,” Whitty answered when asked about Minaj’s tweets. “Many of those people, I regret to say, I think know that they are peddling untruths, but they still do it. In my view, they should be ashamed.”
The debate and attitude to Minaj is still ongoing, in fact, it’s dominated the internet. Everywhere you look it’s about these tweets, which is exactly why we’re here to talk about what’s not trending yet should be—the rapper’s husband’s potential ten additional years in jail for failing to register himself as a sex offender. Oops, did you miss that was going on too?
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The crime
Minaj’s husband, Kenneth Petty, is facing some serious legal trouble ahead. Pitchfork reported that Petty was arrested in March 2020 for not registering himself as a sex offender in California, following his move from New York (from where his registration was granted). The charge put to Petty cites that, upon his move to California in July 2019, he failed to register himself within the five working day window when moving.
The report added that the New York State’s Sex Offender Registry states that an individual must declare their status within ten days of change in address to the Division of Criminal Justice Services. In documents obtained by People, Petty’s initial plea was not guilty; however, as of August 2021, a guilty plea deal was agreed upon and later formally logged on 9 September. Petty’s sentencing is due 24 January 2022. Following his March arrest, he was released on a bail of $20,000 and was suspected of still facing similar charges.
Petty’s hearing (9 September), in which he pleaded guilty, fell on the same day Minaj declared that she would not be attending the VMAs, leaving the explanation for “another day.” His sex offender status occurred when he was convicted of first-degree attempted rape in New York in 1995—both him and the victim being 16-years-old at the time of the incident. This is reportedly not the only conviction Petty has faced.
According to records obtained by The Blast, Petty pled guilty to first-degree manslaughter in a shooting of a man in 2002 and served seven years with a sentence of ten. Despite these allegations against him, Minaj continued the relationship and continued his defence. Aside from his plea, another legal situation may have been the real reason for her absence from this year’s MET Gala.
Nicki Minaj’s role in covering her husband’s tracks
Minaj has repeatedly come to Petty’s defence, and in reported Instagram comments responding to the criticism surrounding her relationship, she wrote, “He was 15, she was 16…in a relationship. But go awf Internet. Y’all can’t run my life. Y’all can’t even run y’all own life. Thank you boo.” She just defended him, right? She hasn’t actually done anything. Well, that may not be the case as more serious allegations come forward.
Both Petty and Minaj are being sued by the victim, Jennifer Hough, for allegedly attempting to force her to retract her account of the incident. Hough claimed in her suit that she and her family were continuously contacted by the couple after his California arrest. According to the lawsuit, Minaj was accused of offering $500,000 to a member of Hough’s family in exchange for getting the victim to say that the sexual assault did not take place. Hough herself (as stated in the suit) was allegedly offered on a separate occasion to sign a document recanting her accounts for $20,000.
The lawsuit, filed for intimidation, alleges that Minaj “directly and indirectly intimidated, harassed and threatened [Hough] to recant her legitimate claim that Defendant Petty raped her. In a video posted online and shared by Hollywood Unlocked, Hough tearfully spoke to the couple, “This message is for Nicki Minaj and Kenneth Petty. Tell your people to leave my family alone. Don’t call my fucking family, don’t call my brothers, don’t call anybody. Leave me and my family the fuck alone.”
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If the lawsuit is carried out, it is likely Minaj will have to testify. While her tweets were shocking and warranted some fair criticism, the outrage surrounding this sex-offender’s legal case pales in comparison. And as the singer perpetuates the narrative of ‘being bullied’ into vaccination, she blissfully (and unsurprisingly) forgets the real bullying Petty’s victim has faced.
