My Cousin's Friend

When the internet exploded last week talking about Nicki Minaj's cousin's friend's balls I was surprised but not too much. It's America, after all, and the American public is easily swayed on a topic, especially if social media has a saying on it (wait for this week to be all about some influencer's sordid death and its aftermath). That, of course, comes at the cost of paying attention to much more important issues, like hospitals being overrun by the unvaccinated, voter suppression running rampant and the xtianists preparing a takeover on gay rights after they all but blasted Roe vs. Wade . Prioritizing is not something that the American public seem to be adept at doing. It's the shiny new object what counts. And the more outlandish, the better. Also, this is not the first time that Nicki has flexed her 22-million-followers power, or the first time a rapper has said something deeply stupid. What did surprise me was the immediate takeover this topic made of all media, social and mainstream. Her absolutely improbable and irremediably absurd claim provoked a reaction that I was not expecting.

She was trending on twitter, became a hashtag on Instagram and CNN and MSNBC mentioned her. I was like, 'meh', until Tucker Clarkson (!!) and Candace Owens started mentioning her. When a white supremacist and a grifter jump in your wagon, you've done fucking it up. It was like when Agolf Twitler was constantly saying stupid shit and everybody and their mother were paying attention to him. Hydroxychloroquine, anybody? Suddenly, I had PTSD. I also thought: "if there actually were a 'cancel culture' movement going on, this would be a great moment to prove some people right". But there's no such thing as 'cancel culture', alas. There's only deep stupidity and the advantage some people have to say the most damaging things without any consequences. 

But why would a rapper who had previously had COVID be tweeting incredibly dumb shit about such a polarizing topic? It did not make sense. And why wouldn't somebody who had been a staple at events like the MET Gala and awards shows would suddenly not go to them? Somebody who craves and needs attention and that to this point did not seem tainted by politics? With such an urban-legend lite excuse? It did not compute. 

Then I remembered something that made me reconsider the swollen testicles of Nicki's cousin's friend: her husband is facing rape allegations and also the fallout of failing to register as a sex offender. And she has been defending him while at the same time she's tried to 'convince' his accuser to recant her claim. Very shady. Just like she defended her brother, who was found guilty of raping his former stepdaughter repeatedly when she was 11 years old. Then it all kind of clicked. I'm sure Minaj knows the power those 22+ million followers has. She has sent them after people before, doxxing reporters and people she does not like. But it looks to me that she's using the power of social media (and people's incomprehensible stupidity) to create some kind of smoke screen to divert from her problems and the problems of the sex offenders she loves. 

It's funny how something as simple as getting a vaccine or attending a Gala can derail into a sordid tale of politically motivated name calling, lies easily disproven and even a call from the White House. It's the times we're living in, apparently. Oh, and the next time somebody tells you they're doing 'their research' on whether to get the vaccine just like Nicki, I have got just the right thing for you:

BIOLOGOS

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, so you'll probably be faced with one or three relatives that will tell you they're still 'doing research' about the vaccine. Have them take the test. And let them know that Facehook is NOT a peer-reviewed scientific journal.

XOXO