Videos by According2HipHop
Jay-Z headlined the Roots Picnic in Philadelphia on Saturday (May 30). And after a long hiatus from the rap game, it was clear that Hov had a lot of things to get off his chest.
Jay-Z Appears to Target Nicki Minaj in Roots Freestyle
Hov kicked a freestyle during his stage time. And aimed at several of his opponents. And one of the people who appeared to catch smoke was rap star Nicki Minaj.
“That lady back on that stuff, she sounds like she’s in love with them […] Her Ken can’t even… pick their kid….. enough of them,” he said during the freestyle.
Minaj’s husband, Kenneth Petty, was convicted in April 1995 in New York of first-degree attempted rape of a 16-year-old girl. He served roughly four and a half years in prison. As a result of this conviction, he was classified as a Level 2 sex offender and required to be on the registry.
He also appears to reference Minaj’s political affiliations. She recently aligned herself with the Donald Trump Administration back in 2025.
[…] A rapper can’t be my opp, I got maga republicans […] Those shots came from the very top of the government, good luck with them.”
JAY-Z's full freestyle at Roots Picnic pic.twitter.com/FEeEMuNUqc
— Complex Music (@ComplexMusic) May 31, 2026
Minaj has made her beef with Jay-Z public since last year. After he selected Kendrick Lamar for the Super Bowl Halftime Show performer, she took issue with his selection, especially because the big game was being hosted in Weezy’s hometown of New Orleans, Louisiana.
“Denying a young black man what he rightfully put into this game for no other reason but your ego,” she wrote on social media in September 2024. “So your hatred for BIRDMAN, Drake & Nicki got you punishing Lil Wayne?!?!!! LIL WAYNE!!!!!!!!!! THE GOAT?!!!!!!!!!!! NOLA, what’s good?!!!!!!”
Since then, Minaj has gone on several rants in which she accused HOV and Roc Nation President Desiree Perez of trying to censor her and even plotting against her.
At the time of writing, Minaj has not responded to Jay-Z.
