“This Isn’t Who I Am”: Nicki Minaj Apologizes to Cardi B’s Daughter Kulture After Hip Hop’s Ugliest Feud Crosses Every Line

Hip hop has seen its share of legendary beefs, but nothing, and we mean NOTHING, could have prepared us for what just went down between Nicki Minaj and Cardi B. After days of venomous back and forth on social media that devolved into attacks on innocent children, Nicki Minaj has done something she rarely does, she apologized. Sort of.

The 42 year old Queens rapper took to X (formerly Twitter) in the early hours of Friday morning, October 3, 2025, to issue a public apology to Cardi B’s seven year old daughter, Kulture Kiari Cephus. But this wasn’t your typical celebrity mea culpa. This was a backhanded, passive aggressive, still throwing shade while saying sorry kind of apology that has somehow made things WORSE.

The rapper addressed Kulture directly after the long running feud between the two artists took a troubling turn that has fans, fellow artists, and even radio personalities calling out both women for going way too far.

The “Apology” That Broke The Internet

Let’s be clear about what Nicki actually said, because calling this an apology is generous at best.

“Dear Kulture, truth is: I did all of this for a bigger purpose and one day you’ll understand,” Nicki wrote in her late night X post. “You’re a cute child & lots of kids have cute little funny looking gums before they grow into all of their features.”

Wait, what? Did she just apologize to a seven year old while STILL commenting on the child’s gums? Yes. Yes, she did.

Nicki continued: “One day you’ll see this, so I have to say: I apologize. As a child of God & QUEEN of my community who look to me for integrity. You’re an innocent child & don’t deserve any of this.”

Okay, so far this sounds like she’s taking accountability. But then came the kicker.

“One day your mother, aunt & many more will be brought to their knees for what they’ve said AND TRIED to do to my young prophet/beautiful boy. Take care my darling. This isn’t who I am.”

And there it is. An apology that manages to still threaten the child’s mother and family while claiming moral high ground. Only Nicki Minaj could pull off apologizing to a child while simultaneously promising revenge on that child’s relatives.

Cardi B Was NOT Having It

Cardi B, never one to stay quiet when her children are involved, responded almost immediately. And honey, she came with RECEIPTS and RAGE.

“Don’t give my child no backhanded apology,” Cardi fired back on X. “Keep my child name out your mouth cause imma always take you where you don’t wanna go about mine. Honest truth this goin back and forth about kids is really draining my energy.”

#nickiminaj with a message😳 pic.twitter.com/MgeMNpqXEF

— The Talk Lounge Official (@thetalkloungetv) October 1, 2025

The 32 year old Bronx rapper, who shares Kulture with her estranged husband Offset, made it crystal clear that she wasn’t accepting Nicki’s so called apology. She continued: “I don’t wanna keep mentioning kids it feels very nasty and dark but the energy you keep giving my kids imma resend back to messenger.”

But Cardi didn’t stop there. In what can only be described as the pettiest clap back of 2025, she wrote her OWN letter to Nicki’s five year old son, known publicly as Papa Bear.

“Dear Papa Perc,” Cardi began, deliberately using a nickname that references drug use. “I’m sorry that your mommy haven’t cut you a birthday cake for the past 3 days cause she can’t take my success or happiness.”

The letter escalated from there, with Cardi making disturbing allegations about Papa Bear’s family members and their alleged history. She wrote: “One day you going to grow up and I hope you understand when a girl says NO it means NO and you can overcome the pedophilia blood you inherited from you your grandfather, father and uncle.”

Cardi also attacked Papa Bear directly, writing earlier in the feud: “Papa Bear I’m sorry you can’t speak and banging spoons because your mom couldn’t put the drugs down. I’m sorry your mom not even paying attention to you on your own birthday cuz she such a obsessed and dark spirted hating ho.”

This is the level we’ve reached, folks. Two of the biggest female rappers in the world are writing open letters to each other’s elementary school aged children. We’ve officially entered the darkest timeline.

How Did We Get Here? The Feud That Never Dies

The beef between Nicki Minaj and Cardi B isn’t new. In fact, it’s been simmering since 2017 and has erupted multiple times over the years. But this latest explosion may be the ugliest chapter yet in one of hip hop’s most polarizing rivalries.

The feud became physical on September 7, 2018, at a New York Fashion Week party at the Plaza Hotel. Cardi reportedly threw her shoe at Nicki, and witnesses said she tried to attack the “Super Bass” rapper. Cardi left the event with a visible bump on her head, and she later posted on Instagram that someone had spoken negatively about her daughter. Though she didn’t name names, everyone knew she was talking about Nicki.

Since then, the two have traded subliminals, online jabs, and public shade. They’ve competed for chart positions, argued about who’s the real “Queen of Rap,” and used their massive platforms to take shots at each other. Their fanbases, the Barbz (Nicki’s fans) and the Bardi Gang (Cardi’s fans), have kept the feud alive even during periods when the artists themselves seemed to be staying quiet.

But the feud has never been just about music. It’s about dominance, legacy, and proving who deserves the crown in a genre that historically hasn’t made much room for more than one woman at the top.

The Week That Everything Went Nuclear

This latest round started innocently enough, at least by Nicki and Cardi standards. The two were throwing their usual shade, arguing about album sales, chart positions, and who was more successful. Typical rapper beef stuff.

Then Nicki decided to bring Kulture into it.

Nicki called Kulture “ugly,” referred to her as “Kulture Vulture,” and used racial slurs including calling the seven year old girl a “roach” and “monkey.” She also made derogatory comments about Cardi’s upcoming child, referring to both Kulture and her younger sibling Blossom as “a roach & a monkey.”

The remarks were so shocking, so beyond the pale, that even Nicki’s most loyal fans had to pause. Calling a Black child a “monkey” carries centuries of racist imagery and trauma. Using that language against any child, let alone a seven year old girl, crossed a line that many felt should never have been approached, let alone crossed.

Cardi B immediately went into mama bear mode. “Let this be the LAST TIME you mention my kids,” she warned Nicki in all caps, making her position crystal clear.

But instead of backing down, Cardi decided that if Nicki was going to attack her children, she would return the favor. She called Papa Bear “nonverbal” and “slow,” making fun of a five year old child’s developmental milestones. She claimed Nicki was high during his birthday and couldn’t even cut his cake because she was too busy obsessing over Cardi’s success.

The insults flew back and forth for days, each one more personal and vicious than the last. Both women seemed unable or unwilling to pump the brakes, even as fans, fellow artists, and industry observers begged them to stop involving children who have no say in this beef.

The Industry Responds: Charlamagne Tha God Names Nicki “Donkey of the Day”

The hip hop community has been largely silent about the feud, with most artists wisely choosing not to pick sides in such a volatile situation. But one person who did speak up was Charlamagne Tha God, the controversial co host of The Breakfast Club radio show.

On Thursday, October 2, Charlamagne named Nicki Minaj as “Donkey of the Day,” his show’s regular segment calling out people for foolish behavior. He referred to her as “MAGA Minaj” and speculated that “unhealed trauma” was at the root of her recent actions.

Charlamagne’s criticism particularly stung because of his influence in hip hop media. The Breakfast Club is one of the most important platforms in rap, and being called out on air by Charlamagne is no small thing.

Nicki later addressed this criticism in another X post, declaring: “Dear BLACK WOMEN, I can GUARANTEE YOU that h*e will never EVER get on my net & discuss another BLACK BABY AGAIN. I can GUARANTEE YOU that hoe will never EVER call black women roaches & monkeys AGAIN!!!!!!!!”

The irony of Nicki defending Black children after she herself used those exact slurs against Kulture was not lost on observers. Many saw this as her trying to flip the script and position herself as the defender of Black children rather than the aggressor.

50 Cent Weighs In With Cryptic Warning

Never one to miss an opportunity to insert himself into drama, 50 Cent also commented on the situation, posting what many interpreted as a cryptic warning amid the explosive beef. While he didn’t explicitly take sides, his involvement signaled that the feud had reached a level that even hip hop’s most notorious troll found concerning.

The Offset Factor

Adding another layer to this mess is Cardi’s relationship status with Offset, the Migos rapper and father of Kulture and their other children. The couple has had a notoriously rocky relationship, with multiple breakups and reconciliations over the years.

Nicki has made references to Cardi’s personal relationships, including allegedly mocking her connection to NFL player Stefon Diggs. These jabs at Cardi’s romantic life have added fuel to the fire, making the feud even more personal.

Offset himself has remained largely quiet during this latest round of beef, presumably focused on co parenting his children despite the public drama surrounding their mother.

The Fans Are Divided and Exhausted

Perhaps the most telling aspect of this feud is how the fans are responding. While the Barbz and Bardi Gang have historically been ride or die for their respective queens, even some of the most loyal supporters are expressing fatigue and disappointment.

“This is embarrassing for both of them,” one fan wrote on X. “These are CHILDREN. This needs to stop.”

Another commented: “I’m a Nicki fan but calling a child those names is inexcusable. I can’t defend this.”

Even Cardi’s supporters, who have been quick to defend her in past feuds, are expressing discomfort: “Cardi had every right to defend Kulture, but attacking Papa Bear makes her just as wrong. Both of them need to stop.”

The consensus seems to be that both women have crossed lines that shouldn’t exist. In a culture where rap beefs are often celebrated as entertainment, this particular fight has left many fans feeling queasy rather than entertained.

What This Means for Both Their Legacies

Both Nicki Minaj and Cardi B are incredibly successful artists with massive achievements. Nicki, with her decades long career, multiple platinum albums, and influence on a generation of female rappers, is considered by many to be the greatest female MC of all time. Cardi, who burst onto the scene more recently but quickly dominated with hits like “Bodak Yellow” and “WAP,” has proven she’s a force to be reckoned with.

But this feud threatens to overshadow their accomplishments. Years from now, when people look back at their careers, will they remember the music or will they remember the time both women viciously attacked each other’s children on social media?

The question of legacy is particularly relevant for Nicki, who positioned herself in her apology as the “QUEEN of my community who look to me for integrity.” How can she claim to represent integrity while calling a seven year old child racial slurs?

For Cardi, who’s built her brand on being unapologetically herself and fiercely protective of her family, this feud has shown a willingness to stoop to the same level as her opponent rather than taking the high road. Her fans love her realness, but is attacking a five year old child “real” or just cruel?

Where Do We Go From Here?

Nicki’s apology, backhanded as it was, at least acknowledged that involving Kulture was wrong. Her statement “This isn’t who I am” suggests some level of self awareness that she crossed a line.

But Cardi’s response makes clear that the apology wasn’t accepted and possibly made things worse. By writing her own letter to Papa Bear, Cardi escalated the situation rather than accepting any olive branch Nicki might have been extending.

Both women claim they want to stop mentioning the children. Cardi explicitly stated that going “back and forth about kids is really draining my energy” and that it “feels very nasty and dark.” Yet both continue to engage, unable or unwilling to be the first one to actually walk away.

The reality is that in beefs like this, there are no winners. Both women have damaged their reputations. Both women have shown they’re willing to hurt innocent children to score points against each other. Both women have given their critics ammunition that will be used against them for years to come.

The Bigger Question About Hip Hop Culture

This feud raises uncomfortable questions about hip hop culture and where the lines should be. Beef has always been part of rap. Tupac vs. Biggie, Jay Z vs. Nas, 50 Cent vs. Ja Rule these legendary feuds are woven into the fabric of hip hop history.

But those beefs, even at their most vicious, had certain understood boundaries. You didn’t involve children. You didn’t use racial slurs against kids. There was supposed to be some code, some line that even in the heat of battle, you didn’t cross.

Nicki and Cardi have obliterated those lines. In an era where social media allows direct, unfiltered communication between artists and their audiences, the guardrails that might have existed in previous generations are gone. When you can tweet directly at your enemy at 3 AM from your phone, without a publicist or manager to intervene, things can spiral out of control quickly.

The question for hip hop moving forward is whether the culture will hold artists accountable for crossing these lines or whether anything goes in the name of beef and entertainment.

The Bottom Line

Nicki Minaj apologized to Kulture, kind of. She acknowledged the child’s innocence while still managing to insult her gums and threaten her mother. Cardi B rejected the apology and responded by attacking Papa Bear even more viciously. Both women claim they want to stop involving the children. Neither woman has actually stopped.

What we’re witnessing is hip hop’s ugliest feud reaching new lows that many fans never wanted to see. Two incredibly talented artists, both with massive platforms and influence, are using their power to hurt each other’s children in public. There’s no winner here. There’s just damage, trauma, and the sad spectacle of two women who can’t seem to stop themselves even when they know they should.

“This isn’t who I am,” Nicki claimed in her apology. But actions speak louder than words, and right now, the actions of both Nicki Minaj and Cardi B are telling us exactly who they are: two people so consumed by rivalry that they’re willing to sacrifice their own claimed values, their reputations, and most disturbingly, the wellbeing of innocent children, just to prove they’re better than each other.

Hip hop deserves better. These children definitely deserve better. And honestly, both Nicki and Cardi deserve better than what they’re doing to themselves and each other.

The only question now is whether either of them will actually walk away before even more damage is done.