American rapper Nicki Minaj has revealed that her pastor’s Nigerian origin is one of her personal links to the country, as she urged celebrities and influencers to speak out about reported violence against Christians.
American rapper Nicki Minaj has said her pastor is from Nigeria, citing the connection as one of the reasons the country holds personal significance for her.
Minaj made the disclosure while speaking at an X Takeover event held at Tesla’s Giga Texas facility in Austin, Texas. She also referenced her Nigerian fan base, popularly known as the Barbz, as another link to the country.
“For Nigeria personally, my pastor is from Nigeria, so I have a link to Nigeria because of him, and of course, I have a lot of Nigerian Barbz,” she said.
The rapper went on to express concern about reports of violence against Christians in Nigeria, questioning why the issue had not received greater attention from celebrities and other influential figures.
“What I started seeing was the brutality in which Christians are being treated there just for being Christians, and I thought, why isn’t anyone making a big deal out of this?” she added.
Minaj suggested that some issues receive limited public attention because they are considered uncomfortable or unpopular to discuss.
“You know, and sometimes when things aren’t cool to talk about, people don’t just talk about it,” she said.
Minaj urges celebrities to speak out
The rapper called on more celebrities, social media influencers and other public figures to draw attention to the situation.
She said she hoped more prominent voices would join efforts to speak about what was happening to Christians in Nigeria and indicated that she intended to continue contributing to the cause.
“Actually, I’m hoping that more celebrities or people, influencers, I’m hoping that they come on board the train to start speaking out about what’s happening to Christians in Nigeria and I look forward to doing more to help in that way in that cause,” Minaj said.
Her comments add to her previous public statements about religious freedom and reports of attacks on Christians in Nigeria.
In December 2025, Minaj spoke about her connection to the country during an appearance at AmericaFest, where she also cited her Nigerian pastor and Nigerian fans while explaining why the issue mattered to her.
At the time, she expressed concern about reports of people being kidnapped or attacked while attending church services.
Minaj’s latest remarks have again drawn attention to her personal connection to Nigeria and her calls for greater public discussion of violence affecting religious communities.