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Nicki Minaj Gave The Internet A Much-Need Lesson In Sexism

Listen up, folks.
Nicki Minaj attends Harper's BAZAAR Celebration of 'ICONS By Carine Roitfeld' on Sept. 8, 2017 in New York City.
ANGELA WEISS via Getty Images
Nicki Minaj attends Harper's BAZAAR Celebration of 'ICONS By Carine Roitfeld' on Sept. 8, 2017 in New York City.

Nicki Minaj has worked hard to get to where she is today, but her success hasn't come without challenges. Specifically, the 34-year-old has faced her fair share of sexism in the music industry for being a female rapper.

That's why Minaj did not hold back when she gave the internet a much-needed lesson on Wednesday. In a series of tweets, she revealed how sexism affects women.

The "Anaconda" singer's tweets about sexism were in response to a video interview rapper Russ shared giving her props.

"People need to start putting more respect on Nicki Minaj," he said in the clip. "Let's not act like she wasn't on a Jay Z and Kanye song and didn't arguably have the better verse. Come on."

Minaj also referenced an old tweet from Kendrick Lamar where he noted that men seem to hate her more than women do.

Minaj's point about sexism in the music industry is clear: as a female rapper, she has to work harder to be taken seriously and gain respect because people view women, especially in hip-hop, as being less worthy of accolades than men.

2017 has been a big year for Minaj, who became the record holder for most Billboard Hot 100 hits among women earlier this year, surpassing Aretha Franklin and making her one of hip-hop's most successful rappers.

On Twitter, Minaj's fans recognized how far she's come and applauded her for speaking up about sexism.

This isn't the first time Minaj has spoken up about the double standards. In a 2010 interview with MTV, she noted, "When I am assertive, I'm a bitch. When a man is assertive, he's a boss. He bossed up. No negative connotation behind 'bossed up.' But lots of negative connotation behind being a bitch."

A few years later, Minaj also voiced how women are judged more in the music industry. "If you speak up for yourself, you're a bitch," she told Vogue in 2015. "If you party too much, you're a whore. Men don't get called these things."

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