Taylor Was Nicki’s Biggest Barb At The VMAs

Taylor Swift and Nicki Minaj have not always seen eye-to-eye, but Swift proved that she’s still a Barb at the 2022 VMAs. During Minaj’s iconic performance, Swift enthusiastically sang along to every song without skipping a beat, especially Minaj’s catchy hit “Super Bass.” Despite their differences in the past, during the Aug. 28 show, Swift gave Minaj her flowers with a standing ovation and encouraged everyone around her to do the same.

Swift letting out her inner Barb means she’s laying to rest the feud that started seven years ago on the same VMAs stage. Back then, Swift’s “Bad Blood” was nominated for Video of The Year, which featured many famous faces including Gigi Hadid, Selena Gomez, and Cara Delevingne. Minaj, who did not receive a nomination for “Anaconda” in the same category, had something to say about the lack of representation for fuller bodies in Swift’s music video. “If your video celebrates women with very slim bodies, you will be nominated for vid of the year,” Minaj tweeted.

It didn’t take long for Swift to respond to the criticism. “I’ve done nothing but love & support you. It’s unlike you to pit women against each other. Maybe one of the men took your slot.”

Despite the bad blood (pun intended), Minaj and Swift went on to perform together at the 2015 VMAs and seemed to have squashed their beef there. Fast forward seven years to the 2022 VMAs and Nicki Minaj finally got the recognition she deserved as a winner of the Video Vanguard Award. The win was accompanied by a lively mashup of Minaj’s greatest hits and Swift was living for it.

Swift bounced along to Minaj’s “Super Bass,” singing along with every word. The Barb love was real; Swift hyped up Minaj’s win by giving her a standing ovation. And why have one standing ovation when you can have a million more? Swift ushered everyone around her to stand up and cheer along.

Minaj must have been feeling the love because she included Swift in her acceptance speech for Best Hip Hop later that evening. Swift’s name was among the few that Minaj thanked for working with her and influencing the start of her career: “Taylor Swift had a huge part in the success of ‘Super Bass.’”

Unfortunately, there was no camera footage of Swift’s reaction in the crowd, but I’m sure it was nice to be thanked all these years later. Queen Barb’s recognition seems like proof that all the bad blood is firmly in their past.