Nicki Minaj Threatens to Quit Music, Cancels 2026 Album

On October 15, 2025, Nicki Minaj stunned her fans by announcing that she will not be releasing her 2026 album as previously teased. In a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter), Minaj claimed that she had been approached by Roc Nation, the entertainment company founded by Jay-Z, about doing a tour and album, but she had refused.

Minaj's decision appears to be the latest development in her long-standing feud with Jay-Z and Roc Nation. In the past, the rapper has made multiple disparaging remarks about the company and its CEO, Desiree Perez. Last year, she publicly criticized the decision to have Kendrick Lamar perform at the Roc Nation-produced Super Bowl Halftime Show, suggesting that Lil Wayne would have been a better choice.

In her recent X posts, Minaj tagged Jay-Z and alluded to his recently failed casino bid, suggesting that Roc Nation was "begging the QUEEN for a tour & album" and that she had said "NOPE!!!!" to their request. She also claimed that they "needed help from the QUEEN & the BARBZ," referring to her loyal fanbase.

Minaj's announcement has left her fans, known as the "Barbz," in a state of shock and uncertainty about the future of her music career. The rapper's decision to cancel her 2026 album release comes at a time when her feud with Cardi B has also been reignited, generating a significant amount of media attention.