The rap queen’s wrath is legendary, and it seems even Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe isn’t immune. After finding himself on the wrong end of a Nicki Minaj lyrical jab, Shannon Sharpe apologized for a past comment that sparked the not-so-nice bar from the rapstress.
If you missed the initial ripple, the drama began back in February 2024. Shannon Sharpe, known for his strong opinions and sometimes controversial takes, replied to a fan asking him to interview Minaj stating, “Nicki who?”
The internet, quick to connect dots, immediately assumed he was referring to Nicki Minaj. However, Sharpe has clarified that he thought the fan was talking about Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley.
Fast forward to now, and Nicki Minaj has seemingly decided to address the perceived shade in true Nicki fashion: with bars. On a new remix of Lil Wayne‘s track “Banned From NO,” Nicki reportedly dropped a line aimed directly at Sharpe.
“‘Bout to cop you slides, all you do is flip-flop / If I send a pic of Shannon, you ain’t that Sharpe.”
Mrs. Petty really seems to be holding up to her name. The rapper seemingly took shots at Sharpe’s personal style, using his last name as a double entendre.
Shannon Sharpe Apologizes: From “Nicki Who?” to “My Fault, Queen”
The lyrical jab evidently reached Sharpe, because the outspoken analyst quickly took to his platform to clear the air and, most importantly, extend an apology. According to Daily Mail, Shannon Sharpe apologizes for the misunderstanding, reiterating his original intent and expressing respect for the rapper.
“I just want to say, Nicki Minaj, I got no problem with you whatsoever,” Sharpe stated in his apology on his podcast with Ochocinco, Nightcap. He went on to explain his original “Nicki who?” comment.
“I used to go back and forth with people. I was talking about Nikki Haley. Nikki Haley said it’s really great for everybody of black America, and I was like … ‘When has it ever been great?” he stated. “Nicki, I was not trying to be disrespectful. Of course, I know who you are. I would be remiss to say that I thought you knew who I was, or that you knew anything about ‘Club Shay Shay.’ I’m not that arrogant.”
‘Nicki, I apologize. I meant no disrespect. You’ll always have an open invitation if you ever want to come sit down and have a conversation,” he added. “Even if you just want to have a private conversation on the phone or something. It won’t go any further between you and I.”
Ochocinco stated that he would text the mother of one later on to explain the situation. However, it was a Barb who alerted Minaj of Sharpe’s apology.
“LOL – well we got a funny lil rap bar out of it,” Minaj responded. “Thank you, Shannon b/c I was like ‘what I done did now?’ You never cleared it up to the Barbz so I had to avenge them.”
Sharpe is doing his best to stay out of the drama. As BOSSIP reported, the Hall of Famer temporarily stepped down from his role at ESPN amid rape and abuse allegations. Though he was able to clear up issues with Nicki, he has yet to resolve his legal issues.
