When two powerful women in hip-hop clash, the entire rap world pays attention. Back in mid-July, fans were stunned when SZA and Nicki Minaj got caught up in a tense Twitter back-and-forth that seemed to come out of nowhere. What started as a random post by Nicki quickly turned into one of the most talked-about moments on social media that month.
As someone who’s always been admired for her calm energy and focus on self-growth, SZA’s involvement surprised many. Nicki Minaj, known for her fiery online presence, took aim at Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE), specifically its president, Punch, using her X (formerly Twitter) account, which has seen its fair share of drama in recent months. Fans watched as things spiraled, and the usually composed SZA decided to speak up.
The exchange between the two artists became heated quickly, with both sides trading words over several days. Since then, things have cooled off, but when SZA sat down with GQ recently, the topic came up again, and she finally shared her side of the story.
SZA says the feud made no sense
In her GQ interview, SZA admitted that she still doesn’t really understand why the situation even happened in the first place. “I don’t know her. We have no connection to each other. There’s no backstory. Like, there was no through-line narrative,” she said.
She went on to explain how unexpected it all was. “It was just like, ‘Roc Nation’.... I don’t know where it came from. That’s not even my place to correct a narrative that I don’t got sh*t to do with. It was a little strange. It was very like, ‘Why?’ But also, you know, ‘I guess.’”
Back in July, Nicki had directed some harsh words toward Jay-Z and Roc Nation CEO Desiree Perez. SZA’s name got pulled into the mix when she decided to speak up, and that’s when things got messy. The online feud even led to Nicki digging up old tweets from SZA’s early career and comments about Beyoncé, Rihanna, and Ciara that fans had long forgotten.
Focusing on growth, not drama
Despite the chaos, SZA made it clear she’s not holding on to negativity. “I'm a grown-up for real, I'm trying to biohack my health and get my cortisol levels in check and make the best album I've ever made, see my grandma before she get out of here type sh*t,” she shared.
She continued, “Keep my parents' health in check, and tap in and see all my friends fulfilled. Like, how can we build together as women? What’s our life plan when we’re moving forward? Real n**** sh*t. Not like, ‘Oh, I'm about to crash out.’ It's more like, 'No, it's time for life to be built.'”
Her words show a clear shift in mindset, one that reflects growth, maturity, and focus on what truly matters. Instead of letting online drama define her, SZA is choosing peace, purpose, and progress in both life and music.